Aresinic exposure sources

Jewelry Discussion
1

To the Ganoksin community

I have recently become concerned about arsenic exposure and am
trying to discover possible sources of this material in my workspace.
I work in 14k white and yellow most of the time with a ratio of about
65:35 white to yellow.

I do about 15% of my work in 18K yellow and 5% in sterling silver. I
cast about 3 ounces worth of metal roughly once a week. I no longer
melt scrap for my refiner, and do repair/solder work about 50% of my
40 hour work week. I use acetylene gas, and get my solders (14K
medium) from Stuller.

Is their any place I should be specifically looking for to find this
toxin?

Any insight would be appreciated as I am trying to run a safe shop.

Thank you
Rich

2

Arsenic is not commonly found in any commercial jewelry alloys.
There are some gold ores that contain arsenic but it is not present
in the refined metal. You need to look at other possible sources of
it if you are having a problem with high levels in your system.

James Binnion
James Binnion Metal Arts

3

vanadium, vanadium steel, and stones that contain arsenic- cinnabar,
wulfanite, vanadium crystals and cabs (lovely orange gemmy crystals-
the only reason I know this is due to friend having gotten a really
high concentration of arsenic in his system from cutting vanadium
into cabs, and setting faceted (soft crystals) yeah they looked
great!..but that’s why there are respirators!

4 
Is their any place I should be specifically looking for to find
this toxin?

Seafood, chicken (through supplements that they eat), drinking
water, etc. Perhaps metals if you’re into mining or refining.

5

Hello Rich,

I have recently become concerned about arsenic exposure and am
trying to discover possible sources of this material in my
workspace. I work in 14k white and yellow most of the time [snip]

I work in the same materials and have never had any reason to expect
that aresinic was a problem. Your message does not say why you are
worried. How is it you suspect arsenic is in your shop? Has there
been some arsenic alarm and I missed the memo?

Stephen Walker

6

I really would stop worrying! The use of this material was
widespread in the 17-1800’s - even being used to color sweets and
produce toxic dyes for clothing (waltzing around in a brilliant
green dress scattered arsenical dust over everybody.)

The compound is little used today and unless you are doing something
wildly esoteric with chemicals you are extremely unlikely to come
across it in any form.

Tony Konrath

7

Rich,

Do you undertake “sandblasting”? Abrasive blasting using copper slag
as an abrasive has a history of generating worrisome arsenic levels:

Mark B
Fourth Axis
http://fourth-axis.com