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The human oral LD50 for arsenic is 15mg/kg and you weigh 80kg. Should you be concerned if you ingest 1.5g? Why or why not? Explain in detail - show calculations to prove your response

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User Dnlbrky
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1 Answer

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Final answer:

Yes, ingesting 1.5g of arsenic is a concern for an 80kg person as it exceeds the lethal dose (LD50) of 1200mg for that body weight, indicating a high risk of arsenic poisoning.

Step-by-step explanation:

The human oral LD50 for arsenic is 15 mg/kg, meaning that a dose of 15 mg per kilogram of body weight is expected to be lethal to 50% of a human population. To determine if ingesting 1.5g of arsenic is a concern for someone weighing 80kg, we perform the following calculation:

  • Convert the 1.5g dose into milligrams: 1.5g = 1500mg.
  • Multiply the LD50 value (15mg/kg) by the person's body weight (80kg): 15mg/kg * 80kg = 1200mg.
  • Compare the ingested dose (1500mg) with the calculated lethal dose (1200mg).

Ingesting 1.5g (or 1500mg) of arsenic exceeds the lethal dose of 1200mg for a person weighing 80kg, thus it is a cause for concern because it surpasses the LD50 threshold, potentially leading to arsenic poisoning.

answered
User Lingaraj R M
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