Ground Water Arsenic Contamination: A Local Survey in India.
BACKGROUND
In the present times, arsenic poisoning contamination in the ground water has caused lots of health-related problems in the village population residing in middle Gangetic plain. In Bihar, about 16 districts have been reported to be affected with arsenic poisoning. For the ground water and health assessment, Simri village of Buxar district was undertaken which is a flood plain region of river Ganga.


METHODS
In this study, 322 water samples were collected for arsenic estimation, and their results were analyzed. Furthermore, the correlation between arsenic contamination in ground water with depth and its distance from river Ganga were analyzed. Results are presented as mean ± standard deviation and total variation present in a set of data was analyzed through one-way analysis of variance. The difference among mean values has been analyzed by applying Dunnett's test. The criterion for statistical significance was set at P < 0.05.


RESULTS
This study shows novel findings ever done in this area. Halwa Patti and Doodhi Patti strips were the most affected strips with high-arsenic concentration in hand pumps. Furthermore, a correlation between the arsenic concentration with the depth of the hand pumps and the distance from the river Ganga was also a significant study.


CONCLUSIONS
The present study concludes that in Simri village there is high contamination of arsenic in ground water in all the strips. Such a huge population is at very high risk leading the village on the verge of causing health hazards among them. Therefore, an immediate strategy is required to combat the present problem.
Mahavir Cancer Institute and Research Centre, Phulwarisharif, Patna, Bihar, India.
Arun
A
Kumar
Mahavir Cancer Institute and Research Centre, Phulwarisharif, Patna, Bihar, India.
Md Samiur
MS
Rahman
Mahavir Cancer Institute and Research Centre, Phulwarisharif, Patna, Bihar, India.
Md Asif
MA
Iqubal
Mahavir Cancer Institute and Research Centre, Phulwarisharif, Patna, Bihar, India.
Mohammad
M
Ali
Mahavir Cancer Institute and Research Centre, Phulwarisharif, Patna, Bihar, India.
Pintoo Kumar
PK
Niraj
Mahavir Cancer Institute and Research Centre, Phulwarisharif, Patna, Bihar, India.
Gautam
G
Anand
Mahavir Cancer Institute and Research Centre, Phulwarisharif, Patna, Bihar, India.
Prabhat
P
Kumar
Mahavir Cancer Institute and Research Centre, Phulwarisharif, Patna, Bihar, India.
Abhinav
Mahavir Cancer Institute and Research Centre, Phulwarisharif, Patna, Bihar, India.
Ashok Kumar
AK
Ghosh
Arsenic contamination; ground water; river; village