Arsenic geochemistry of groundwater in Southeast Asia

Kyoung-Woong Kim, Penradee Chanpiwat, Hoang Thi Hanh, Kongkea Phan, Suthipong Sthiannopkao

PDF(366 KB)
PDF(366 KB)
Front. Med. ›› DOI: 10.1007/s11684-011-0158-2
REVIEW

Arsenic geochemistry of groundwater in Southeast Asia

Author information +
History +

Abstract

The occurrence of high concentrations of arsenic in the groundwater of the Southeast Asia region has received much attention in the past decade. This study presents an overview of the arsenic contamination problems in Vietnam, Cambodia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic and Thailand. Most groundwater used as a source of drinking water in rural areas has been found to be contaminated with arsenic exceeding the WHO drinking water guideline of 10 μg·L-1. With the exception of Thailand, groundwater was found to be contaminated with naturally occurring arsenic in the region. Interestingly, high arsenic concentrations (>10 μg·L-1) were generally found in the floodplain areas located along the Mekong River. The source of elevated arsenic concentrations in groundwater is thought to be the release of arsenic from river sediments under highly reducing conditions. In Thailand, arsenic has never been found naturally in groundwater, but originates from tin mining activities. More than 10 million residents in Southeast Asia are estimated to be at risk from consuming arsenic-contaminated groundwater. In Southeast Asia, groundwater has been found to be a significant source of daily inorganic arsenic intake in humans. A positive correlation between groundwater arsenic concentration and arsenic concentration in human hair has been observed in Cambodia and Vietnam. A substantial knowledge gap exists between the epidemiology of arsenicosis and its impact on human health. More collaborative studies particularly on the scope of public health and its epidemiology are needed to conduct to fulfill the knowledge gaps of As as well as to enhance the operational responses to As issue in Southeast Asian countries.

Keywords

arsenic / groundwater / drinking water / arsenicosis / Mekong River / Southeast Asia

Cite this article

Download citation ▾
Kyoung-Woong Kim, Penradee Chanpiwat, Hoang Thi Hanh, Kongkea Phan, Suthipong Sthiannopkao. Arsenic geochemistry of groundwater in Southeast Asia. Front Med, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11684-011-0158-2

