Mobilization of natural arsenic in groundwater: targeting low arsenic aquifers in high arsenic occurrence areas

研究表明饮用水中微小数量的砷会对人类健康产生不利影响.世界上居住在贫穷地区的人数超过了100万,目前他们正直接饮用来自含水层中砷离子含量(>10μg/L)非安全标准的地下水.砷有时称为毒中之王,在水环境中常常以五价氧化物形式出现.自2000年以来,许多国家开始执行更为严格的10μg/L(WHO认可的居民安全饮水标准)饮用水标准,可以确定地说,在世界范围内的饮用水中检测到砷的情况越来越多.亚洲地区砷中毒的人数比世界其他地区总和还多.最受影响的地区位于南亚和东南亚富砷带,环绕恒河一雅鲁藏布江-梅克纳河三角洲及恒河平原上游的冲洪积扇含水层、红河三角洲、湄公河和伊洛瓦底江;在中国境内包括内蒙黄河冲积盆地,山西大同盆地、新疆准噶尔盆地,其中的地下水富含砷和氟化物而引发砷中毒和氟中毒.尽管还未完全掌握其中的水文地质及生物地球化学作用的详细过程,但对大多数沉积介质含水层,在还原条件下砷离子容易从沉积介质转移到地下水中.孟加拉研究实例表明地质时期尺度的冲刷降低了沉积介质中的As和有机物含量从而形成低砷地下水.这一认识为孟加拉国的降砷策略提供了科学指导,是未来水文学,矿物学,地质学和生物地球化学方面很有意义的研究方向,并有利于地砷病区低砷地下水的可持续利用.     

Arsenic contamination in groundwater and its proposed remedial measures

Arsenic contamination occurs in groundwater of Bangladesh mainly from the alluvial and deltaic sediments. Arsenic contamination of groundwater in Bangladesh was first detected more than a decade ago and the ’shallow tubewells’ were reported as the main source of arsenic contaminated water. From the nutritional and metabolic points of view, arsenic is likely to adversely affect human health and nutrition. Up to now, several studies have been carried out on this context; however, inadequate knowledge on arsenic sources, mobilization and transport still remains as a constraint due to lack of data, information and technological advances. Thus, a review study has been undertaken on the sources of arsenic, its causes, mobilization, transport, effects on human health, arsenic test procedures and removal methods, in the context of groundwater contamination in Bangladesh, and finally sustainable remedial measures of arsenic have been proposed. This study suggests that laboratory facilities for testing of arsenic and effects of enhanced groundwater pumping, phosphate fertilizer etc., need to be updated, expanded and studied. This review work is significant to further knowledge improvement, as the topic is general and worldwide. It can be concluded that the integration of the proposed remedial measures with the national geographic information system interface database relating to arsenic for analysis, production of hazard maps, and dissemination on television show for the planners, engineers, managers, field supervisors and affected people, can reach at the sustainable solution for mitigating arsenic and associated problems successfully in Bangladesh.     

Arsenic-contaminated groundwater from parts of Damodar fan-delta and west of Bhagirathi River,West Bengal,India: influence of fluvial geomorphology and Quaternary morphostratigraphy

Arsenic contamination in groundwater affecting West Bengal (India) and Bangladesh is a serious environmental problem. Contamination is extensive in the low-lying areas of Bhagirathi–Ganga delta, located mainly to the east of the Bhagirathi River. A few isolated As-contaminated areas occur west of the Bhagirathi River and over the lower parts of the Damodar river fan-delta. The Damodar being a Peninsular Indian river, the arsenic problem is not restricted to Himalayan rivers alone. Arsenic contamination in the Bengal Delta is confined to the Holocene Younger Delta Plain and the alluvium that was deposited around 10,000–7,000 years bp, under combined influence of the Holocene sea-level rise and rapid erosion in the Himalaya. Further, contaminated areas are often located close to distribution of abandoned or existing channels, swamps, which are areas of surface water and biomass accumulation. Extensive extraction of groundwater mainly from shallow aquifers cause recharge from nearby surface water bodies. Infiltration of recharge water enriched in dissolved organic matter derived either from recently accumulated biomass and/or from sediment organic matter enhanced reductive dissolution of hydrated iron oxide that are present mainly as sediment grain coatings in the aquifers enhancing release of sorbed arsenic to groundwater.     

