Crystal structure and X-ray absorption spectroscopy of trimethylarsine oxide dihydrate, (CH3)3AsO⋅2H2O

The crystal structure of trimethylarsine oxide dihydrate, (CH3)3AsO⋅2H2O, (TMAO dihydrate) has been solved using parallel tempering with the FOX software package and refined using synchrotron powder diffraction data obtained from beamline 08B1-1 at the Canadian Light Source. Rietveld refinement, performed with the software package GSASII, yielded orthorhombic lattice parameters of a = 13.3937(4) Å, b = 9.53025(30) Å, and c = 11.5951(3) Å (Z = 8, space group Pbca). The Rietveld refined structure was compared with density functional theory calculations performed with VASP and shows reasonable agreement. Arsenic K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy analysis also revealed additional information on the electronic structure of the arsenic atom within the TMAO dihydrate structure.

Arsenic(+3) and DNA methyltransferases, and arsenic speciation in tadpole and frog life stages of western clawed frogs (Silurana tropicalis) exposed to arsenate

Silurana tropicalistadpoles and frogs exposed to arsenate exhibit changes in levels of methylating enzymes DNMT1 and AS3MT, and methylate arsenic to trimethylarsine oxide and tetramethylarsonium.