The document summarizes the issue of arsenic contamination of groundwater in Bangladesh, which poses threats to water security, food security, and livelihoods. It provides basic data on the scope of the problem, when arsenic was detected, health and social impacts, actions taken to address it, and next steps needed. Over 30 million people are at risk of drinking arsenic-contaminated groundwater, which can cause skin lesions, cancer, and death over long periods of exposure. Efforts are ongoing to identify safe sources, treat water, and raise awareness, but more research and solutions are still needed.

1. Groundwater Quality-Arsenic
Contamination in Bangladesh A
Threat to Water - Food Security
and Livelihood
Khondaker Azharul Haq
Note: Information/data used have been taken from secondary sources
(UNICEF, WHO,FAO, DPHE, CEGIS, WB etc.)

2. BASIC DATA
2
• Total Area : 145000 Km
• Total Number of Villages : 87000
• Total Population : 160 Million
• Number of Tube Wells : 8.6 Million
• Number of people at Risk : 30 Million
• WHO guide lines : <10 ppb
• GOB guide lines : <50 ppb
• Arsenic Contaminated Well : 20% (Approx)
• Number Arsenic Contaminated Villages : Around 8000 with 80%
well contaminated.
[Continued]

3. Arsenic map of Bangladesh

4. Arsenic map of Bangladesh

5. • Prior to arsenic contamination 98% (approx) population had access
to safe drinking water. After contamination it was reduced to nearly
72%. After intervention it is back to around 80%.
• Drinking contaminated water for a long time may cause arsenicosis.
• Arsenicosis is reversible if detected at an early stage.
• How and what triggered the release of arsenic in the ground water
still not conclusive.
• Some scientists argue that oxidation of arsenic pyrites have caused
contaminates while others opine that oxihydroxide reduction is
responsible.
• Shallow aquifers (≤ 50 M deep) are mostly affected. Deep aquifers
are generally free from arsenic. Dhaka deep aquifers have not
shown presence of arsenic.
• Arsenic contamination is not caused by tube wells or by irrigation or
by application of fertilizer.

6. 2. PRESENCE OF ARSENIC AND WHEN IT WAS
DETECTED
• Exists naturally in the Arsenic rich bed rock of the river system.
• First Detected in Bangladesh in 1993.
• In West Bengal of India it was detected in mid-seventies. Aquifers of other
countries in the region are also contaminated with arsenic.
• How and what triggered the release of arsenic in the ground water
still not conclusive.
• Some scientists argue that oxidation of arsenic pyrites have caused
contamination while others opine that oxi-hydroxide reduction is
responsible.
• Shallow aquifers (≤ 50 M deep) are mostly affected. Deep aquifers
are generally free from arsenic. Dhaka deep aquifers have not shown
presence of arsenic.
• Arsenic contamination is not caused by tube wells or by irrigation or
by application of fertilizer.

7. Poisoned aquifers: A regional problem
Aquifers with regional high arsenic groundwater
Aquifers with regional high arsenic groundwater
Aquifers with some high arsenic groundwater sources
Aquifers with some high arsenic groundwater sources Since the early 1990s, arsenic
contamination of groundwater has been recognized as a public health problem in Bangladesh,
China and India, and more recently in Cambodia, Iran, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan and Viet
Nam. Studies in India indicate that groundwater in a large portion of the Ganga-Meghna-
Brahmaputra plain, which spans all of Bangladesh and much of India, has significant levels of
arsenic contamination, placing up to 500 million people at risk. [Map: BGS/World Bank]

8. 3. Problems from Arsenic Contamination
A. Health Problems
• Nearly 40,000 people showing symptoms of arsenic contamination
or Arsenicosis
• Symptoms can include lesions, hardening of skin, dark spots on
hand and feet.