Arsenic contamination of groundwater: A global synopsis with focus on the Indian Peninsula

More than 2.5 billion people on the globe rely on groundwater for drinking and providing high-quality drinking water has become one of the major challenges of human society.Although groundwater is considered as safe,high concentrations of heavy metals like arsenic(As) can pose potential human health concerns and hazards.In this paper, we present an overview of the current scenario of arsenic contamination of groundwater in various countries across the globe with an emphasis on the Indian Peninsula.With several newly affected regions reported during the last decade, a significant increase has been observed in the global scenario of arsenic contamination.It is estimated that nearly 108 countries are affected by arsenic contamination in groundwater(with concentration beyond maximum permissible limit of 10 ppb recommended by the World Health Organization.The highest among these are from Asia(32) and Europe(31), followed by regions like Africa(20), North America(11), South America(9) and Australia(4).More than 230 million people worldwide, which include 180 million from Asia, are at risk of arsenic poisoning.Southeast Asian countries, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan,China, Nepal, Vietnam, Burma, Thailand and Cambodia, are the most affected.In India, 20 states and 4 Union Territories have so far been affected by arsenic contamination in groundwater.An attempt to evaluate the correlation between arsenic poisoning and aquifer type shows that the groundwater extracted from unconsolidated sedimentary aquifers, particularly those which are located within the younger orogenic belts of the world, are the worst affected.More than 90% of arsenic pollution is inferred to be geogenic.We infer that alluvial sediments are the major source for arsenic contamination in groundwater and we postulate a strong relation with plate tectonic processes, mountain building, erosion and sedimentation.Prolonged consumption of arsenic-contaminated groundwater results in severe health issues like skin, lung, kidney and bladder cancer; coronary heart disease;bronchiectasis; hyperkeratosis and arsenicosis.Since the major source of arsenic in groundwater is of geogenic origin, the extend of pollution is complexly linked with aquifer geometry and aquifer properties of a region.Therefore, remedial measures are to be designed based on the source mineral, climatological and hydrogeological scenario of the affected region.The corrective measures available include removing arsenic from groundwater using filters, exploring deeper or alternative aquifers, treatment of the aquifer itself, dilution method by artificial recharge to groundwater, conjunctive use, and installation of nano-filter, among other procedures.The vast majority of people affected by arsenic contamination in the Asian countries are the poor who live in rural areas and are not aware of the arsenic poisoning and treatment protocols.Therefore, creating awareness and providing proper medical care to these people remain as a great challenge.Very few policy actions have been taken at international level over the past decade to reduce arsenic contamination in drinking water, with the goal of preventing toxic impacts on human health.We recommend that that United Nations Environment Programme(UNEP) and WHO should take stock of the global arsenic poisoning situation and launch a global drive to create awareness among people/medical professionals/health workers/administrators on this global concern.     

Groundwater arsenic contamination and its health effects in India

During a 28-year field survey in India (1988–2016), groundwater arsenic contamination and its health effects were registered in the states of West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh in the Ganga River flood plain, and the states of Assam and Manipur in the flood plain of Brahamaputra and Imphal rivers. Groundwater of Rajnandgaon village in Chhattisgarh state, which is not in a flood plain, is also arsenic contaminated. More than 170,000 tubewell water samples from the affected states were analyzed and half of the samples had arsenic >10 μg/L (maximum concentration 3,700 μg/L). Chronic exposure to arsenic through drinking water causes various health problems, like dermal, neurological, reproductive and pregnancy effects, cardiovascular effects, diabetes mellitus, diseases of the respiratory and gastrointestinal systems, and cancers, typically involving the skin, lungs, liver, bladder, etc. About 4.5% of the 8,000 children from arsenic-affected villages of affected states were registered with mild to moderate arsenical skin lesions. In the preliminary survey, more than 10,000 patients were registered with different types of arsenic-related signs and symptoms, out of more than 100,000 people screened from affected states. Elevated levels of arsenic were also found in biological samples (urine, hair, nails) of the people living in affected states. The study reveals that the population who had severe arsenical skin lesions may suffer from multiple Bowens/cancers in the long term. Some unusual symptoms, such as burning sensation, skin itching and watering of eyes in the presence of sun light, were also noticed in arsenicosis patients.     

Groundwater arsenic contamination in Ganga–Meghna–Brahmaputra plain, its health effects and an approach for mitigation

The authors’ survey of the Ganga–Meghna–Brahmaputra (GMB) plain (area 569,749 km²; population >500 million) over the past 20 years and analysis of more than 220,000 hand tube-well water samples revealed groundwater arsenic contamination in the floodplains of the Ganga–Brahmaputra river (Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, and Assam) in India and the Padma–Meghna–Brahmaputra river in Bangladesh. On average, 50 % of the water samples contain arsenic above the World Health Organization guideline value of 10 μg/L in India and Bangladesh. More than 100 million people in the GMB plain are potentially at risk. The authors’ medical team screened around 155,000 people from the affected villages and registered 16,000 patients with different types of arsenical skin lesions. Arsenic neuropathy and adverse pregnancy outcomes have been recorded. Infants and children drinking arsenic-contaminated water are believed to be at high risk. About 45,000 biological samples analyzed from arsenic-affected villages of the GMB plain revealed an elevated level of arsenic present in patients as well as non-patients, indicating that many are sub-clinically affected. In West Bengal and Bangladesh, there are huge surface water in rivers, wetlands, and flooded river basins. In the arsenic-affected GMB plain, the crisis is not over water scarcity but about managing the available water resources.     

Groundwater arsenic contamination in Manipur,one of the seven North-Eastern Hill states of India: a future danger

Manipur State, with a population of 2.29 million, is one of the seven North-Eastern Hill states in India, and is severely affected by groundwater arsenic contamination. Manipur has nine districts out of which four are in Manipur Valley where 59% of the people live on 10% of the land. These four districts are all arsenic contaminated. We analysed water samples from 628 tubewells for arsenic out of an expected total 2,014 tubewells in the Manipur Valley. Analyzed samples, 63.3%, contained >10 μg/l of arsenic, 23.2% between 10 and 50 μg/l, and 40% >50 μg/l. The percentages of contaminated wells above 10 and 50 μg/l are higher than in other arsenic affected states and countries of the Ganga–Meghna–Brahmaputra (GMB) Plain. Unlike on the GMB plains, in Manipur there is no systematic relation between arsenic concentration and the depth of tubewells. The source of arsenic in GMB Plain is sediments derived from the Himalaya and surrounding mountains. North-Eastern Hill states were formed at late phase of Himalaya orogeny, and so it will be found in the future that groundwater arsenic contamination in the valleys of other North-Eastern Hill states. Arsenic contaminated aquifers in Manipur Valley are mainly located within the Newer Alluvium. In Manipur, the high rainfall and abundant surface water resources can be exploited to avoid repeating the mass arsenic poisoning that has occurred on the GMB plains.     

Arsenic movement and traces in the groundwater from the Hetao area, Inner Mongolia

In the Hetao area of Inner Mongolia, Quaternary alluvial aquifers used for the water supply are contaminated by naturally occurring arsenic, which heavily affects the health of 200,000 local residents. This study on the isotopes of strontium and relevant elements contained in the groundwater as well as the arsenic in the groundwater and residents’ hair indicates that the arsenic originally derives from the upper reaches of this area where arsenic levels are high in groundwater, rock, and soil. Over, respectively, 44 km (work-line AA′) and 36 km (work-line BB′) away from there, the levels of arsenic in the water, corresponding to the trend of the residents’ arseniasis, decrease along the direction of the flow from 0.251 to 0.05 mg/L and 0.232 to 0.036 mg/L. The result of this research suggests that long-term strategies to deal with this arseniasis should involve finding hydrous terrains uncontaminated by water from the upper reaches and developing routes to prevent water from taking arsenic.     

