-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 On Mon, Oct 15, 2007 at 06:11:41PM +0100, Howard Winter wrote: > Peter, > > On Mon, 15 Oct 2007 00:08:44 -0400, Peter Todd wrote: > > > On Sat, Oct 13, 2007 at 10:17:06PM +0000, Peter P. wrote: > > > Jinx clear.net.nz> writes: > > > > > > > And that the smoke detectors "everyone should have" are radioactive > > > > > > But the smoke detectors that replace them contain LEDs which contain Arsenic! > > > > Yeah, but arsenic doesn't bioaccumulate... > > Actually I believe it does - a lot of detective stories are based on poisoning someone over a long period with small amounts or arsenic. Similarly, miners from places > like Cornwall where arsenic is found with the thing they're mining (tin, for example) who could lead a relatively long and healthy life (I say again: *relatively*) as > long as they didn't eat the dust with their lunch, hence Cornish Pasties having the handhold on the crust, which is thrown away. I think that's just due to long-term damage, not bioaccumulation per say: http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/HEC/CSEM/arsenic/biologic_fate.html The above states that arsenic is generally cleared from the body fairly quickly from most tissues, with exceptions being hair and skin. However the wiki entry on arsenic poisoning states that levels in water as low as 150ppb can cause arsenic poisoning over the long term. The cornish pasties bit is interesting, if true! I know I eat the crust on them. - -- http://petertodd.org -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v1.4.6 (GNU/Linux) iD8DBQFHE61o3bMhDbI9xWQRApCMAJ47trOZuU/eCDxpGwNvnghZd6fDKgCdEOoQ Z/oBqnJu0fGO5JF6h7kGJJ8= =0ESY -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- -- http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist