A Brief Status Report on Arsenic in Edible Vegetable Species

Abstract

Over the last few decades, the contamination of groundwater by arsenic (As) has been highlighted as an environmental disaster in many regions of the world. The problem of contamination of groundwater by As is most acute in South and Southeast Asia. However, the problem of As is now well known to be widespread throughout the world. Several authors have conducted long- and short-term studies to monitor the amount of As in vegetables usually in West Bengal, India, and in Bangladesh. However, the reports are also available from other places around the world such as Pakistan and Brazil. This chapter provides a brief status report on the presence of arsenic in vegetables.