In india, it was revised recently by bureau of indian standards from 0. Studies to date in west bengal show that vast areas are contaminated with arsenic in groundwater with concentration 10. Water pollution is a major problem faced by modern societies. Argentina, chile, china, india west bengal, mexico, the united states of america, and particularly bangladesh where approximately half of the total population is at risk of drinking arsenic contaminated water from tube wells. 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. Provides the first global and interdisciplinary account of arsenic pollution occurrences integrates geochemistry, hydrology, agriculture, and water supply and treatment. Arsenic mobilization in groundwater of west bengal. In india, significant arsenic contamination in groundwater was detected in the year 1983 in west bengal, when some villagers were diagnosed to be suffering from arsenicosis due to drinking of arsenic contaminated water.
Pdf do ponds cause arsenicpollution of groundwater in. During the past two decades, arsenic as contamination via groundwater has become a serious issue worldwide and is now a major concern in the. Since groundwater arsenic contamination was first reported in year 1983 from 33 affected villages in four districts in west bengal, the number of villages has increased to 3417 in 111 blocks in nine districts till 2008 in west bengal alone. Frontiers arsenic contamination in shallow groundwater.
With the groundwater along with high concentration of arsenic as, many other heavy metals are also getting. The present study at chakdah in nadia district and at baruipur in 24parganas s district, west bengal, demonstrates that tube wells yielding arsenious water. As contamination of groundwater, poses a serious risk to human health. Arsenic contamination of ground water and its health impact. Pdf do ponds cause arsenicpollution of groundwater in the. The source of arsenic exposure is discovered in fewer than 50% of cases. Pdf arsenic pollution in groundwater of west bengal. Of the water samples that we analyzed, 59 and 34%, respectively, contained arsenic levels above 50 microgl.
Pdf arsenic pollution in groundwater of west bengal, india. In our preliminary study, we have identified 985 arsenicaffected villages in 69 police stationsblocks of nine. Mar 26, 2010 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. By drilling 76 boreholes and chemical analysis of 535 water wells, groundwater with arsenic levels above 50 microgl. Findings also indicate that female people are more unaware than male people. Arsenic contamination of groundwater is a form of groundwater pollution which is often due to naturally occurring high concentrations of arsenic in deeper levels of groundwater. It is a highprofile problem due to the use of deep tubewells for water supply in the ganges delta, causing serious arsenic poisoning to large numbers of people. Arsenic in groundwater above the who maximum permissible limit of 0. The permissible limit of arsenic content in groundwater is 0. Chronic exposure to arsenic can cause not only cancerous and noncancer health effects. Each day groundwater is being withdrawn by the village people for the fulfillment of their basic needs and for agricultural purposes.
Water samples from 35 wells were collected during pre. The pollution by naturally occurring arsenic of alluvial ganges aquifers, which are used for the public water supply in bangladesh and west bengal, has been discussed by nickson et al. If the findings of the study become the general criteria of different villages of west bengal then the. Groundwater in the bengal basin is badly polluted by arsenic as which adversely affects human health. In most cases of aspollution of groundwater worldwide, the. Argentina, chile, china, india west bengal, mexico, the united states of america, and particularly bangladesh where approximately half of the total population is at risk of drinking arseniccontaminated water from tube wells. Since groundwater arsenic contamination was first reported in year 1983 from 33 affected villages in four districts in westbengal, the number of villages has increased to 3417 in 111 blocks in nine districts till 2008 in west bengal alone. In india, arsenic pollution big problem in bengal and neighbouring states. Arsenic contamination of groundwater in different parts of the world is an outcome of natural andor anthropogenic sources, leading to adverse effects on human health and ecosystem. In the bengal basin, many millions of people have been exposed to water containing 10 gl as the who guideline value drawn from alluvial aquifers 15. Environmental arsenic toxicity in west bengal, india.
This book will definitely be on the reading list of anyone interested in any aspect of arsenic occurrences in water and soil anywhere in the world. In bengal, there are 83 blocks in eight districts where groundwater is arsenic contaminated. Serious pollution of groundwater in alluvial aquifers by dissolved arsenic occurs worldwide and is a cause for global concern. Arsenic contamination of ground water in west bengal. Today, in west bengal, the arsenic contamination in ground water has been detected in 79 blocks in 8 districts of the state. Source of arsenic is mainly from the himalayas, but not as any arsenic bearing mineral but as. Out of them, 51% are unsafe to drink according to the who. Reports suggest that about 20 % population in west. Bangladesh and west bengal, 93 and 77% samples, on an average, contained arsenic above the normaltoxic level. Groundwater arsenic contamination was first reported in 1976 in.
The most prominent chronic manifestations involve the skin, lungs, liver and blood systems. Science of the total environment 2012, 437, 390402. Out of them, 51% are unsafe to drink according to the who recommended value of arsenic in drinking water 10 gl. Arsenic pollution in groundwater of west bengal, india an insight.
The village in gaighata block in north 24 parganas, west bengal got slowly enveloped in arsenic contamination, with its groundwater recording arsenic levels above 0. Who permissible limit of arsenic in groundwater is 0. Temporal variations in arsenic concentration in the. Ground water arsenic contaminationa study of major arsenic. Thousands of hair, nail, and urine samples from people living in arsenicaffected villages have been analyzed to date. Industrial and domestic wastes are dumped into water bodies making them unsuitable for human utilization. Mcarthur2 abstract groundwater in the bengal basin is badly polluted by arsenic as which adversely affects human health.
