The Effect of Arsenic on the Prevalence of Diabetes

Context: Arsenic has metallic and non-metallic properties. It is widely found in sulfide ores and belongs to the nitrogen family. Arsenic is used as an insecticide due to its high toxicity. Arsenic has caused many environmental concerns, including the widespread availability of arsenic in the environment, biological toxicity, and exploitation. Potential routes of arsenic exposure in humans include drinking water, industrial manufacturing, diet, cosmetics, smoking, and air. A recent debate has focused on the link between arsenic exposure and diabetes. Diabetes is a common disease in the world that affects many people. This disease is caused by a long-term increase in blood sugar levels in the body. Evidence Acquisition: The purpose of this review study was to epidemiologically review the side effects of arsenic on diabetes. A total of 466 articles were retrieved from PubMed, Web of Science, Springer, Cochran, and ScienceDirect databases. Eighty-one full-text articles were entered into the analysis process. Finally, 16 articles were selected for this study. Results: Arsenic is available in a variety of sources, including natural resources, groundwater, industrial activities, food, and tobacco. Arsenic can affect the function of pancreatic β cells and cause diabetes. Conclusions: Toxic air pollutants, especially arsenic, are attributed to human activities, industrial processes, fuel uses, transportation, power plants, and energy consumption. The emission of these pollutants can increase the prevalence of diabetes. Also, exposure to arsenic in the air can be very harmful and cause cancer and non-cancerous disorders in the long term and even in the short term.