Arsenic Contamination

Arsenic Contamination (Part of a research project on community-based environmental and sustainability education model in Australia)

Golam Kibria Citation: Kibria, G. 2017. Arsenic contamination. A part of a research project on community-based environmental and sustainability education model in Australia. 3 pages, 2 Figures, 18 references. April 2017. ResearchGate Online. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/316166501_Arsenic_contamination Abstract: As part of a research project on community-based environmental and sustainability education model in Australia, this article on “Arsenic contamination” has been prepared. It is intended to provide data and information in short, simple and quick pathways in the form of questions and answers to benefit a wide range of communities (including grassroots levels) across the globe. This article provides an account of arsenic contamination in the context of arsenic sources, arsenic endemic countries, the extent of arsenic contamination in Australia, and routes to food contamination by arsenic. It also assesses whether arsenic contamination would undermine achieving the new global sustainable development goals (SDGs), and social impacts of arsenic contamination and possible remedial measures. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----------------------------------

What is arsenic? Arsenic (atomic number 33, atomic weight 74.922) is a toxic metalloid element (properties intermediate between those of a metal and a non-metal) that occurs in nature in both organic and inorganic forms. Inorganic arsenic forms are much more toxic whereas organic arsenic is essentially non-toxic [1,2].

Why is arsenic a problem? Arsenic contamination in the environment is causing a significant human health problem across the globe via water and food contaminations, of which groundwater arsenic contamination is a major problem in many countries [3] (see Figure 1). It is toxic, bio-accumulative (accumulate in plants and animal) and carcinogenic (the international Agency for Research on Cance r classified it into class I carcinogen) [1]. Long-term, sub-clinical exposures to inorganic arsenic are associated in humans with adverse health effects such as cancer, skin lesions, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and developmental neurotoxicity [4].

Figure 1. Naturally occurring groundwater arsenic contamination areas in the world. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arsenic_contamination_of_groundwater

What are the possible sources of arsenic contamination in the environment? They are: i) naturally occurring arsenic in groundwater, ii) coal mining and burning of arsenic-rich coals, iii) geologicallybased arsenic (areas where geothermal fluids rich in arsenic enter surface waters), iv) use of pesticides in G o l a m K i b r i a _ A r s e n i c _ 1 7 A p r i l 1 7 _ R G _ P a g e 1|3

agriculture (containing arsenical compounds), v) wood preservatives (containing chromated copper arsenate used to prevent decay of wood-borne Crustacea, molluscs, and fungi, vi) mining and smelting operations (arsenic is a natural component of lead, zinc, copper, and gold-bearing ores), vii) wastes (tannery wastes where arsenic trioxide are used as hide preservative and sewage sludge) [5,6].

What are the arsenic endemic countries in the world? Globally over 137 million people [7] mostly in Asian countries are most severely affected by groundwater arsenic contamination with Bangladesh being the worst of all [3]. The groundwater arsenic poisoning in Bangladesh is regarded as the largest disaster/mass poisoning in the history of human civilisation where more than 70 million people are believed to be drinking arsenic-poisoned water or exposed to arsenic contaminated water (in Bangladesh, most of the shallow tube-wells used for drinking is contaminated with high levels of arsenic) [4]. The other countries affected by groundwater arsenic contamination are India (West Bengal), China (inner Mongolia), Nepal, Taiwan and Vietnam, Argentina, Chile, USA, Mexico) (see Figure 1).

Does arsenic a concern for Australia? Not really, in Australia, drinking water is not contaminated with arsenic [8]. Seafood (fish, shell-fish, crustaceans) [9] and seaweeds [10] found complied with current Australian Food Standard Code for maximum levels for inorganic arsenic. However, elevated levels of arsenic were reported from localised sites including gold mining areas in Victoria [11] and some mining areas in Western Australia, some agricultural sites, soils close by orchard sites, and cattle dips sites used for eradicating cattle ticks [12]. A very recent research reveals that some brown rice [13] and Arborio, Sushi rice grown in Australia have high levels of arsenic compared to imported rice varieties [14].

How food can be contaminated with arsenic? The elevated level of arsenic in soil can result in elevated concentrations of arsenic in food since crops receiving arsenic contaminated irrigated water can uptake arsenic during the phytoextraction process and bio-accumulate in different degrees in different parts of plants (e.g. roots, stems, and grains) [1]. Several research studies have also found high concentrations of arsenic in vegetables and rice in areas where concentrations of arsenic in soil and water are also high. Higher concentrations of arsenic were also reported in rice plants (boro rice in Bangladesh) in the following orders: rice roots > rice stem > rice leaf > rice grain > rice husk [15]. It is therefore, evident that the food chain could be a significant pathway of ingestion of arsenic by the people of Bangladesh [1] (Figure 2).

Irrigation

Soil contamination

Bangladesh groundwater contains high concentration of arsenic

Use of arsenic contaminated groundwater for irrigation results in elevated concentration of arsenic in agriculture soils

Food contamination

Rice grown in arsenic contaminated soils accumulate arsenic in different parts of plants including roots, leaves, stalks and fruit (grain)

Risk to livestock

Contaminated rice straw used as cattle feed can have adverse effects on cattle and an increase in arsenic exposure in humans via the food chian Risk to humans

Rice is the staple food in Bangladesh and eating of arsenic contaminated rice or meat can increase risks to human health

Figure 2. A simplified version of rice contamination with arsenic in Bangladesh and its exposure routes to livestock and humans [Kibria et al. 2010].

