Arsenic contamination of groundwater: a review of sources, prevalence, health risks, and strategies for mitigation.
Arsenic contamination of groundwater in different parts of the world is an outcome of natural and/or anthropogenic sources, leading to adverse effects on human health and ecosystem. Millions of people from different countries are heavily dependent on groundwater containing elevated level of As for drinking purposes. As contamination of groundwater, poses a serious risk to human health. Excessive and prolonged exposure of inorganic As with drinking water is causing arsenicosis, a deteriorating and disabling disease characterized by skin lesions and pigmentation of the skin, patches on palm of the hands and soles of the feet. Arsenic poisoning culminates into potentially fatal diseases like skin and internal cancers. This paper reviews sources, speciation, and mobility of As and global overview of groundwater As contamination. The paper also critically reviews the As led human health risks, its uptake, metabolism, and toxicity mechanisms. The paper provides an overview of the state-of-the-art knowledge on the alternative As free drinking water and various technologies (oxidation, coagulation flocculation, adsorption, and microbial) for mitigation of the problem of As contamination of groundwater.
Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow 226025, India.
Shiv
0000-0001-8082-8243
S
Shankar
Department of Chemistry, Dr. B. R. Ambedkar National Institute of Technology Jalandhar, Punjab 144011, India.
Uma
0000-0002-2448-3604
U
Shanker
Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow 226025, India.
Shikha
D000327:Adsorption; D001151:Arsenic / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D020261:Arsenic Poisoning / Q000453:epidemiology*; D060766:Drinking Water / Q000737:chemistry*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005374:Filtration; D005427:Flocculation; D060587:Groundwater / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D015995:Prevalence; D012306:Risk; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods; D014881:Water Supply / Q000032:analysis
D060766:Drinking Water; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D001151:Arsenic