Arsenic contamination of groundwater: Review on arsenic contamination of Assam

Gyanashree Bora 1 and Triptimoni Borah 2

1 PhD Student, Department of Civil Engineering, Assam Engineering College, Guwahati, Assam, India.
2 Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, Assam Engineering College, Guwahati, Assam, India.
 
Review
World Journal of Advanced Engineering Technology and Sciences, 2024, 11(02), 238–244.
Article DOI: 10.30574/wjaets.2024.11.2.0085
 
Publication history: 
Received on 29 January 2024; revised on 14 March 2024; accepted on 17 March 2024
 
Abstract: 
Groundwater contamination is a global problem. Although groundwater is considered as safe, high concentrations of heavy metals in groundwater like arsenic (As) can pose potential human health concerns and hazards. Arsenic is a natural chemical element of the earth’s crust and is commonly distributed all over the environment. High concentrations of arsenic (As) in drinking water have been found in several parts of the world. World Health Organization’s provisional guideline value for arsenic in drinking water - 0.01 mg/l (10 μg/l). In Assam, many districts have been reported to be most affected by arsenic contamination of groundwater which is above the permissible level. People in Assam have directly or indirectly consumed the groundwater. This paper emphasizes the overview of the present scenario of intensity of arsenic contamination in groundwater in different districts of Assam. The paper also critically reviews the sources of arsenic contamination and arsenic led human effects.
 
Keywords: 
Groundwater contamination; Arsenic; Human health; Pollution Concentration; Natural Resources
 
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