anthropogenic contributor of arsenic to the environment, with the
single largest input coming from copper smelting (40%) followed
by other mining activities at 16% (Prohaska and Stingeder, 2005).
For example, for every ton of copper produced, it has been estimated
that 1.5 kg of arsenic is released into the environment, andmine tailings
alone contribute 7000–11,000 tons of arsenic per year (Nriagu and
Pacyna, 1988). Additionally, arsenic has been reported at a majority
(1149 of 1684) of the current and former U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency's (USEPA) National Priorities List (Superfund) sites in the U.S.,
and this number is expected to increase in the future as more sites are
evaluated (Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry