ABSTRACT

In India first groundwater arsenic contamination was reported from West-Bengal in 1983, after that many other States, like; Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, was reported. 25 villages of Ballia district in Uttar Pradesh were found arsenic affected and its people were suffering from skin lesions. Three blocks of Ballia district named Murlichapra, Bansdih, and Rewti were having arsenic concentration of up to 158 µg/L in its groundwater; concentrations above 100 µg/l was observed in Dalon Chhapra, Bhopapur and Vishauli villages of Murli chhapra and Rewti blocks. Barisban and Semaria Ojhapatti the two villages of Bhojpur district located in the western part of the Bihar state were reported in 2002 having arsenic contamination level higher than 50μg/L. The high concentration of arsenic on agricultural land could also affect the food chain, as arsenic (dry weight) was absorbed in different parts of the plants; branch (2.8–14.3 mg/kg), leaf (2.1–9.5 mg/kg), trunk (0.3–55mg/kg) and root (45–130mg/kg) of the plants; as reported in a study. Kaliachalk-II, Mothabari in Malda district of West Bengal has a single Rural Water Supply Scheme (RWSS) which is alone withdrawing 147 kg of arsenic from groundwater in a year. Crops grown on arsenic concentrated soil had severe arsenic absorption like wheat (80 ng/g), rice (183 ng/g), turmeric powder (334.67 ng/g), beans (200 ng/g), green chili (130ng/g).

Keywords: Arsenic, Contamination, Groundwater, Harmful-effects