References

[1]
Schmoll O, Howard G, Chilton J, Chorus I. Protecting groundwater for health: Managing the quality of drinking-water resources. World Health Organization. London: IWA publishing, 2006
[2]
Chanpiwat P, Sthiannopkao S, Cho KH, Kim KW, San V, Suvanthong B, Vongthavady C. Contamination by arsenic and other trace elements of tube-well water along the Mekong River in Lao PDR. Environ Pollut 2011; 159(2): 567-576
CrossRef Pubmed Google scholar
[3]
The World Bank, the Water Sanitation Program. World Bank policy report: Towards a more effective operational response: Arsenic contamination of groundwater in South and East Asian Countries. Massachusetts:The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, 2005
[4]
International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). IARC monographs on the evaluation of carcinogenic risks to humans, Supplement 7: Overall evaluations of carcinogenicity: An updating of IARC monographs volumes 1 to 42. http://monographs.iarc.fr/ENG/Monographs/suppl17-19.pdf (Access on <month>June</month><day>26</day>, 2011)
[5]
Rahman MM, Naidu R, Bhattacharya P. Arsenic contamination in groundwater in the Southeast Asia region. Environ Geochem Health 2009; 31(Suppl 1): 9-21
CrossRef Pubmed Google scholar
[6]
Smedley PL, Kinniburgh DG. A review of the source, behavior and distribution of arsenic in natural waters. Appl Geochem 2002; 17(5): 517-568
CrossRef Google scholar
[7]
Adriano DC. Trace elements in terrestrial environments: biogeochemistry, bioavailability, and risk of metal. 2nd ed. Springer-Verlag, NY, USA, 2001
[8]
Islam FS, Gault AG, Boothman C, Polya DA, Charnock JM, Chatterjee D, Lloyd JR. Role of metal-reducing bacteria in arsenic release from Bengal delta sediments. Nature 2004; 430(6995): 68-71
CrossRef Pubmed Google scholar
[9]
Stüben D, Berner Z, Chandrasekharam D, Karmakar J. Arsenic enrichment in groundwater of West Bengal, India: geochemical evidence for mobilization of As under reducing conditions. Appl Geochem 2003; 18(9): 1417-1434
CrossRef Google scholar
[10]
Rowland HAL, Polya DA, Lloyd JR, Pancost RD. Characterisation of organic matter in a shallow, reducing, arsenic-rich aquifer, West Bengal. Org Geochem 2006; 37(9): 1101-1114
CrossRef Google scholar
[11]
Anawar HM, Akai J, Komaki K, Terao H, Yoshioka T, Ishizuka T, Safiullah S, Kato K. Geochemical occurrence of arsenic in groundwater of Bangladesh L sources and mobilization processes. J Geochem Explor 2003; 77(2-3): 109-131
CrossRef Google scholar
[12]
Routh J, Hjelmquist O. Distribution of arsenic and its mobility in shallow aquifer sediments from Ambikanagar, West Bengal, India. Appl Geochem 2011; 26(4): 505-515
CrossRef Google scholar
[13]
Thomas DJ. Arsenolysis and thiol-dependent arsenate reduction. Toxicol Sci 2010; 117(2): 249-252
CrossRef Pubmed Google scholar
[14]
Jomova K, Jenisova Z, Feszterova M, Baros S, Liska J, Hudecova D, Rhodes CJ, Valko M. Arsenic: toxicity, oxidative stress and human disease. J Appl Toxicol 2011; 31(2): 95-107
Pubmed
[15]
Abernathy CO, Thomas DJ, Calderon RL. Health effects and risk assessment of arsenic. J Nutr 2003; 133(5 Suppl 1): 1536S-1538S
Pubmed
[16]
Cohen SM, Arnold LL, Eldan M, Lewis AS, Beck BD. Methylated arsenicals: the implications of metabolism and carcinogenicity studies in rodents to human risk assessment. Crit Rev Toxicol 2006; 36(2): 99-133
CrossRef Pubmed Google scholar
[17]
Roy P, Saha A. Metabolism and toxicity of arsenic: a human carcinogen. Curr Sci 2002; 82(1): 38-45
[18]
Hughes MF. Arsenic toxicity and potential mechanisms of action. Toxicol Lett 2002; 133(1): 1-16
CrossRef Pubmed Google scholar
[19]
Masotti A, Sacco LD, Bottazzo GF, Sturchio E. Risk assessment of inorganic arsenic pollution on human health. Environ Pollut 2009; 157(6): 1771-1772
CrossRef Pubmed Google scholar
[20]
Khan MM, Sakauchi F, Sonoda T, Washio M, Mori M. Magnitude of arsenic toxicity in tube-well drinking water in Bangladesh and its adverse effects on human health including cancer: evidence from a review of the literature. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev 2003; 4(1): 7-14
Pubmed
[21]
Khan MA, Ho YS. Arsenic in drinking water: a review on toxicological effects, mechanism of accumulation and remediation. Asian Journal of Chemistry 2011; 23(5): 1899-1901
