Occurrence of arsenic-contaminated groundwater in alluvial aquifers from delta plains, eastern India: Options for safe drinking water supply

• Arsenic contamination in groundwater used for drinking purposes has been envisaged as a problem of global concern. Exploitation of groundwater contaminated with arsenic within the delta plains in West Bengal has caused adverse health effects among the population within a span of 8-10 years. The sources of arsenic in natural water are a function of the local geology, hydrology and geochemical characteristics of the aquifers. The retention and mobility of different arsenic species are sensitive to varying redox conditions. The delta plains in West Bengal are characterized by a series of meander belts formed by the fluvial processes comprising different cycles of complete or truncated fining upward sequences (sand-silt-clay). The arseniferous groundwater belts are mainly located in the upper delta plain and in abandoned meander channels. Mineralogical investigations have established that arsenic in the silty day as well as in the sandy layers occurs as coatings on mineral grains. Clayey sediments intercalated with sandy aquifers at depths between 20 and 80 m are reported as a major source of arsenic in groundwater. Integrated knowledge on geological, hydrological and geochemical characteristics of the multi-level aquifer system of the upper delta plain is therefore necessary in predicting the origin, occurrence and mobility of arsenic in groundwater in West Bengal. This would also provide a basis for developing suitable low-cost techniques for safe drinking water supply in the region.

Keyword

pollution; groundwater quality; potable water; water management; water pollution; water resources; water supply

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)