Arsenic Pollution Disrupts Hormones

March 14, 2001 at 11:02 am - More than 2 years ago

Chronic exposure to small amounts of arsenic in drinking water increases a person’s risk of cancer and other diseases. Researchers believe they’re now onto an explanation for the process.

Arsenic alters the hormone-receptor complex (left). This keeps an activator molecule (center) from directing an enxyme (right) to read genes. Adapted from William Scavone

Arsenic acts as an endocrine disrupter, upsetting the action of hormones by blocking or mimicking them, say Joshua W.

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