Drinking water crisis due to arsenic contamination in Bangladesh: public health consequences, mitigation strategies and sustainability
- Resumen
- Accesstosafedrinkingwaterisafundamentalright andindispensibleforhealthylife.Although Bangladesh hasaplentyof surfaceandundergroundwater, unfortunatelywater-bornediseasesin surface water and recent arsenic contamination in underground (ACU) water have posed a great challenge. Presently, 97% of the rural population drinks underground water through millions of hand-pump tubewells. <br/> Longterm exposureto excessivelevelof arsenic(>0.05mg/l) ishighly toxicandaffects all organs and systems of the body. An array of adverse health outcomes is associated with drinking arsenic contaminated water (DACW). Continuous use of DACW may increase the risk of severalcancerse.g. skinandliver.Higherconcentration of arsenicwasfirstindentifiedin 1993 and it is estimated that 35 million populations are at risk of DACW in Bangladesh. Several thousandsof arsenicosispatientshavealready been identifiedwiththeprospectsofrapidincrease in the future. <br/> To provide arsenic-free drinking water in affected areas, the Bangladesh government in cooperation with international and national organizations has already tested several alternative options, but none of them was found to be feasible and sustainable of the grounds of acceptance, maintenance, cost and health concerns. However, some prevention strategies based on significant factors associated with DACW could improve the overall situation. Briefly this paper provides a comprehensive overview about ACU water, sources of contamination, health consequences, mitigations,preventions,andimplicationsfor Bangladesh.
- Autor
- Khan, MMH; Kraemer, Alexander; Mori, Mitsuru
- Palabras Clave
- Agua potable, Arsénico, Contaminación de aguas subterráneas, Calidad del agua, Tratamiento del agua, Prevención de la contaminación, Bangladesh
- Idioma
- Inglés
- Documentos
- Ponencia ( 10 pag, 250 Kb )
- Presentación
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