title: Arsenic contamination in soil-water-plant (rice, Oryza sativa L.) continuum in central and sub-mountainous Punjab, India.
abstract: In the present study, Arsenic (As) concentrations in underground water, soil, and plants (rice) and their inter-relationships in central and sub-mountainous Punjab, India were studied. Approximately, 32% of the tubewell water samples had As concentrations greater than the maximum permissible limit (10 μg As L(-1)) set by the World Health Organization (WHO) whereas in hand pump waters, As concentrations were within the safe range (i.e. <10 μg As L(-1)). As concentrations in tubewell waters were significantly correlated with As concentrations in surface soil (r = 0.57; P < 0.05) and plant samples (r = 0.27-0.82; P < 0.05) in central and sub-mountainous Punjab. The estimated daily intake of As through human consumption in rural and urban population was 0.016 and 0.012 μg day(-1) kg(-1) body weight respectively.
authors.affiliation: Department of Soil Science, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, India. savisidhu_pau@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Savitoz Singh
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Sidhu
authors.forename: Joginder Singh
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Brar
authors.forename: Asim
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Biswas
authors.forename: Kamaljit
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Banger
authors.forename: Gurbachan Singh
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Saroa
mesh_terms: D001151:Arsenic / Q000032:analysis*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis; D005618:Fresh Water / Q000737:chemistry*; D007194:India; D008956:Models, Chemical; D012275:Oryza / Q000737:chemistry*; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D012987:Soil; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D001151:Arsenic