Arsenic in shallow, reducing groundwaters in southern Asia: an environmental health disaster
Abstract
Arsenic concentrations in shallow, reducing groundwaters in Bengal, Southeast Asia, and elsewhere constitute a major hazard to the health of people using these waters for drinking, cooking, or irrigation. A comparison of occurrences in the Ganges-Brahmaputra, Mekong, and Red River basins shows that common geological characteristics include (1) river drainage from the rapidly weathering Himalayas, (2) rapidly buried organic-bearing and relatively young (ca. Holocene) sediments, and (3) very low, basin-wide hydraulic gradients. Anaerobic microbial respiration, utilizing either sedimentary or surface-derived organic carbon, is one important process contributing to the mobilization of arsenic from host minerals, notably hydrous iron oxides. In spite of the paucity of data from before the extensive development of groundwater pumping in these areas, there is sufficient evidence to make a prima facie case that human activity might exacerbate arsenic release into these groundwaters. The difficulties in implementing comprehensive groundwater remediation suggest serious attention should be given to developing treatment technologies for alternative surface-water supplies.
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Reductive dissolution of arsenic-bearing Fe(III) minerals is driven by metal reducing bacteria and fuelled by organic matter providing an electron donor.
“a process which is driven by metal reducing bacteria and fuelled by organic matter providing an electron donor (Charlet and Polya, 2006;Islam et al., 2004;Postma et al., 2007;Bhattacharya et al., 1997;Rowland et al., 2009)”
From High resolution profile of inorganic aqueous geochemistry and key redox zones in an arsenic bearing aquifer in Cambodia. (2017) · cites this paper as Charlet and Polya, 2006
In the Mekong Delta of Cambodia, anoxic sediment conditions created by extensive monsoonal flooding cause favourable anaerobic processes such as arsenate respiration to occur.
“In the Mekong Delta of Cambodia, anoxic sediment conditions created by extensive monsoonal flooding cause favourable anaerobic processes such as arsenate respiration (a microbial process significantly contributing to arsenic mobilization via reductive dissolution of arsenic-bearing iron minerals) to occur (Charlet and Polya, 2006;Islam et al., 2004;Postma et al., 2007;Bhattacharya et al., 1997;Row”
From High resolution profile of inorganic aqueous geochemistry and key redox zones in an arsenic bearing aquifer in Cambodia. (2017) · cites this paper as Charlet and Polya, 2006
Cites
Mineralogical and geomicrobiological investigations on groundwater arsenic enrichment in Bangladesh
Akai, J., Izumi, K., Fukuhara, H., Masuda, H., Nakano, S., Yoshimura, T., Ohfuji, H., Md Anawar, H., & Akai, K. (2004) · Applied Geochemistry · doi:10.1016/j.apgeochem.2003.09.008 · Cited by 253 · see citing works
Microcosm depth profiles of arsenic release in a shallow aquifer, West Bengal
Gault, A. G., Islam, F. S., Polya, D. A., Charnock, J. M., Boothman, C., Chatterjee, D., & Lloyd, J. R. (2005) · Mineralogical Magazine · doi:10.1180/0026461056950293 · Cited by 89 · see citing works
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Ensuring Safe Drinking Water in Bangladesh
Ahmed, M. F., Ahuja, S., Alauddin, M., Hug, S. J., Lloyd, J. R., Pfaff, A., Pichler, T., Saltikov, C., Stute, M., & van Geen, A. (2006) · Science · doi:10.1126/science.1133146 · Cited by 298 · see citing works
Berg, M., Trang, P. T. K., Stengel, C., Buschmann, J., Viet, P. H., Van Dan, N., Giger, W., & Stüben, D. (2008) · Chemical Geology · doi:10.1016/j.chemgeo.2007.12.007 · Cited by 261 · see citing works
Eiche, E., Neumann, T., Berg, M., Weinman, B., van Geen, A., Norra, S., Berner, Z., Trang, P. T. K., Viet, P. H., & Stüben, D. (2008) · Applied Geochemistry · doi:10.1016/j.apgeochem.2008.06.023 · Cited by 125 · see citing works
Neidhardt, H., Berner, Z. A., Freikowski, D., Biswas, A., Majumder, S., Winter, J., Gallert, C., Chatterjee, D., & Norra, S. (2014) · Chemical Geology · doi:10.1016/j.chemgeo.2013.12.021 · Cited by 87 · see citing works
Richards, L. A., Magnone, D., Sovann, C., Kong, C., Uhlemann, S., Kuras, O., van Dongen, B. E., Ballentine, C. J., & Polya, D. A. (2017) · Science of the Total Environment · doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.02.217 · Cited by 42 · see citing works
Self-citationRichards, L. A., Magnone, D., van Dongen, B. E., Ballentine, C. J., & Polya, D. A. (2015) · Applied Geochemistry · doi:10.1016/j.apgeochem.2015.08.013 · Cited by 28 · see citing works
Self-citation
- Authors
- Charlet, L., & Polya, D. A.
- Affiliations
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR)
- University of Manchester (GB)
- Venue
- Elements
- Publisher
- Mineralogical Society of America
- Published
- 2006-04-01
- Volume
- 2
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 91-96
- ISSN
- 1811-5209 (ISSN-L)
- 1811-5217
- OpenAlex
- W2132895747
- Cited by
- 281
- References
- 2
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 19 · 2022: 11 · 2021: 11 · 2020: 14 · 2019: 13 · 2018: 12 · 2017: 19 · 2016: 16 · 2015: 11 · 2014: 20 · 2013: 19 · 2012: 16
- FWCI
- 15.27
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Elements (publishedVersion)
- HAL (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Chemistry › Arsenic contamination and mitigation
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Pollution › Heavy metals in environment
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Chemistry › Mine drainage and remediation techniques
- Keywords
- arsenic contamination, groundwater, reducing conditions, shallow aquifers, environmental health, public health crisis, South Asia
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