[22]
Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS). http://www.epa.gov/IRIS/ (Access on <month>July</month><day>27</day>, 2011)
[23]
Duker AA, Carranza EJM, Hale M. Arsenic geochemistry and health. Environ Int 2005; 31(5): 631-641
CrossRef Pubmed Google scholar
[24]
Kapaj S, Peterson H, Liber K, Bhattacharya P. Human health effects from chronic arsenic poisoning—a review. J Environ Sci Health A Tox Hazard Subst Environ Eng 2006; 41(10): 2399-2428
CrossRef Pubmed Google scholar
[25]
Rahman MM, Ng JC, Naidu R. Chronic exposure of arsenic via drinking water and its adverse health impacts on humans. Environ Geochem Health 2009; 31(Suppl 1): 189-200
CrossRef Pubmed Google scholar
[26]
International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). Arsenic in drinking water 1. Exposure data - IARC monographs. http://monographs.iarc.fr/ENG/Monographs/vol84/mono84-6A.pdf (Access on <month>August</month><day>18</day>, 2011)
[27]
Benbrahim-Tallaa L, Waalkes MP. Inorganic arsenic and human prostate cancer. Environ Health Perspect 2008; 116(2): 158-164
CrossRef Pubmed Google scholar
[28]
Cantor KP, Lubin JH. Arsenic, internal cancers, and issues in inference from studies of low-level exposures in human populations. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2007; 222(3): 252-257
CrossRef Pubmed Google scholar
[29]
Bonior DE. Public exposure to arsenic in drinking water in Michigan. http://oversight-archive.waxman.house.gov/documents/20040607132512-45841.pdf (Access on <month>August</month><day>19</day>, 2011)
[30]
Berg M, Stengel C, Trang P P, Hungviet M, Sampson M, Leng S, Samreth D, Fredericks. Magnitude of arsenic pollution in the Mekong and Red River Deltas—Cambodia and Vietnam. Sci Total Environ 2007; 372(2-3): 413-425
CrossRef Pubmed Google scholar
[31]
Berg M, Tran HC, Nguyen TC, Pham HV, Schertenleib R, Giger W. Arsenic contamination of groundwater and drinking water in Vietnam: a human health threat. Environ Sci Technol 2001; 35(13): 2621-2626
CrossRef Pubmed Google scholar
[32]
Stanger G, Truong TV, Ngoc KS, Luyen TV, Thanh TT. Arsenic in groundwaters of the lower Mekong. Environ Geochem Health 2005; 27(4): 341-357
CrossRef Pubmed Google scholar
[33]
Hoang TH, Bang S, Kim KW, Nguyen MH, Dang DM. Arsenic in groundwater and sediment in the Mekong River delta, Vietnam. Environ Pollut 2010; 158(8): 2648-2658
CrossRef Pubmed Google scholar
[34]
Phuong TD, Kokot S, Chuong PV, Tong Khiem D. Elemental content of Vietnamese rice; Part 1: sampling, analysis, and comparison with previous studies. Analyst (Lond) 1999; 124(4): 553-560
CrossRef Google scholar
[35]
Hoang TH, Bang S, Kim KW, Nguyen MH. Community exposure to arsenic in the Mekong River delta, southern Vietnam. J Environ Monit 2011; 13: 2025-2032
CrossRef Google scholar
[36]
Sengupta MK, Hossain MA, Mukherjee A, Ahamed S, Das B, Nayak B, Pal A, Chakraborti D. Arsenic burden of cooked rice: traditional and modern methods. Food Chem Toxicol 2006; 44(11): 1823-1829
CrossRef Pubmed Google scholar
[37]
Signes A, Mitra K, Burló F, Carbonell-Barrachina AA. Contribution of water and cooked rice to an estimation of the dietary intake of inorganic arsenic in a rural village of West Bengal, India. Food Addit Contam Part A Chem Anal Control Expo Risk Assess 2008; 25(1): 41-50
CrossRef Pubmed Google scholar
[38]
Ohno K, Yanase T, Matsuo Y, Kimura T, Hamidur Rahman M, Magara Y, Matsui Y. Arsenic intake via water and food by a population living in an arsenic-affected area of Bangladesh. Sci Total Environ 2007; 381(1-3): 68-76
CrossRef Pubmed Google scholar
[39]
Cleland B, Tsuchiya A, Kalman DA, Dills R, Burbacher TM, White JW, Faustman EM, Mariën K. Arsenic exposure within the Korean community (United States) based on dietary behavior and arsenic levels in hair, urine, air, and water. Environ Health Perspect 2009; 117(4): 632-638
Pubmed
[40]
Phan K, Sthiannopkao S, Kim KW, Wong MH, Sao V, Hashim JH, Mohamed Yasin MS, Aljunid SM. Health risk assessment of inorganic arsenic intake of Cambodia residents through groundwater drinking pathway. Water Res 2010; 44(19): 5777-5788
CrossRef Pubmed Google scholar
[41]
Sampson ML, Bostick B, Chiew H, Hangan JM, Shantz A. Arsenicosis in Cambodia: case studies and policy response. Appl Geochem 2008; 23(11): 2976-2985
