Arsenatecontaining

Arsenate-containing is an umbrella description for any chemical substance that includes one or more arsenate groups (AsO4^3−) or arsenate ester linkages. In most contexts, the term refers to inorganic arsenates in which arsenic is in the +5 oxidation state, as well as organoarsenate compounds in which an arsenate unit is bound to carbon. The class encompasses minerals, salts, and organometallic or organic compounds used in research, industry, or consumer products.

In inorganic arsenates, the arsenate group adopts a tetrahedral geometry with four oxygens, and in solution forms occur mainly as protonated species such as H2AsO4− and HAsO4^2− depending on pH. Arsenate-containing materials commonly arise as salts with various cations (for example Ca2+, Pb2+, Fe3+), leading to minerals or crystalline compounds such as calcium arsenate Ca3(AsO4)2 or lead arsenate Pb3(AsO4)2. Arsenate minerals exist in nature, including scorodite FeAsO4·2H2O and related species.

Arsenate-containing compounds have historical and practical significance. They have been used as pigments (for example arsenate-containing copper-based pigments in some 19th-century paints) and as pesticides or wood preservatives in the past. In biology, arsenate can mimic phosphate in certain biochemical processes, which underlies its toxic effects and its study in metabolic inhibition.

Health and environmental considerations are central to arsenate-containing substances. Arsenic compounds can be toxic; arsenate can contaminate water and soils, and regulatory controls govern their handling, use, and cleanup. Understanding their chemistry helps in monitoring mobility, speciation, and potential exposure in environmental settings.