title: Arsenic mobility and groundwater extraction in Bangladesh.
abstract: High levels of arsenic in well water are causing widespread poisoning in Bangladesh. In a typical aquifer in southern Bangladesh, chemical data imply that arsenic mobilization is associated with recent inflow of carbon. High concentrations of radiocarbon-young methane indicate that young carbon has driven recent biogeochemical processes, and irrigation pumping is sufficient to have drawn water to the depth where dissolved arsenic is at a maximum. The results of field injection of molasses, nitrate, and low-arsenic water show that organic carbon or its degradation products may quickly mobilize arsenic, oxidants may lower arsenic concentrations, and sorption of arsenic is limited by saturation of aquifer materials.
authors.affiliation: Ralph M. Parsons Laboratory, Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 01239, USA.
authors.forename: Charles F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Harvey
authors.forename: Christopher H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Swartz
authors.forename: A B M
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Badruzzaman
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Keon-Blute
authors.forename: Winston
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: M Ashraf
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.forename: Jenny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jay
authors.forename: Roger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Beckie
authors.forename: Volker
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Niedan
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Brabander
authors.forename: Peter M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Oates
authors.forename: Khandaker N
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Ashfaque
authors.forename: Shafiqul
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Islam
authors.forename: Harold F
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Hemond
authors.forename: M Feroze
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Ahmed
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D000383:Agriculture; D001151:Arsenic / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D001459:Bangladesh; D002244:Carbon / Q000737:chemistry; D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D002254:Carbonates; D011232:Chemical Precipitation; D005290:Ferric Compounds / Q000737:chemistry; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007501:Iron / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D008697:Methane / Q000032:analysis; D008965:Molasses; D009566:Nitrates / Q000737:chemistry; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D012621:Seasons; D013431:Sulfates / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry*; D014881:Water Supply
chemical_list: D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D002254:Carbonates; D005290:Ferric Compounds; D009566:Nitrates; D013431:Sulfates; D014867:Water; D002244:Carbon; D007501:Iron; D001151:Arsenic; D008697:Methane