Arsenic: A new type of endocrine disrupter? “Recently, it has become clear that decades
of exposure to very low doses of arsenic — such as levels found in drinking water in many areas of the United States — may
substantially increase the risk of vascular disease, diabetes and several types of cancer. Until now, little was known about
how arsenic might contribute to these diseases, however.

Using cultured animal cells, a team led by toxicologist Joshua Hamilton, director of Dartmouth’s Toxic Metals Research
Program, found that exposure to very low concentrations of arsenic disrupts the function of the glucocorticoid receptor, a
steroid hormone receptor that regulates a wide range of biological processes.” EurekAlert!