Arsenic compounds in marine and terrestrial organisms: Analytical,chemical and biochemical aspects

Arsenic has a reputation as a poison, because arsenic trioxide was used during medieval times as an agent for murder. Lingering memories of these events make any arsenic-containing material suspect. Toxicity is a property of a specific compound and varies with the composition and structure of compounds. Developments in analytical methodology made it possible not only to determine total arsenic in a variety of matrices but also arsenic compounds. Knowledge about the arsenic cycle in marine systems has expanded considerably during the past decade. The marine arsenic cycle appears to be more complex than the cycle in the terrestrial environment. More attention must be given to the minor arsenic-containing compounds detected in organisms and experiments should be undertaken that provide information about the biochemical pathways used for the transformation of arsenic compounds.