Arsenic Pollution

Arsenic groundwater contamination is one of the form of groundwater pollution which is often guided due to the arsenic concentrations in the deeper levels. Groundwater is the major source of freshwater of the many parts in the world meeting the daily needs of domestic and agricultural purposes mainly. According to UNEP report(1999) about two thirds of the world’s population depend on groundwater only because of meeting their thirst as drinking. After the rapid industrial growth and the development in medicines the demand for water suddenly emerged out in a greater quantity. At the beginning of the twentieth century the rate of groundwater consumption marked a tremendous change from that of earlier decades. In different parts of the world arsenic

Chronic arsenic poisoning results from contaminated drinking water consumption over a long period of time. According to WHO, permissible limit of arsenic in drinking water is 0.01mg/L. Approximately 20 major incidents of groundwater arsenic contamination have been reported of which major incidents occurred in Asia, Thailand, mainland China.

Arsenic crisis in India dates back from 1976 when a survey on arsenic in dugwells, handpumps, and spring water from Chhattisgarh, different villages from Punjab, Patiala, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh in northern India was reported.

Till 2006, there are 12 districts and 111 blocks in West Bengal reported as contaminated by arsenic. Here the mainly focus of the arsenic concentrations will be confined specifically in the districts of West

Hence it is required to study in detail the following aspects:

• The groundwater reservoir condition

• The mode of recharge-discharge relationship

• Groundwater movement characteristics with time and space

• Determination of the dissolved oxygen in a very effective and scientific way

• Oxidation-reduction processes analysed in a more detailed observation

Effects:

There are various effects found in consuming the arsenic contaminated water. Arsenic is regarded as the slow poison. Slowly it affects the lives who consume it for a long period of time. In West Bengal, Malda, Murshidabad, both 24 Paraganas, Hooghly, Howrah are largely affected by this arsenic contamination.

• Various types of skin manifestations

• Many arsenic toxicities includes kertosis, malenesia, hyper kertosis, dorsal kertosis, non-pitting edema, lung cancer, liver cancer, kidney failure etc.

• Different problems arise relating to nervous