Arsenic in the Muteh gold mining district, Isfahan, Iran

Following the appearance of symptoms of arsenic toxicity in the inhabitants of villages in the Muteh gold mining region, central Iran, the concentration of this element in various parts of biogeochemical cycle is investigated. For this purpose, rock, groundwater, soil, plant, livestock hair and wool, and human hair samples are collected and analysed. Total arsenic content ranges from 23 to 2,500?mg/kg in rock samples, 7?C1,061???g/l in water, 12?C232?mg/kg in soil, 0.5?C16?mg/kg in plant samples, 4.10?C5.69?mg/kg in livestock hair and wool, and 0.64?C5.82?mg/kg in human hair. Arsenic concentration in various parts of biogeochemical cycle near the gold deposit in a metamorphic complex, and also close to the gold-processing plant, is very high and decreases exponentially with increasing distance from them. Arsenic concentration in water from a well close to the Muteh gold mine is above 1?mg/L. Arsenic in hair samples taken from local inhabitants is above the recommended levels, and the control samples in Shahre-Kord city. Arsenic concentration is higher in male population and correlates positively with age. It is suggested that arsenic resulting from the decomposition of ore mineral such as orpiment (As₂S₃), realgar (As₂S₂) and arsenopyrite (FeAsS) is responsible for polluting natural resources and the human intake via drinking water and the food chain. Gold mining and processing has undoubtedly enhanced the release of arsenic and intensified the observed adverse effects in Muteh area.     

Low cost quantitative arsenic determination kit: A method by using silver nitrate

Arsenic sometimes found in ground water which has adverse effect on human health at levels as low as 10μg/L. Arsenic is known to be one of the most toxic element that cannot be destroyed once it has entered to the environment. It is a dangerous poison at high doses but can cure diseases such as syphilis and leukaemia at low doses. The present study comprises a low cost technique for determination of arsenic concentration in groundwater up to 1000μg/L. The method is based on the reaction of arsenic (V) with potassium iodide and stannous chloride in concentrated hydrochloric acid medium to convert to arsenic (III) and needs 15 to 20 minutes time for complete conversion. After reaction with the granulated zinc (arsenic free), the evolved arsine gas is passed through wet cotton wool of lead acetate for absorbing any sulphide impurities and is finally absorbed by wet filter paper of silver nitrate which gives brown colour. The intensity of the colour varies with respect to the arsenic concentration present in ground water. A master colour chart is prepared by the known arsenic standard solution from 0 to 1000 μg/L for measuring the concentration range of arsenic in contaminated ground water. The quantitative arsenic determination is done with the help of colorimetric study. The absorbed colour of filter paper is thoroughly scanned and Red, Green and Blue (R-G-B) values are obtained by colour picking technique with the help of the software ‘Microsoft Paint’ under the operating system ‘Microsoft Windows 7’. The known arsenic concentrations are plotted against the R-G-B values of the corresponding absorbed colour and three master curves are drawn by the software ‘Mat lab’ for measuring the exact concentration of arsenic in groundwater. For validation, arsenic contamination test is conducted for the ground water samples collected from different areas of 24 Parganas district using our very low cost kit and other costly instruments like Digital Arsenator and Atomic Absorption Spectrometer.     

Contamination of shallow aquifers by arsenic in upper reaches of Tista river at Siliguri–Jalpaiguri area of West Bengal, India

Arsenic is present in groundwater at Siliguri–Jalpaiguri area, West Bengal, India. This is the place where Tista river descending from the Himalayas meets the alluvial plain. The area represents alluvial fan and floodplains of Tista, Mahananda-Balasan, Jaladhaka and its tributaries. In the river sediment samples, para- and ferro-magnetic minerals within 0.3–0.05 mm fraction contain 9–80 ppm of arsenic. The study indicates that iron bearing minerals viz. biotite, hornblende as well as iron coated grains of the sediment are major contributors towards arsenic budget. Though magnetite as a mineral shows maximum arsenic content (22 ppm), it is volumetrically not of much significance. Measurement of groundwater collected from tube wells shows up to 0.05 ppm of arsenic. These arsenic contaminated tube wells occur in a linear fashion along the course of the rivers. Moreover, localization of contaminated tube wells coincides with the change of channel gradient as observed in longitudinal section. The study enumerates a cause–effect relationship of arsenic occurrence with river gradient and fluvial sedimentation.     

