Arsenic Environmental Contamination Status in South Asia

Abstract

Arsenic (As) is a well-known potentially toxic metalloid, which naturally occurs in soils, sediments, and aquatic environments. Arsenic has no essential role for living organisms. Its exposure to living organisms including humans causes severe health issues. Arsenic contamination of groundwater is a global issue especially in the flood plain regions of Asia. Environmental contamination in soil plant systems with As poses severe human and environmental health risk, thereby affecting globally thousands of people with As toxicosis. During the last two to three decades, several studies have reported high levels of this metalloid in the groundwater and soil at the global scale, especially in Asian countries. Pakistan, Bangladesh, and India are among the most As-affected countries of the world. In this book chapter, we have discussed the current environmental contamination status of As in South Asia, especially focusing on Pakistan, China, Cambodia, Vietnam, Iran, and Nepal. This chapter highlights groundwater contamination status of As in South Asian countries. Moreover, soil contamination due to irrigation with As-contaminated water as well as its soil-plant transfer has been highlighted using the latest available data. At the end, this chapter discusses the possible health risk associated with the use of As-contaminated groundwater or food (vegetables and crops). Data regarding concentration of As in groundwater and soil of South Asian countries are not fully elucidated in the literature. Based on the current data, it is proposed that the actual status of groundwater contamination by As in many parts of South Asia is still unclear. Therefore, further studies are required to fully illustrate the As level in groundwater and its soil-plant transfer across the Asian countries.