Contamination of drinking-water by arsenic in Bangladesh: a public health emergency.
Contamination of drinking-water by arsenic in Bangladesh: a public health emergency.
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DOI：
10.1590/s0042-96862000000900005
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发表时间：
2000
影响因子：
11.1
通讯作者：
Allan H. Smith;Elena O Lingas;Mahfuzar Rahman
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Allan H. Smith;Elena O Lingas;Mahfuzar Rahman
孟加拉国的地下水受到砷污染，这是历史上最大的人口中毒事件，数百万人受到砷污染。本文介绍了孟加拉国饮用水中砷的发现历史，并提出了干预策略。安装管井是为了提供“纯净水”，以防止胃肠道疾病的发病率和死亡率。安装的数百万管井中的水没有进行砷污染测试。在人口长期接触地下水中的砷的其他国家进行的研究表明，每10个饮用每公升含500微克砷的水的人中就有1人可能最终死于砷引起的癌症，包括肺癌、膀胱癌和皮肤癌。应促进迅速分配资金和迅速扩大目前的干预措施，以解决这一污染问题。基本的干预措施是确定和提供无砷饮用水。砷会迅速从尿液中排出，对于早期或轻度病例，不需要特殊治疗。社区教育和参与对于确保干预措施取得成功至关重要;这些措施应与后续监测相结合，以确认接触已经结束。孟加拉国的经验与其他国家在地下水中发现砷的情况一起表明，全世界用作饮用水的地下水源都应进行砷检测。
The contamination of groundwater by arsenic in Bangladesh is the largest poisoning of a population in history, with millions of people exposed. This paper describes the history of the discovery of arsenic in drinking-water in Bangladesh and recommends intervention strategies. Tube-wells were installed to provide "pure water" to prevent morbidity and mortality from gastrointestinal disease. The water from the millions of tube-wells that were installed was not tested for arsenic contamination. Studies in other countries where the population has had long-term exposure to arsenic in groundwater indicate that 1 in 10 people who drink water containing 500 micrograms of arsenic per litre may ultimately die from cancers caused by arsenic, including lung, bladder and skin cancers. The rapid allocation of funding and prompt expansion of current interventions to address this contamination should be facilitated. The fundamental intervention is the identification and provision of arsenic-free drinking water. Arsenic is rapidly excreted in urine, and for early or mild cases, no specific treatment is required. Community education and participation are essential to ensure that interventions are successful; these should be coupled with follow-up monitoring to confirm that exposure has ended. Taken together with the discovery of arsenic in groundwater in other countries, the experience in Bangladesh shows that groundwater sources throughout the world that are used for drinking-water should be tested for arsenic.