Arsenic contamination of ground and pond water and water purification system using pond water in Bangladesh

This paper, firstly, shows the distribution of arsenic-contaminated groundwater in Samta village. This village, which is in Jessore district in Bangladesh, was chosen as a model village for investigating the mechanism of groundwater contamination. 90% of the tube wells in this village had arsenic concentrations above the Bangladesh standard of 0.05 mg/l. Tube wells with arsenic concentrations of over 0.50 mg/l were distributed in the southern part of the village with a belt-like shape from east to west. Secondly, groundwater distribution is discussed with respect to its flow and the high arsenic zone (As≥0.50 mg/l) agrees well with the drifting zone of the groundwater. Furthermore, arsenic-free water supply systems suitable for a small area in the village have been developed. A pond sand filter (PSF) system which purifies pond water is discussed in this paper. Prior to the construction of the PSF, the water quality in ponds was examined for arsenic levels. The inflow of drainage from the tube wells was found to be the major cause of arsenic contamination of pond water. The PSF installed in Samta is working very well and produces a good quality of treated water.     

Treatment of arsenic rich waters by the HDS process

Arsenic contaminated waters are not uncommon; indeed from naturally occurring contaminated waters through to those that are a direct consequence of human activities such as mining, all are affecting the quality of water resources worldwide. The ever increasing demands on natural water resources mean that the effective control of this toxic contaminant is paramount and this is reflected in the ever increasing global legislation.There are currently three mechanisms by which arsenic is commercially treated in effluents. These are physical separation processes such as reverse osmosis, precipitation/adsorption processes, some of which are bacterially assisted, and a whole variety of ion exchange processes, again with some bacterial enhancement. The choice of treatment is not only driven by cost but by the chemistry of the water and the water quality standard to be met.In this study a very high arsenic enriched groundwater, containing in excess of 25,000 µg/L arsenic, was treated by a typical treatment method through a continuously operated pilot plant. In the treatment, iron III salts were added to the influent in order to form precipitates with the arsenic and to form an adsorptive surface that would assist with treatment of the enriched water. This addition of iron III salts for the removal of arsenic is common practice in the water treatment industry as the resulting iron III arsenates are highly stable.However, results from the pilot plant show that the process was further enhanced by the addition of small amounts of hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide is a powerful oxidising reagent and assists in ensuring the complete conversion of any arsenic III to arsenic V that was then effectively removed in the pilot plant. After treatment residual arsenic levels of 10 µg/L were obtained compared to 68 µg/L without oxidation reagent addition.     

Assessment of arsenic health risk and source apportionment of groundwater pollutants using multivariate statistical techniques in Chapai-Nawabganj district,Bangladesh

This study assessed arsenic health risk to the local residents through oral and dermal exposure pathways of drinking water and to investigate source apportionment of groundwater pollutants using multivariate statistical techniques in the Chapai-Nawabganj district, Bangladesh. Groundwater samples collected from shallow tube well and dug well at the depth ranges (15-60 m) were analyzed for physio-chemical parameters and trace elements. Most of the studied physio-chemical parameters were found within their respective permissible limits. However, total As, Fe and Mn concentrations exceeded Bangladesh and WHO guideline values. The assessment of arsenic health risk reveals that children as compared to adults are found at a higher risk as the values of hazard quotients (HQ) >1 in the most of the groundwater samples. This level of arsenic contamination should have medium to high chronic risk and medium carcinogenic risk when compared with US EPA guidelines which can cause serious health hazard. The results of principal component analysis (PCA) and factor analysis (CA) indicate that geogenic (interaction of water and basement rock) and anthropogenic (agrochemicals, agricultural fertilizer and domestic sewage) sources are responsible for variation in arsenic and other physio-chemical parameters in the groundwater aquifer of the study area. Furthermore,the inter-correlation of arsenic with metals and ions were also calculated by correlation matrix and linear regression analysis. The outcomes of this study will help to meet the challenge of sustainable groundwater quality management in Bangladesh and enhancing better vision of potential health risk of local inhabitants in the study area.     

