Back to Search
Start Over
Arsenic and Manganese Contamination of Drinking Water Resources in Cambodia: Coincidence of Risk Areas with Low Relief Topography.
- Source :
-
Environmental Science & Technology . 4/1/2007, Vol. 41 Issue 7, p2146-2152. 7p. 5 Graphs. - Publication Year :
- 2007
-
Abstract
- Arsenic contamination of groundwater has been identified in Cambodia, where some 100,000 family-based wells are used for drinking water needs. We conducted a comprehensive groundwater survey in the Mekong River floodplain, comprising an area of 3700 km² (131 samples, 30 parameters). Seasonal fluctuations were also studied. Arsenic ranged from 1 to 1340 μg L-1 (average 163 μg L-1), with 48% exceeding 10 μg L-1. Elevated manganese levels (57% >0.4 mg L-1) are posing an additional health threat to the 1.2 million people living in this area. With 350 people km-2 potentially exposed to chronic arsenic poisoning, the magnitude is similar to that of Bangladesh (200 km-2). Elevated arsenic levels are sharply restricted to the Bassac and Mekong River banks and the alluvium braided by these rivers (Kandal Province). Arsenic in this province averaged 233 μg L-1 (median 100 μg L-1), while concentrations to the west and east of the rivers were <10 μg L-1. Arsenic release from Holocene sediments between the rivers is most likely caused by reductive dissolution of metal oxides. Regions exhibiting low and elevated arsenic levels are co-incident with the present low relief topography featuring gently increasing elevation to the west and east of a shallow valley—understood as a relict of pre-Holocene topography. The full georeferenced database of groundwater analysis is provided as Supporting Information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 0013936X
- Volume :
- 41
- Issue :
- 7
- Database :
- Academic Search Index
- Journal :
- Environmental Science & Technology
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 24813546
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1021/es062056k