Short description: subset of organoarsenic compounds defined as oxyacids
The general chemical structure of arsonic acids
Arsonic acids are a subset of organoarsenic compounds defined as oxyacids where a pentavalent arsenic atom is bonded to two hydroxyl groups, a third oxygen atom (this one with a double bond), and an organic substituent. The salts/conjugate bases of arsonic acids are called arsonates. Like all arsenic-containing compounds, arsonic acids are toxic and carcinogenic to humans.[1][2]
Chemical structure of nitarsone, an arsonic acid used as a feed additive
Arsanilic acid, carbarsone, nitarsone, and roxarsone were formerly used in poultry feed in order to promote growth and increase feed conversion.[3][4] In addition, nitarsone and carbarsone can also prevent histomoniasis.[5][6][7] However, concern grew over whether or not the arsenic would be ingested by humans when they ate the poultry. In 2013, a study found that chickens who were fed roxarsone and other arsenic-containing feed additives tended to show elevated levels of arsenic in breast meat—three times as high—compared to chickens that were not fed any arsenical feed additives.[8][9] On September of that year, Zoetis and Fleming Laboratories, the drugs' sponsors, voluntarily withdrew the FDA approvals for arsanilic acid, carbarsone, and roxarsone,[10] leaving only nitarsone approved until its approval for use in animal feed was withdrawn by the FDA in 2015.[11]
Arsenic acid is technically not an arsonic acid because the substituent is a hydroxyl group, not a hydrocarbyl group, so arsenic acid has three hydroxyl groups bound to the arsenic atom, while arsonic acids only have two.
↑Styblo, M.; Del Razo, L. M.; Vega, L.; Germolec, D. R.; LeCluyse, E. L.; Hamilton, G. A.; Reed, W.; Wang, C.; Cullen, W. R.; Thomas, D. J. (2000). "Comparative toxicity of trivalent and pentavalent inorganic and methylated arsenicals in rat and human cells". Archives of Toxicology74 (6): 289–299. doi:10.1007/s002040000134. PMID11005674.
↑McDougald LR (1979). "Efficacy and compatibility of amprolium and carbarsone against Coccidiosis and blackhead in turkeys". Poult. Sci.58 (1): 76–80. doi:10.3382/ps.0580076. PMID572970.
↑"The effect of Carbarsone (33.6 per cent w-v p-ureidobenzene arsonic acid) on bodyweight gain, food conversion and tissue arsenic levels of turkey poults". J. Sci. Food Agric.24 (1): 35–41. 1973. doi:10.1002/jsfa.2740240107. PMID4696593.
↑"Asymptomatic amebiasis; treatment with atabrine in combination with carbarsone or chiniofon". United States Armed Forces Medical Journal7 (3): 363–8. 1956. PMID13299463.
↑RADKE RA (1955). "Ameboma of the intestine: an analysis of the disease as presented in 78 collected and 41 previously unreported cases". Ann. Intern. Med.43 (5): 1048–66. doi:10.7326/0003-4819-43-5-1048. PMID13268997.