Geostatistical analysis of arsenic concentration in groundwater in Bangladesh using disjunctive kriging

The National Hydrochemical Survey of Bangladesh sampled the water from 3,534 tube wells for arsenic throughout most of Bangladesh. It showed that 27% of the shallow tube wells (less than 150 m deep) and 1% of the deep tube wells (more than 150 m deep) exceeded the Bangladesh standard for arsenic in drinking water (50 µg L^–1). Statistical analyses revealed the main characteristics of the arsenic distribution. Concentrations ranged from less than the detection limit (0.5 µg L^–1), to as much as 1,600 µg L^–1, though with a very skewed distribution, and with spatial dependence extending to some 180 km. Disjunctive kriging was used to estimate concentrations of arsenic in the shallow ground water and to map the probability that the national limit for arsenic in drinking water was exceeded for most of the country (the Chittagong Hill Tracts and the southern coastal region were excluded). A clear regional pattern was identified, with large probabilities in the south of the country and small probabilities in much of the north including the Pleistocene Tracts. Using these probabilities, it was estimated that approximately 35 million people are exposed to arsenic concentrations in groundwater exceeding 50 µg L^–1 and 57 million people are exposed to concentrations exceeding 10 µg L^–1 (the WHO guideline value).     

Role of Quaternary stratigraphy on arsenic-contaminated groundwater from parts of Barak Valley, Assam, North–East India

Groundwater arsenic survey in Cachar and Karimganj districts of Barak Valley, Assam shows that people in these two districts are drinking arsenic-contaminated (max. 350 μg/l) groundwater. 66% of tubewells in these two districts have arsenic concentration above the WHO guideline value of 10 μg/l and 26% tubewells have arsenic above 50 μg/l, the Indian standards for arsenic in drinking water. 90% of installed tubewells in these two districts are shallow depth (14–40 m). Shallow tubewells were installed in Holocene Newer Alluvium aquifers are characterised by grey to black coloured fine grained organic rich argillaceous sediments and are mostly arsenic contamination in groundwater. Plio-Pleistocene Older Alluvium aquifers composed of shale, ferruginous sandstone, mottle clay, pebble and boulder beds, which at higher location or with thin cover of Newer Alluvium sediments are safe in arsenic contamination in groundwater. 91% of tubewell water samples show significantly higher concentrations of iron beyond its permissible limit of 1 mg/l. The iron content in these two districts varies from 0.5 to as much as 48 mg/l. Most of the arsenic contaminated villages of Cachar and Karimganj districts are located in entrenched channels and flood plains of Newer Alluvium sediments in Barak-Surma-Langai Rivers system. However, deeper tubewells (>60 m) in Plio-Pleistocene Older Alluvium aquifers would be a better option for arsenic-safe groundwater. The arsenic in groundwater is getting released from associated Holocene sediments which were likely deposited from the surrounding Tertiary Barail hill range.     

Environmental and health risk assessment in abandoned mining area, Zlata Idka, Slovakia

The Zlata Idka village is a typical mountainous settlement. As a consequence of more than 500 years of mining activity, its environment has been extensively affected by pollution from potentially toxic elements. This paper presents the results of an environmental-geochemical and health research in the Zlata Idka village, Slovakia. Geochemical analysis indicates that arsenic (As) and antimony (Sb) are enriched in soils, groundwater, surface water and stream sediments. The average As and Sb contents are 892 mg/kg and 818 mg/kg in soils, 195 mg/kg and 249 mg/kg in stream sediments, 0.028 mg/l and 0.021 mg/l in groundwater and 0.024 mg/l and 0.034 mg/l in surface water. Arsenic and Sb concentrations exceed upper permissible limits in locally grown vegetables. Within the epidemiological research the As and Sb contents in human tissues and fluids have been observed (blood, urine, nails and hair) in approximately one third of the village’s population (120 respondents). The average As and Sb concentrations were 16.3 μg/l and 3.8 μg/l in blood, 15.8 μg/l and 18.8 μg/l in urine, 3,179 μg/kg and 1,140 μg/kg in nails and 379 μg/kg and 357 μg/kg in hair. These concentrations are comparatively much higher than the average population. Health risk calculations for the ingestion of soil, water, and vegetables indicates a very high carcinogenic risk (>1/1,000) for as content in soil and water. The hazard quotient [HQ=average daily dose (ADD)/reference dose (RfD)] calculation method indicates a HQ>1 for groundwater As and Sb concentrations.     

