title: Murshidabad--one of the nine groundwater arsenic-affected districts of West Bengal, India. Part I: magnitude of contamination and population at risk.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To understand the severity of the arsenic crisis in West Bengal, India, a detailed, 3-year study was undertaken in Murshidabad, one of the nine arsenic-affected districts in West Bengal. The district covers an area of 5324 km2 with a population of 5.3 million.
  
  
  METHODS
  Hand tubewell water samples and biologic samples were collected from Murshidabad and analyzed for arsenic by FI-HG-AAS method. Inter laboratory analysis and analyses of standards were undertaken for quality assurance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During our survey we analyzed 29,612 hand tubewell water samples for arsenic from both contaminated and non-contaminated areas, and 26% of the tubewells were found to have arsenic above 50 microg/L while 53.8% had arsenic above 10 microg/L. Of the 26 blocks in Murshidabad, 24 were found to have arsenic above 50 microg/L. Based on our generated data we estimated that approximately 0.2 million hand tubewells are installed in all 26 blocks of Murshidabad and 1.8 million in nine arsenic-affected districts of West Bengal. It was estimated on the basis of our data that about 2.5 million and 1.2 million people were drinking arsenic-contaminated water with concentrations above 10 and 50 microg/L levels respectively in this district. The analysis of total 3800 biologic (nail, urine, and hair) samples from arsenic-affected villages revealed that 95% of the nail and 94% of the urine samples contained arsenic above the normal levels and 75% of the hair samples were found to have arsenic above the toxic level. Thus, many villagers in the affected areas of Murshidabad might be subclinically affected.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Comparing our extrapolated data with international dose response results, we estimated how many people may suffer from arsenical skin lesions and cancer. Finally, if the exposed population is provided safe water, better nutrition, and proper awareness about the arsenic problem, lives can be saved and countless suffering of the affected population can be avoided.
authors.affiliation: School of Environmental Studies, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, India.
authors.forename: Mohammad Mahmudur
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Rahman
authors.forename: Mrinal Kumar
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Sengupta
authors.forename: Sad
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ahamed
authors.forename: Dilip
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lodh
authors.forename: Bhaskar
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Das
authors.forename: M Amir
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Hossain
authors.forename: Bishwajit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nayak
authors.forename: Amitava
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mukherjee
authors.forename: Dipankar
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chakraborti
authors.forename: Subhash Chandra
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Mukherjee
authors.forename: Shymapada
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pati
authors.forename: Kshitish Chandra
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Saha
authors.forename: Shyamal Kanti
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Palit
authors.forename: Imrul
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kaies
authors.forename: Ajoy Kishore
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Barua
authors.forename: Khondaker Abdul
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Asad
mesh_terms: D020261:Arsenic Poisoning / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D001152:Arsenicals / Q000032:analysis* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D062665:Epidemiological Monitoring; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D012306:Risk; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000633:toxicity; D014881:Water Supply / Q000592:standards*
chemical_list: D001152:Arsenicals; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical