Arsenic Contamination Assessment in Groundwater Systems
Summary
Arsenic contamination in groundwater is a pervasive environmental and public health challenge driven largely by geogenic processes such as mineral dissolution and reductive mobilisation in aquifer sediments, with anthropogenic activities like mining and agricultural irrigation exacerbating local concentrations. Globally, millions of people rely on shallow and deep aquifers that may contain elevated arsenic levels, posing chronic risks including skin, lung and bladder cancers, cardiovascular disease and developmental impairments. Assessment strategies integrate hydrogeochemical characterisation—pH, redox potential, major ions and trace metals—with speciation analyses to distinguish more toxic arsenite (As(III)) from arsenate (As(V)). Contemporary monitoring employs field screening kits, atomic spectrometry and emerging sensor platforms. Spatial risk mapping utilises geographic information systems (GIS) and machine-learning models to identify high-priority zones. Human health risk assessments calculate hazard quotients and lifetime cancer risks to inform permissible limits, guided by World Health Organization and national standards. Remediation and mitigation approaches range from iron-oxide adsorption filters and membrane technologies to managed aquifer recharge and community-scale water treatment, all underpinned by interdisciplinary research linking geochemistry, epidemiology and engineering to sustainable water management policies.
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Arsenic Contamination Assessment in Groundwater Systems publication trend
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Technical terms
Arsenic speciation: Differentiation of arsenic into chemical forms (e.g., arsenite, arsenate) that vary in mobility and toxicity.
Hazard quotient (HQ): Ratio of estimated exposure to a reference dose; HQ > 1 indicates potential non-carcinogenic risk.
Carcinogenic risk (CR): Lifetime probability of developing cancer due to exposure to a carcinogen, often expressed as a risk per unit exposure.
Hydrogeochemical facies: Classification of groundwater based on the dominant major ions and geochemical evolution pathways.
GIS mapping: Use of geographic information systems to visualise and analyse the spatial distribution of contaminant concentrations and risk areas.
References
- The surveillance of arsenic levels in the drinking water of primary schools and the assessment of the potential cancer-related health risks of children in Multan, Pakistan. Emerging Contaminants (2024).
- Unraveling Health Risk and Speciation of Arsenic from Groundwater in Rural Areas of Punjab, Pakistan. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (2015).
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