ARSENIC levels detected in the toenail clippings of children living in the Victorian Goldfields are not alarming, but suggest that we should not be too complacent, according to researchers.
The research was conducted by Dr Dora Pearce in conjunction with the University of Ballarat's School of Science and Engineering.
Dr Pearce and her team collected toenail clippings and soil from where children played at home.
She said while most arsenic that entered the body was excreted very quickly via the urine, some was excreted into the hair and nails, making it easy to investigate exposure patterns.
She found that while the levels of arsenic are not alarming, people should not be complacent.
''If you live in an historic gold mining area, taking simple steps, such as not allowing children to play around mine waste, making sure they wash their hands before eating, and growing groundcover plants on bar patches
of soil where they play, can help reduce their exposure to arsenic,'' she said.
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