**10. Conclusion**

From history to the present, the story of arsenic is double-edged: a poisonous edge and a medicinal edge. Arsenic has been mentioned mainly as a poison and public health problem

Arsenic was used in vineyards for only some years as a pesticide. It was officially introduced as a pesticide in viniculture in 1925. Its purpose was to protect the wine plants. But it was banned in 1942. It was used in Germany until the mid 1950ties (Shab, 2009). Consumption of the so-called wine-grower´s house drink led to severe symptoms and illnesses, especially liver damage. This homemade wine was produced by watering down the wine obtained from a second pressing of the grape skins. It was consumed in large quantities, which had a low alcohol content, from 3-5 %, but high arsenic content (Kunz and Kunz 2008). Exposure to arsenic has been reported to lead to cirrhosis and to angiosarcoma among famers exposed to arsenical insecticides. Chronic liver disease which can be caused by arsenic toxicity includes also steatosis and noncirrhotic portal hypertension (Von Hyman

Not only at the vineyards there was an occupational exposure to arsenic. Other important occupational exposure opportunities exist for processing of metal ores, roasting of pyrites in the chemical industry, the production and use of arsenic colors and tints for glass, porcelain and ceramics industry, pesticides and wood preservatives as well as at the battery and semiconductor. Occupational diseases caused by arsenic and its compound can be

Fig. 9. Wine glass with wine yard (Markus Ebert - photographer Heidelberg/Potsdam)

From history to the present, the story of arsenic is double-edged: a poisonous edge and a medicinal edge. Arsenic has been mentioned mainly as a poison and public health problem

recognized as an occupational disease (BK-Nr. 1108 in Germany) (1964).

**9. Arsenic, wine and profession** 

J.Zimmerman. 1999).

**10. Conclusion** 

than as an effective anticancer drug. Arsenic is one of the most toxic metals derived from the natural environment. Inorganic Arsenic is a human carcinogen, but nowadays also acts as a beneficial chemotherapeutic agent. The major cause of human arsenic toxicity is from contamination of drinking water and from As-contaminated food through fertilization. Current uses of arsenic compounds are in the glass industry, as a wood preservative and in the production of semiconductor. Over the centuries, arsenic has been used for a variety of purposes. In industry arsenic is used as a potential weapon against insecticides concerning humans as a modern weapon. Arsenic compounds became available e.g. in Fowler´s solution as indication for skin conditions and treatment for acute and chronic diseases. Arsenic affects many cellular and physiological pathways, which is useful in treating malignancies like hematological cancer and solid tumors. The ability of arsenic trioxide to treat APL has changed the point of view.

Still today moderately elevated concentrations of inorganic arsenic in drinking water is a major public health concern as well as arsenic exposure from food, especially rice products (Sun et al. 2008).

Chronic arsenicism may lead to multiple benign skin diseases as well as potentially fatal skin and visceral malignancies e.g. lungs, bladder, liver kidneys. Pigmentation changes and hyperkeratosis are the earliest signs of toxicity from chronic exposure. People with chronic arsenicism should undergo regular skin and systemic examination. There are no evidence based treatments to reduce chronic arsenic poisoning, but antioxidants have been advocated: Pharmacological interventions such as vitamin C, folic acid, vitamin b12 have been identified to halt the development of arsenic-induced toxicity. More studies are needed. The essential and basic efforts for the reduction of chronic arsenic toxicity are prevention. Although current exposure to arsenic is decreasing, continual surveillance programs to detect unrestricted and unsupervised manufacture and sale of drugs that may contain inorganic arsenic must be implemented to prevent a potentially fatal disorder.

#### **11. Acknowledgment**

Arsenic is a fascinating element. We were inspired by treating patients having contact to arsenic. Quod vide:

Shab, C. Crößmann und C. Bayerl, "Multiple Basalzellkarzinome und aktinische Keratosen bei einem landwirtschaftlichen Arbeiter nach Arsen-Exposition: Immer nur BK 1108?" Dermatologie in Beruf und Umwelt (Vol. 57,No. 4/2009(4. Quartal)).

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**11** 

 *Argentina* 

**Freshwater Decapods and Pesticides:** 

*1Instituto Nacional de Limnología, Ciudad Universitaria Pje El Pozo,* 

*3Facultad de Ciencias y Tecnología Universidad Autónoma de Entre Ríos,* 

Leandro Negro1, Eloisa Senkman1,3,

Marcela Montagna1 and Pablo Collins 1,2,3

 **An Unavoidable Relation in the Modern World** 

 *2Facultad de bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas Universidad Nacional del Litoral,* 

**1.1 Levels of organisation in biological systems and their relationships** 

Scales in nature can be difficult to define and understand because several ecological factors can interact. The study of different biological scales contributes to information that varies in its quality and significance for humans. Observations at the ecosystem scale are of great ecological significance but can be of low quality or provide little information about causes; at the other extreme, molecular studies that provide exact determinations of causes can have very little relevance to effects at a larger scale (Figure 1). In the middle of these extremes are observations that provide more or less significant and relevant information. Increasing the level of biological complexity in our observations can lead to an unexpected increase in the number of variables to be considered, requiring the consideration of n-adimensional

Fig. 1. Relationship between spatial and temporal scales with the quality information

Each level of study is influenced by the level below it, and each level affects the level above it, which is mediated by interspecific relationships that influence ecosystem structure, and this can vary according to the heterogeneity of an ecosystem. When biological complexity

**1. Introduction** 

conditions.

obtained

"Complete remission after treatment of acute promyelocytic leukemia with arsenic trioxide," *N.Engl.J.Med.*, 339(19), 1341-8.

