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The magnitude of arsenic contamination in groundwater and its health effects to the inhabitants of the Jalangi--one of the 85 arsenic affected blocks in West Bengal, India.
- Source :
-
The Science of the total environment [Sci Total Environ] 2005 Feb 15; Vol. 338 (3), pp. 189-200. - Publication Year :
- 2005
-
Abstract
- To better understand the magnitude of arsenic contamination in groundwater and its effects on human beings, a detailed study was carried out in Jalangi, one of the 85 arsenic affected blocks in West Bengal, India. Jalangi block is approximately 122 km2 in size and has a population of 215538. Of the 1916 water samples analyzed (about 31% of the total hand tubewells) from the Jalangi block, 77.8% were found to have arsenic above 10 microg l(-1) [the World Health Organization (WHO)-recommended level of arsenic in drinking water], 51% had arsenic above 50 microg l(-1) (the Indian standard of permissible limit of arsenic in drinking water) and 17% had arsenic at above 300 microg l(-1) (the concentration predicting overt arsenical skin lesions). From our preliminary medical screening, 1488 of the 7221 people examined in the 44 villages of Jalangi block exhibit definite arsenical skin lesions. An estimation of probable population that may suffer from arsenical skin lesions and cancer in the Jalangi block has been evaluated comparing along with international data. A total of 1600 biologic samples including hair, nail and urine have been analyzed from the affected villages of Jalangi block and on an average 88% of the biologic samples contain arsenic above the normal level. Thus, a vast population of the block may have arsenic body burden. Cases of Bowen's disease and cancer have been identified among adults who also show arsenical skin lesions and children in this block are also seriously affected. Obstetric examinations were also carried out in this block.
- Subjects :
- Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Arsenic Poisoning pathology
Child
Child, Preschool
Environmental Monitoring
Epidemiological Monitoring
Female
Humans
India
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Male
Middle Aged
Pregnancy
Pregnancy Outcome
Public Health
Skin Diseases epidemiology
Skin Diseases etiology
Tissue Distribution
Arsenic analysis
Arsenic Poisoning epidemiology
Water Pollutants analysis
Water Pollutants poisoning
Water Supply
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 0048-9697
- Volume :
- 338
- Issue :
- 3
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- The Science of the total environment
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 15713328
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2004.06.022