Arsenic in drinking water: a worldwide water quality concern for water supply companies

Abstract

Abstract. For more than a decade it has been known that shallow tube wells in Bangladesh are frequently contaminated with arsenic concentrations at a level that is harmful to human health. By now it is clear that a disaster of an unheard magnitude is going on: the World Health Organization has estimated that long-term exposure to arsenic in groundwater, at concentrations over 500 µg L −1 , causes death in 1 in 10 adults. Other studies show that problems with arsenic in groundwater/drinking water occur in many more countries worldwide, such as in the USA and China. In Europe the focus on arsenic problems is currently confined to countries with high arsenic levels in their groundwater, such as Serbia, Hungary and Italy. In most other European countries, the naturally occurring arsenic concentrations are mostly lower than the European drinking water standard of 10 µg L −1 . However, from the literature review presented in this paper, it is concluded that at this level health risks cannot be excluded. As consumers in European countries expect the drinking water to be of impeccable quality, it is recommended that water supply companies optimize arsenic removal to a level of <1 µg L −1 , which is technically feasible.

Fetal exposure to arsenic results in hyperglycemia, hypercholesterolemia, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in adult mice

“…The highest concentrations seen in drinking water are found in the endemic Blackfoot disease regions of Taiwan where mean concentrations of arsenic in water are around 700 µg/L. Affected countries include Bangladesh, with over 30 million people exposed to concentrations between 0.1 µg/L and 864 µg/L, India, with 40 million people exposed to concentrations exceeding 1000 µg/L, as well as China (1.5 million people) and the United States (2.5 million people) exposed to concentrations between 1 µg/L and 100 µg/L of arsenic in the drinking water [2][3][4][5]. Importantly, exposure to arsenic has been associated with an array of diseases ranging from multiple forms of cancer, to developmental and reproductive effects, as well as cardiovascular and metabolic disorders [6][7][8][9].…”

Characterization of ZrO2 Nano Particles Prepared by Glycothermal Method and their Efficiency as Adsorbent of As(III) and As(V) from Waste Water

“…Arsenic is known to be highly toxic to all living organisms [10]. This element has been classified by the World Health Organization as a group 1 human carcinogenic substance [11]. As(III) is more harmful for human health than As(V) as it is more cytotoxic, genotoxic, mobile, and soluble [7,10].…”

Distribution of the Total Arsenic Content in Drinking Water Obtained from Different Water Sources in the Republic of Macedonia

“…Many epidemiological studies have demonstrated that chronic exposure to As is associated with increased cardiovascular disease, hypertension, respiratory problems, diabetes mellitus, gastrointestinal effect, and nervous system disorders [2,3]. It includes several kinds of skin lesions and cancers, such as hyper-pigmentation, hyperkeratosis, gangrene, skin cancer, lung cancer and bladder cancer.…”

“…Long-term consumption of drinking water with elevated As concentrations can cause development of arsenicosis, the commonly used term for diseases caused by chronic exposure to As. It includes several kinds of skin lesions and cancers, like hyper-pigmentation, hyperkeratosis, gangrene, skin cancer, lung cancer and bladder cancer [2]. Drinking water is derived from a variety of sources depending on local availability: surface water (rivers, lakes, reservoirs and ponds), groundwater (aquifers) and rain water.…”