Hydrogeochemistry and arsenic contamination of groundwater in the Rayen area, southeastern Iran

High As contents in groundwater were found in Rayen area and chosen for a detailed hydrogeochemical study. A total of 121 groundwater samples were collected from existing tube wells in the study areas in January 2012 and analyzed. Hydrogeochemical data of samples suggested that the groundwater is mostly Na–Cl type; also nearly 25.62 % of samples have arsenic concentrations above WHO permissible value (10 μg/l) for drinking waters with maximum concentration of aqueous arsenic up to 25,000 μg/l. The reducing conditions prevailing in the area and high arsenic concentration correlated with high bicarbonate and pH. Results show that arsenic is released into groundwater by two major phenomena: (1) through reduction of arsenic-bearing iron oxides/oxyhydroxides and Fe may be precipitated as iron sulfide when anoxic conditions prevail in the aquifer sediments and (2) transferring of As into the water system during water–acidic volcanic rock interactions.     

Temporal variations in arsenic concentration in the groundwater of Murshidabad District,West Bengal,India

Systematic investigations on seasonal variations in arsenic (As) concentrations in groundwater in both space and time are scarce for most parts of West Bengal (India). Hence, this study has been undertaken to investigate the extent of As pollution and its temporal variability in parts of Murshidabad district (West Bengal, India). Water samples from 35 wells were collected during pre-monsoon, monsoon and post-monsoon seasons and analyzed for various elements. Based on the Indian permissible limit for As (50 μg/L) in the drinking water, water samples were classified into contaminated and uncontaminated category. 18 wells were reported as uncontaminated (on average 12 μg/L As) and 12 wells were found contaminated (129 μg/L As) throughout the year, while 5 wells could be classified as either contaminated or uncontaminated depending on when they were sampled. Although the number of wells that alternate between the contaminated and uncontaminated classification is relatively small (14%), distinct seasonal variation in As concentrations occur in all wells. This suggests that investigations conducted within the study area for the purpose of assessing the health risk posed by As in groundwater should not rely on a single round of water samples. In comparison to other areas, As is mainly released to the groundwater due to reductive dissolution of Fe-oxyhydroxides, a process, which is probably enhanced by anthropogenic input of organic carbon. The seasonal variation in As concentrations appear to be caused mainly by dilution effects during monsoon and post-monsoon. The relatively high concentrations of Mn (mean 0.9 mg/L), well above the WHO limit (0.4 mg/L), also cause great concern and necessitate further investigations.     

贵德盆地三河流域高砷地下水中溶解性有机物三维荧光特性及其指示意义

溶解性有机物(dissolved organic matter, DOM)可以通过多种方式控制含水层中砷的迁移转化。贵德盆地承压含水层地下水砷含量显著高于潜水含水层。为查明承压水中溶解性有机物对砷浓度的影响,对研究区地表水、潜水以及承压水进行吸光度和三维荧光光谱的分析,利用平行因子分析法确定了水样中有机物成分及荧光特征。结果表明,贵德盆地水体中DOM包含陆源类腐殖质(C1)、受人为影响的腐殖质(C2)、类醌化合物(C3)和微生物来源的腐殖质(C4)4种组分。陆源类腐殖质C1可在地下水中富集,占总有机质的40%~55%。相比于地下水,C2和C3则在地表水中占据较高的比例。高砷承压水中C2、C3所占比例高于低砷潜水。其中,C1可以通过络合作用促进溶解性砷浓度的提高,C3作为电子穿梭体可以促进含砷铁氧化物或氢氧化物的还原性溶解从而释放砷。微生物降解有机质生成的HCO-3可以与砷竞争吸附,促进砷的解吸附。此外,还原性溶解产生的Fe(II)与HCO-3形成FeCO3固定一部分的砷。该研究表明,地下水中的天然有机物通过络合作用和作为电子穿梭体促进铁氧化物还原导致地下水砷的富集,为分析黄河上游地区高砷地下水的成因提供理论依据。