Arsenic in groundwater in six districts of West Bengal, India
Arsenic in groundwater in six districts of West Bengal, India
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DOI：
10.1007/bf01757214
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发表时间：
1996-03-01
影响因子：
4.2
通讯作者：
Chakraborti, D
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Das, D;Samanta, G;Chakraborti, D
在西孟加拉的六个地区，地下水中的砷含量超过了世界卫生组织的最大允许限值0.05 mg I-1，覆盖面积为34000 km（2），人口为3000万。目前，恒河沿岸和毗邻地区的37个行政区受到影响。受地下水砷污染影响的地区均位于上三角洲平原，且多位于废弃河曲带。来自312个村庄/病房的80多万人饮用砷污染的水，其中至少有17.5万人出现砷皮肤病变。对这六个地区的数千口管井水进行了砷种类分析。头发，指甲，鳞片，尿液，肝脏组织分析显示，长期饮用砷污染水的人砷浓度升高。砷的来源是地质。钻孔沉积物分析表明，只有少数几层土壤中的砷浓度很高，这与黄铁矿有关。这些地区因砷中毒而出现各种社会问题。营养不良、社会经济条件差、文盲、饮食习惯和多年摄入砷污染的水加剧了砷的毒性。在所有这些地区，主要的水需求是由地下水和地球化学反应，所造成的高取水量可能是砷从源头浸出的原因。如果不利用替代水源，这六个地区的3000万人口中有相当比例的人可能在不久的将来遭受砷中毒。
Arsenic in groundwater above the WHO maximum permissible limit of 0.05 mg I-1 has been found in six districts of West Bengal covering an area of 34 000 km(2) with a population of 30 million. At present, 37 administrative blocks by the side of the River Ganga and adjoining areas are affected. Areas affected by arsenic contamination in groundwater are all located in the upper delta plain, and are mostly in the abandoned meander belt. More than 800 000 people from 312 villages/wards are drinking arsenic contaminated water and amongst them at least 175 000 people show arsenical skin lesions. Thousands of tube-well water in these six districts have been analysed for arsenic species. Hair, nails, scales, urine, liver tissue analyses show elevated concentrations of arsenic in people drinking arsenic-contaminated water for a longer period. The source of the arsenic is geological. Bore-hole sediment analyses show high arsenic concentrations in only few soil layers which is found to be associated with iron-pyrites. Various social problems arise due to arsenical skin lesions in these districts. Malnutrition, poor socio-economic conditions, illiteracy, food habits and intake of arsenic-contaminated water for many years have aggravated the arsenic toxicity. In all these districts, major water demands are met from groundwater and the geochemical reaction, caused by high withdrawal of water may be the cause of arsenic leaching from the source. If alternative water resources are not utilised, a good percentage of the 30 million people of these six districts may suffer from arsenic toxicity in the near future.