CrossRef Google scholar
[42]
Polya DA, Lythgoe PR, Abou-Shakra F, Gault AG, Brydie JR, Webster JG, Brown KL, Nimfopoulos MK, Michailidis KM. IC-ICP-MS and IC-ICP-HEX-MS determination of arsenic speciation in surface and groundwaters: preservation and analytical issues. Mineral Mag 2003; 67(2): 247-261
CrossRef Google scholar
[43]
Polya DA, Gault AG, Diebe N, Feldman P, Rosenboom JW, Gilligan E, Fredericks D, Milton AH, Sampson M, Rowland HAL, Lythgoe PR, Jones JC, Middleton C, Cooke DA. Arsenic hazard in shallow Cambodian groundwaters. Mineral Mag 2005; 69(5): 807-823
CrossRef Google scholar
[44]
Buschmann J, Berg M, Stengel C, Winkel L, Sampson ML, Trang PT, Viet PH. Contamination of drinking water resources in the Mekong delta floodplains: arsenic and other trace metals pose serious health risks to population. Environ Int 2008; 34(6): 756-764
CrossRef Pubmed Google scholar
[45]
Quicksall AN, Bostick BC, Sampson ML. Linking organic matter deposition and iron mineral transformations to groundwater arsenic levels in the Mekong delta, Cambodia. Appl Geochem 2008; 23(11): 3088-3098
CrossRef Google scholar
[46]
Sthiannopkao S, Kim KW, Sotham S, Choup S. Arsenic and manganese in tube well waters of Prey Veng and Kandal Provinces, Cambodia. Appl Geochem 2008; 23(5): 1086-1093
CrossRef Google scholar
[47]
Luu TT, Sthiannopkao S, Kim KW. Arsenic and other trace elements contamination in groundwater and a risk assessment study for the residents in the Kandal Province of Cambodia. Environ Int 2009; 35(3): 455-460
CrossRef Pubmed Google scholar
[48]
Rowland HAL, Gault AG, Lythgoe P, Polya DA. Geochemistry of aquifer sediments and arsenic-rich groundwaters from Kandal Province, Cambodia. Appl Geochem 2008; 23(11): 3029-3046
CrossRef Google scholar
[49]
Lear G, Song B, Gault AG, Polya DA, Lloyd JR. Molecular analysis of arsenate-reducing bacteria within Cambodian sediments following amendment with acetate. Appl Environ Microbiol 2007; 73(4): 1041-1048
CrossRef Pubmed Google scholar
[50]
Benner SG, Polizzotto ML, Kocar BD, Ganguly S, Phan K, Ouch K, Sampson M, Fendorf S. Groundwater flow in an arsenic-contaminated aquifer, Mekong Delta, Cambodia. Appl Geochem 2008; 23(11): 3072-3087
CrossRef Google scholar
[51]
Kocar BD, Polizzotto ML, Benner SG, Ying SC, Ung M, Ouch K, Samreth S, Suy B, Phan K, Sampson M. Integrated biogeochemical and hydrologic processes driving arsenic release from shallow sediments to groundwaters of the Mekong delta. Appl Geochem 2008; 23(11): 3059-3071
CrossRef Google scholar
[52]
Polizzotto ML, Kocar BD, Benner SG, Sampson M, Fendorf S. Near-surface wetland sediments as a source of arsenic release to ground water in Asia. Nature 2008; 454(7203): 505-508
CrossRef Pubmed Google scholar
[53]
Robinson DA, Lebron I, Kocar B, Phan K, Sampson M, Crook N. Time-lapse geophysical imaging of soil moisture dynamics in tropical deltaic soils: As aid to interpreting hydrological and geochemical processes. Water Resour Res 2009; 45:W00D342.
CrossRef Google scholar
[54]
Kubota R, Kunito T, Agusa T, Fujihara J, Monirith I, Iwata H, Subramanian A, Seang Tana T, Tanabe S. Urinary 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine in inhabitants chronically exposed to arsenic in groundwater in Cambodia. J Environ Monit 2006; 8(2): 293-299
CrossRef Pubmed Google scholar
[55]
Chiew H, Sampson ML, Huch S, Ken S, Bostick BC. Effect of groundwater iron and phosphate on the efficacy of arsenic removal by iron-amended BioSand filters. Environ Sci Technol 2009; 43(16): 6295-6300
CrossRef Pubmed Google scholar
[56]
Mazumder DN, Majumdar KK, Santra SC, Kol H, Vicheth C. Occurrence of arsenicosis in a rural village of Cambodia. J Environ Sci Health A Tox Hazard Subst Environ Eng 2009; 44(5): 480-487
[57]
Office of Emergency and Remedial Response, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Risk Interim final, EPA/540/1-89/002, 1989
[58]
Environmental Protection Agency. HH: Risk characterization. http://www.epa.gov/region8/r8risk/hh_risk.html (Access on <month>July</month><day>27</day>, 2011)
[59]
James GG, Adam CG, Colinda H, Erin MK, Kayla J, Say BV. Arsenic and amputations in Cambodia. Asian Biomed 2010; 4(3): 469-474
[60]
Youngson RM. Collis dictionary of medicine. 4th ed. London: Harper Collins, 2007