Would arsenic contamination undermine achieving new global sustainable development goals (SDGs)? Yes, it would undermine achieving the global sustainable development goals (SDGs) since arsenic can contaminate both water and food and affect public health. Therefore, it will prevent achieving SDG 1 (end poverty), SDG 2 (end hunger, food security), SDG 3 (ensure healthy lives), SDG 6 (ensure clean water).

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Does arsenic problems impact social life in affected Asian countries? Yes, it does. Often in Bangladesh, children with arsenicosis (arsenic-related disease) are not allowed to attend school or social or religious functions and even they are not allowed to take baths in any of village ponds. Separation and marital breakdown are also reported. In some circumstance, affected people are sent back to their homes by their employer believing that the disease may spread from one to another (in principle, arsenic-related diseases are not a spreadable disease) [16].

What are the remedial measures in groundwater arsenic affected countries/areas? The most common arsenic mitigation options in poor countries affected by ground water contamination would be well switching (i.e. switching from an arsenic unsafe shallow well to an arsenic-safe drinking water deep tube well, which are uncontaminated), rainwater harvesting, providing household arsenic removal filters, supplying safe piped water, breeding arsenic tolerant crop/rice varieties, and promoting arsenic education programme [1,4,6,17,18].

References 1. Kibria, G, Haroon, A.K.Y, Nugegoda,D. and Rose, G. 2010. Climate Change and Chemicals: Environmental and Biological Aspects. New India Publishing Agency, New Delhi. 460 pages. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/261216635_Climate_Change_and_Chemicals_Environmental_and_Biological_Aspects 2. http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/consumer/chemicals/arsenic/Pages/default.aspx Arsenic. Food Standards Australia New Zealand. 3. Kibria, G. 2013. Global Groundwater Arsenic Contamination: Impacts on Agriculture, Human Health and Social Life - A Short Review. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/263519682_Global_Groundwater_Arsenic_Contamination_Impacts_on_Agriculture_H uman_Health_and_Social_Life-_A_Short_Review 4. Smith, A.H, Lingas, I. O, Mahfuzar Rahman, M. 2000. Contamination of drinking-water by arsenic in Bangladesh: a public health emergency. Bulletin of the World Health Organization. 78 (9): 1093-1103. http://www.who.int/bulletin/archives/78(9)1093.pdf 5.Garelick et al. 2008. Arsenic pollution sources. In: Reviews of environmental contamination: international perspectives on arsenic pollution and remediation. Garelick, Hemda and Jones, Huw, eds. Reviews of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology. (197). Springer, New York. ISBN 9780387792835 6. Naidu, R., Smith, E, Owens, G., Bhattacharya, P. and Nadebaum, P. (eds.) 2006. Managing arsenic in the environment. From soil to human health. CSIRO, Victoria, Australia. 7. http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/world/2007-08-30-553404631_x.htm]. 8. http://www.public.health.wa.gov.au/cproot/2408/2/Arsenic.pdf Arsenic in Drinking Water 9. Stewart, I and Turnbull, A. 2015. Arsenic in Australian Seafood: A Review and Analysis of Monitoring Data 2000 – 2013. http://safefish.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Monitoring-Seafood-for-Arsenic-in-Australia-December-2015.pdf 10.http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/science/surveillance/Pages/surveyofinorganicars5773.aspx 11.Hinwood, A.; Bannister, R.; Shugg, A.; Sim, M. Environmental arsenic in ruralVictoria: an update. Water 1998, July/August, 34–36. 12. Smith, E, Smith, J, Smith, L, Biswas, T, Correll, R, Naidu, R. 2003. Arsenicin Australian Environment: An Overview, Journal of Environmental Science and Health, Part A, 38:1, 223-239, DOI: 10.1081/ESE-120016891 13. Rahman et al. 2014. Arsenic Speciation in Australian-Grown and Imported Rice on Sale in Australia: Implications for Human Health Risk. J Agric Food Chem. 2014 Jun 25; 62(25): 6016-24. doi: 10.1021/jf501077w. Epub 2014 Jun 17. 14.Fransisca Y, Small, D.M, Morrison, P.D, Spencer, M.J, Ball, A.S, Jones, O.A. 2015. Assessment of arsenic in Australian grown and imported rice varieties on sale in Australia and potential links with irrigation practises and soil geochemistry. Chemosphere. 138:1008-13. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2014.12.048. Epub 2015 Jan 7. 15. Huq, S. M. I., Correl, R. and Naidu, R. 2006. Arsenic accumulation in food sources in Bangladesh. Chapter 15: 283-293 pp. In: Managing arsenic in the environment. From soil to human health. Edited by Naidu et al. CSIRO, Victoria, Australia. 16. Abedin, M. A., and Shaw, R. 2013. Chapter 9. Arsenic contamination in Bangladesh: contemporary alarm and future strategy. pp. 191216. In: R. Shaw et al. (eds.), Disaster Risk Reduction Approaches in Bangladesh, 191. Disaster Risk Reduction, DOI 10.1007/978-4-431-54252-0_9, © Springer Japan 2013. 17. Brammer, H. 2009. Mitigation of arsenic contamination in irrigated paddy soils in south and south-east Asia. Environment International 35: 856-863. 18. BGS & DPHE. 2001. British Geological Survey (BGS) and Directorate of Public Health and Engineering (DPHE) Arsenic contamination of groundwater of Bangladesh. Volume 2: Final report. D. G. Kinniburgh

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