Living with Environmental Risks from Nature

Release Analysis

Arsenic is a naturally occurring element in rocks, soil, and underground geological structures of most parts of the world. It gets into groundwater when there is gradual weathering and dissolution of minerals containing arsenic over a long period of geology. This discharge process is particularly typical in the sedimentary aquifers serving the rural population with drinking water. The contamination of arsenic is typically non-observable, and detection can hardly be done without scientific testing (Valskys et al.,2022). Hydrogeology and environmental chemistry are used to measure levels of arsenic in micrograms per liter.

Exposure Analysis

Arsenic is mainly present in the human body through prolonged ingestion of contaminated groundwater used for drinking and preparing meals. The most at-risk individuals are those who rely on untreated wells or boreholes and have the possibility of repeated exposure. Indirect exposure can also be done through the irrigation of crops using contaminated water and the passage to human beings. The increased water consumption compared to body weight puts children and pregnant women at a high risk. The exposure may take several years to be noticed, as arsenic does not affect the taste, smell, or appearance of water.

Health Effects Analysis

Exposure to large amounts of arsenic for short periods can lead to nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. The chronic exposures may lead to discoloration of the skin, nerve impairment, and cardiovascular conditions. Arsenic is also implicated in the higher occurrence of cancer of the skin, cancer of the lungs, and bladder cancer. Children, older people, and societies that do not readily access healthcare services are vulnerable (Rahman et al.,2022). Chronic exposure of the population to arsenic raises the burden of diseases and adversely affects the health outcomes of the population in general.

References

Rahman, M. A., Siddique, M. A. B., Khan, R., Reza, A. S., Khan, A. H. A. N., Akbor, M. A., ... & Elius, I. B. (2022). Mechanism of arsenic enrichment and mobilization in groundwater from southeastern Bangladesh: water quality and preliminary health risks assessment.  Chemosphere,  294, 133556.

Valskys, V., Hassan, H. R., Wołkowicz, S., Satkūnas, J., Kibirkštis, G., & Ignatavičius, G. (2022). A review on detection techniques, health hazards and human health risk assessment of arsenic pollution in soil and groundwater.  Minerals,  12(10), 1326.