[61]
Gault AG, Rowland HAL, Charnock JM, Wogelius RA, Gomez-Morilla I, Vong S, Leng M, Samreth S, Sampson ML, Polya DA. Arsenic in hair and nails of individuals exposed to arsenic-rich groundwaters in Kandal Province, Cambodia. Sci Total Environ 2008; 393(1): 168-176
CrossRef Pubmed Google scholar
[62]
Sthiannopkao S, Kim KW, Cho KH, Wantala K, Sotham S, Sokuntheara C, Kim JH. Arsenic levels in human hair, Kandal Province, Cambodia: the influences of groundwater arsenic, consumption period, age and gender. Appl Geochem 2010; 25(1): 81-90
CrossRef Google scholar
[63]
Phan K, Sthiannopkao S, Kim KW. Surveillance on chronic arsenic exposure in the Mekong River basin of Cambodia using different biomarkers. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2011 Aug 4. [Epub ahead of print]
CrossRef Pubmed Google scholar
[64]
Fengthong T, Dethoudom S, Keosavanh O.Drinking water quality in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic. Seminar on the environmental and public health risks due to contamination of soils, crops, surface and groundwater from urban, industrial, and natural sources in South East Asia, Hanoi, Vietnam. <month>December</month>2002, UN-ESCAP
[65]
Kohnhorst R, Kunito T, Agusa T, Fujihara J, Monirith I, Iwata H. Arsenic in groundwater in selected countries in South and Southeast Asia: a review. J Trop Med Parasitol 2005; 28: 73-82
[66]
Caussy D. Epidemiological methods for mitigating health impacts of arsenic in South East Asia region of the World Health Organization. http://www.bvsde.ops-oms.org/bvsacd/arsenico/Arsenic2004/theme1/paper1.2.pdf
[67]
Williams M, Fordyee F, Paijitprapapon A, Charoenchaisri P. Arsenic contamination in surface drainage and groundwater in part of the Southeast Asian tin belt, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, southern Thailand. Environmental Geology 1996; 27(1): 16-33
CrossRef Google scholar
[68]
Smedley PL. Sources and distribution of arsenic in groundwater and aquifers. In: Appelo T. Arsenic in groundwater — A world problem. Proceedings of seminar Utrecht 29 November 2006 .http://www.iah.org/downloads/occupub/arsenic_gw.pdf
[69]
Jindal R, Ratanamalaya P. Investigations on the status of arsenic contamination in southern Thailand. In: International Water Association (IWA). Southeast Asian Water Environment 1. London: IWA Publishing, 2006: 223-229
[70]
Ruangwises S, Saipan P. Dietary intake of total and inorganic arsenic by adults in arsenic-contaminated area of Ron Phibun district, Thailand. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 2010; 84(3): 274-277
CrossRef Pubmed Google scholar
[71]
Tseng CH. Chronic arsenic intoxication in Asia: current perspectives. www.tsim.org.tw/journal/jour10-6/P10_224.PDF
[72]
Kadushkin A, Siddiqui Z, Shipin O. Groundwater quality assessment and management in selected countries of East and Southeast Asia. 2004http://www.bvsde.paho.org/bvsacd/cd63/groundwaterquality.pdf
[73]
The World Bank, the Water Sanitation Program. World Bank policy report: volume II technical report: Arsenic contamination of groundwater in South and East Asian Countries. Massachusetts: the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, 2005
[74]
.Lap Nguyen V, Oanh TK, Tateishi M. Late Holocene depositional environments and coastal evolution of the Mekong River Delta, Southern Vietnam. J Southeast Asian Earth Sci 2000; 18(4): 427-439
CrossRef Google scholar
[75]
Lu XX, Siew RY. Water discharge and sediment flux changes in the Lower Mekong River. Hydrol Earth Syst Discuss 2005; 2(6): 2287-2325
CrossRef Google scholar
[76]
Winkel L, Berg M, Stengel C, Rosenberg T. Hydrogeological survey assessing arsenic and other groundwater contaminants in the lowlands of Sumatra, Indonesia. Appl Geochem 2008; 23(11): 3019-3028
CrossRef Pubmed Google scholar

Acknowledgements

This research was financially supported by the Woongjin Chemical Co. and the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, South Korea (Innovative Technology of Ecological Restoration).

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

2014 Higher Education Press and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
AI Summary AI Mindmap
PDF(366 KB)

Accesses

Citations

Detail

Sections
Recommended

/