Highlevel arsenic contamination of drinking water in west bengal wb. Arsenic contamination of ground water and its health. Areas affected by arsenic contamination in groundwater are all located in the upper delta plain, and are mostly in the abandoned meander belt. Bengal basin covering bangladesh and southern west bengal is a stupendous environmental problem 3,4. The pollution by naturally occurring arsenic of alluvial ganges aquifers, which are used for the public water supply in bangladesh and west bengal, has been discussed by. 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. Current scenario, effects and probable ways of mitigation article pdf available april 2014 with 4,393 reads how we measure reads.
In our preliminary study, we have identified 985 arsenic affected villages in 69 police stationsblocks of nine arsenic affected districts in west bengal. Frontiers arsenic contamination in shallow groundwater and. Groundwater arsenic contamination in the ganga river basin mdpi. Arsenic contamination of natural waters has become an issue of growing concern, particularly in southeast asia, to the extent that the world health organization who declared groundwater contamination on the bengal delta the largest mass poisoning of a population in history. Arsenic pollution in groundwater of west bengal, india an. Pdf groundwater arsenic contamination in west bengal. Clbr ratios and implications for arsenic pollution of groundwater in the bengal basin and red river basin, vietnam. Stretc arsenic poliution in west bengal from the overall study on as in west bengal and bangladesh, it is revealed that the magnitude of the groundwater contamination is severe pearce, 1998. Groundwater arsenic contamination in bangladesh and west. Till todate, we have analyzed by fihgaas 1,10,000 hand tube well water samples from 9 arsenic a ffected distric ts. The area and population of the 42 districts in bangladesh and the 9 districts in west bengal are 92,106 km2 and 79. Nov 19, 2014 the study area comes in one of the eight districts of west bengal where groundwater contains arsenic above the prescribed limit by who 10. The cases of arsenic poisoning were diagnosed in 1983 initially. Ground water arsenic contaminationa study of major.
The demand for water in west bengal is projected to be 10. Millions of people from different countries are heavily dependent on groundwater containing elevated level of as for drinking purposes. Current scenario, effects and probable ways of mitigation. Arsenic contamination of groundwater in west bengal new delhi. Groundwater arsenic contamination in the lower ganga basin of west bengal, india, was first identified in july 1983 saha kc. Sustainable water resource management in west bengal. Arsenic pollution is a major and acute environmental problem affecting bengal. Do ponds cause arsenic pollution of groundwater in the bengal basin. As groundwater for as mitigation, it was sought across 235 km 2 of central west bengal, in the western part of the basin.
Arsenic pollution in groundwater is a pandemic environmental problem mainly affecting deltaic areas of bangladesh and its parts in west bengal. A global synthesis is the most comprehensive of all the books published in recent times on one of the most discussed public health hazards of the current world. Arsenic pollution in groundwater of west bengal, india an insight into the problem by subsurface sediment analysis author links open overlay panel taraknath pal a p. A large number of people are compelled to drink water with. Groundwater of west bengal is generally potable circum neutral ph. Areas affected by arsenic contamination in groundwater are all located in the upper delta plain, and. Apr 24, 2009 in india, significant arsenic contamination in groundwater was detected in the year 1983 in west bengal, when some villagers were diagnosed to be suffering from arsenicosis due to drinking of arsenic contaminated water. Pradesh, jharkhand, assam, chhattisgarh, and andhra.
We can see the real picture when we see the map of murshidabad district showing the arsenic affected blocks, location map of water testing laboratories arsenic, fluride, iron, phvalue, map of district central pws scheme and ongoing pws scheme. Arsenic pollution summarizes the most current research on the distribution and causes of arsenic pollution, its impact on health and agriculture, and solutions by way of water supply, treatment, and water resource management. At present, 37 administrative blocks by the side of the river ganga and adjoining areas are affected. Do ponds cause arsenicpollution of groundwater in the bengal. Arsenic pollution in groundwater of west bengal, india an insight into the problem by subsurface sediment analysis article pdf available in gondwana research 52. Source of arsenic is mainly from the himalayas, but not as any arsenic bearing mineral but as hydrated iron oxide with adsorbed arsenic. Water samples from 35 wells were collected during premonsoon. Parganas, west bengal, india are unaware about arsenic pollution, its sources, impacts and preventive measures. Chronic exposure of arsenic can cause skin cancer and other. Arsenic pollution in groundwater of west bengal, india. Most of the city dwellers in india draw underground water for domestic. Pdf groundwater in a large part of the west bengal delta contains high levels of arsenic.
Thousands of hair, nail, and urine samples from people living in arsenic affected villages have been analyzed to date. Among the asian countries, groundwater arsenic contamination is worst in bangladesh and india west bengal and has been called the largest mass poisoning of a population in the history 12. Do ponds cause arsenicpollution of groundwater in the bengal basin. Arsenic contamination in ground water of west bengal in the range of 0. The study area comes in one of the eight districts of west bengal where groundwater contains arsenic above the prescribed limit by who 10. Groundwater arsenic contamination in west bengal scipress. Arsenic contamination of ground water in west bengal leads to adverse effects on human health. This was first diagnosed in west bengal and bangladesh patient of khulna in december, 19841, 114 by prof. Ground water arsenic pollution in west bengal and bangladesh. Fighting arsenic contamination of groundwater what a west. Arsenic contamination has been found in the states of bihar, uttar. Do ponds cause arsenicpollution of groundwater in the. Arsenic in groundwater in six districts of west bengal, india. Pdf arsenic contamination of groundwater in west bengal.