The danger of arsenic, a fatal metalloid contaminating the water reserves in the

entire world is on the rise. The metalloid has poisoned about 140 million peopl
e though out the world and has the highest toll in developing countries such as
India. The risk has found existence from large-scale tube well drinking water fa
cility initiated in the 20th century.
The drinking water program started with the aim of protecting surface water agai
nst the bacterial contamination found in high levels. The research done did not
pay attention to the fact that arsenic; a soil ingredient leaches into the under
ground water resulting in vast population effected by the deadly contaminated wa
ter mostly in Vietnam, Cambodia and China. The population in North America saved
through the utilities that purified this water.
The rice cultivation in such areas affected due to high level of arsenic found i
n the irrigation water. Nearly a majority of population in South and East Asia i
s exposed to high arsenic poisoning. Arsenic found in pesticides and insecticide
s also used as wood preservative and for combustion of fossil fuels.
Contaminated drinking water forms the base of arsenic poisoning in the human bod
y. Tumor in lungs, skin, kidney and urinary bladder are the result of Arsenic in
fection. Cancer and skin problems observed in people exposed to arsenic infectio
n found in 0.05mg/L drinking water. The starting effects occur on the skin that
worsens to caner conditions. Cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and reproductive
disorders are some of health problems that occur due to high-level arsenic poiso
ning in drinking water.
Arsenic contamination can lead to a number of problems depending upon the effect
on the potassium in the body. High level of Arsenic in drinking water held resp
onsible for hypertension, erectile dysfunction, diabetes, depression, obesity an
d other conditions leading to alteration of intercellular potassium volume. Long
exposure and intake of arsenic infected water has irreversible effects on peopl
e. People working in industries have high chances of infected with arsenic leadi
ng to premature death and long-term illness.
Farmers using pesticides and insecticides have high chances of arsenic exposure.
Mining workers often accumulate high level of arsenic in their respiratory syst
ems leading to liver cancer, lung cancer.
In India, the first case of arsenic contamination came in West Bengal during 80â s
when tube wells held responsible for the contamination. The wells were having de
pth between 20-150 meters. According to Dipankar Chakraborty, head of school of
environment studies in Jadavpur universities the situation started by arsenic po
lluted drinking water in eastern India was of alarming rate. More than 1000 vill
ages in West Bengal infected with arsenic contaminated drinking water.
Chakraborty and his team adopted measures to control the amount of arsenic conta
mination in water such as
Thirty five percent of villages in West Bengal have tub wells with safe drinking
water, and tested every 3-6 months.
Epidemiological research is required to know the arsenic contaminated areas to k
now the health hazard and report the benefits in exposure of arsenic.
People made aware about the danger of arsenic infected drinking water.
Arsenic contamination in drinking water reserves both in India and Bangladesh ha
s reached critical levels and needs to be tackled before the situation gets out
of control.

Jaceline Peirrera is an executive for DynGlobal a leading global provider of wat

er purifiers and water treatment plants. DynGlobal is committed to helping provi
de clean, safe drinking water and renewable energy solutions to those on our pla
net facing environmental challenges and disaster response. For more information
please visite http://www.dynglobal.com