Picture extracted from: http://www.bdix.net/sdnbd_org/world_env_day/2002/current_issues/arsenic/maps/arsenic.gif
High level of arsenic contamination can be observed in Bangladesh with more than 20 % of the total land contains arsenic of concentration more than 50 μ g/ L as depicted from the picture.
History…
For the past two decades the water from over a million tube-wells has been slowly poisoning Bangladeshi villagers with naturally occurring arsenic. Over 18 million people are drinking this poisoned water daily.
Arsenic is naturally occurring in pyrite bedrock underlying much of West Bengal. The poisoning began to occur as millions of kiloliters of water were being pumped out from deep within underground reservoirs for more water resources. As a result, the water level dropped and exposed the arsenic-bearing pyrite to air leading to oxidisation, a reaction which flushed arsenic into the remaining water, contaminating them with arsenic compounds. This has lead to a large numbers of clean wells to be contaminated and expose more people to arsenic poisoning.
In the 1970’s, villagers in Jampukkur started to notice dark spots spread across their bodies; not knowing exactly what was actually causing it. Until 1993 did the villagers learned that they were drinking arsenic contaminated water with 95% of the village wells being contaminated.
Not only did arsenic take away millions of life in Jampukkur, it has also leaved citizens in tremors and pain. More reports of broken marriage surfaced when husbands send disfigured wives back to their parents for the fear that their wives disfigure is cause by arsenic poisoning. In Jampukkur, literally no young men and women get married at all. People believe that arsenic poison can be passed on from the parent to child, leading to many arsenic poisoned women having problems finding husbands.
Some scientists hypothesize that Bangladesh's problem is caused by local water chemistry. Others suggest it is because of the way vegetation decomposes in the monsoon cycles of wet and dry periods, which affect levels of oxygen in ground water.
And local factors enhance the impact of the poison, including a poor diet and addiction to chewing intoxicating betel palm seeds.
Prevention is the only solution, because there is no satisfactory treatment to arsenic poisoning, say experts.
Pumping water at Bangladesh well
So….do you wish to be the next victim of arsenic? !
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