9. • There is long gestation period of more than 20 years but symptoms
can appear early if arsenic contamination is very high.
• Long term exposure can lead to cancer of skin, lungs, bladder and
kidney which can be fatal.
• Known to cause impaired cognitive development in children.
• Malnourished people are twice as likely to develop arsenicosis then
well nourished people.
• There is no known cure to arsenic poisoning.
• WHO estimates 100,000 cases of skin lesions in the country.
• As dose of arsenic increases and more and more people are
exposed both cases of lesion and cancer is expected to increase in
the coming decades.
• Though dependable data are not available but studies indicated that
one in five deaths can be attributed to arsenic poisoning (Hirji,
2010). Even low concentration of arsenic (≤ 49 ppb) significantly
increases risk of mortality. Higher doses increases the risk of death
from both cancer and cardio-vascular diseases.

10. B. Social Problems
• Arsenicosis patients suffer from enormous social stigma.
• People believe it as contagious or curse.
• Children with Arsenicosis are not allowed to play with other children.
• Impact on Women is worse. Single women finds it almost impossible
to get married and if acquired after marriage they have risk of
divorce. Women are also less likely to receive early diagnosis and
treatment.
• Patients have difficulties in getting jobs thus causing loss of
livelihood.

11. 4. Action taken to address the problem
• National wide survey to screen arsenic affected tube-wells
especially in arsenic prone areas carried out between 2000-2003.
•Development and implementation of National Arsenic Communication
Strategy and awareness program.
•Contaminated tube wells painted red and the others painted green (≤
50 ppb)
•Installation of new arsenic free water points. This includes arsenic free
tube wells, dug wells and treated surface water from available sources.

12. •Introduction and use of commercial arsenic removal filters.
Sono Filter in Use

13. 5. Impacts:
• Awareness of arsenic poisoning has improved dramatically.
• Presently 80% of the population are aware that arsenic is a problem,
up from single digit in the late 1990s.
• 70% households are taking some action to avoid arsenic
contaminated water.
• Screening has allowed people to share safe tube wells and identify
depth where arsenic is less prevalent.
• More than 100,000 safe water sources have been installed in arsenic
effected areas between 2000 and 2005.
• Rain water is harvested and used for drinking as well as cooking
purposes.
• Surface water which is arsenic free is being increasingly used for
domestic purposes.
• Arsenicosis patients are also reporting fewer social problem as
awareness increases.

14. 6.Arsenic in Agriculture
• Evidence suggest that high levels of arsenic in irrigation water could
degrade soils, reduce yield and find its way in to the food chain.
• People may be exposed to arsenic not only through drinking water,
but indirectly through food crops irrigated by contaminated ground
water.
• Of the 4 million ha of land under irrigation about 2.4 million ha are
irrigated by shallow tube wells. Approx 95% extracted ground water
used for irrigation especially in dry season. The STW water is likely
to contain arsenic.
• Arsenic levels of rice in Bangladesh is as high as 1.8 ppm compared
to 0.05 ppm in Europe and USA.
• In Leafy vegetable like spinach, cabbage etc it can be 200% higher
than that of rice.

15. 7. Next Steps
• It has not yet been conclusively determined as to what caused the
release of arsenic in ground water. More research shall have to be
done to identify the triggering mechanism.
• Arsenic removal equipment should be made available, at low cost,
in the rural areas.
• Eco-friendly way of disposal of arsenic removed from the water shall
have to be developed.
• Diagnosis and treatment facilities must be crated at the grassroots
level where most cases have been diagnosed.
• Easy to use arsenic detection kit should be made available in
affected and non-affected areas.
[Continued]

16. • For rice, if water input can be reduced making soil conditions more
aerobic, solubility and uptake of arsenic would be reduced. BRRI
developed a technique called “Alternate Wetting and Drying” for rice
irrigation reducing irrigation requirement by 40%. Farmer should be
encouraged to adopt its practice.
• Cereals like wheat & maize should be grown wherever possible.
• Breeders should develop arsenic resistant rice and other crop
varieties.
• It has not yet been determined if climate change had played any role
in the release of arsenic in the ground water. This aspect also needs
to be investigated.
• Arsenic is threat to both water and food security in Bangladesh and
many other countries in the word having high levels of arsenic in
ground water.

17. 8. Conclusion
• Contamination of ground water by arsenic
in Bangladesh is one of the largest
poisoning of a population in the history.
• Measures already taken must be
strengthened to address this catastrophe.