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Arsenic
(877 words)

The element arsenic (As) belongs to Group 15 (old notation: Group V) of the Periodic Table (pnictogens). While elemental arsenic itself seems not to be toxic, arsenic compounds usually contain arsenic trioxide (As2O3), which is the most powerful metallic poison.

Traces of arsenic, which occurs as abundantly as tin, can be found almost everywhere, e.g. in igneous rock, volcanic sulfur, coal, seawater, and mineral water. The most important arsenic minerals are arsenopyrite (mispickel), loellingite, orpiment, and realgar. Arsenic generally oc…

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Weitensfelder, Hubert, “Arsenic”, in: Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online, Editors of the English edition: Graeme Dunphy, Andrew Gow. Original German Edition: Enzyklopädie der Neuzeit. Im Auftrag des Kulturwissenschaftlichen Instituts (Essen) und in Verbindung mit den Fachherausgebern herausgegeben von Friedrich Jaeger. Copyright © J.B. Metzlersche Verlagsbuchhandlung und Carl Ernst Poeschel Verlag GmbH 2005–2012. Consulted online on 19 March 2024 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/2352-0272_emho_SIM_017085>
First published online: 2015
First print edition: 20160321



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