Arsenic mobility and groundwater extraction in Bangladesh.
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.
Harvey
Charles F
CF
Ralph M. Parsons Laboratory, Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 01239, USA.
Swartz
Christopher H
CH
Badruzzaman
A B M
AB
Keon-Blute
Nicole
N
Yu
Winston
W
Ali
M Ashraf
MA
Jay
Jenny
J
Beckie
Roger
R
Niedan
Volker
V
Brabander
Daniel
D
Oates
Peter M
PM
Ashfaque
Khandaker N
KN
Islam
Shafiqul
S
Hemond
Harold F
HF
Ahmed
M Feroze
MF
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
D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D002254:Carbonates; D005290:Ferric Compounds; D009566:Nitrates; D013431:Sulfates; D014867:Water; D002244:Carbon; D007501:Iron; D001151:Arsenic; D008697:Methane