ARSENIC CONTAMINATION IN AND AROUND JHARKHAND

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1 International Journal of Research in Engineering, Technology and Science, Volume VII, Special Issue, Feb ISSN ARSENIC CONTAMINATION IN AND AROUND JHARKHAND Gajendra K. Singh and Sishu Ranjan sharma Department of chemistry Jamshedpur co-operative college Jamshedpur (Kolhan University) Jharkhand ABSTRACT: Arsenic contamination in ground water has adverse impact on human being and worldwide. This communication presents an overview of arsenic contamination in and around Jharkhand. Several studies have been carried out on this context but still limited by lack of data. Review studies have been undertaken on the sources, causes and the health prospective. The impact of arsenic on health is comparatively more from industrial and environmental than medicinal exposure. Due to excess of arsenic ground water people are reported to be suffering from various diseases like hardening in palm, skin cancer, ulcer etc. The review work suggests that arsenic concentration increasing day by day through different sources directly and indirectly affecting human being. Therefore it needs more investigation in different part of all over India, especially in Jharkhand. Keyword: Arsenic, ground water, health effect, Jharkhand [1] INTRODUCTION The quality of water is of vital concern for mankind since it is directly linked with human welfare pollution of drinking Water causes water born diseases which affects interim population of cities at present developing countries are suffering from water born diseases and epidemic. The major sources of water pollution are domestic waste from urban and rural areas and industrial wastes which are discharged into water bodies. The signs off polluted water are bad taste of drinking water, offensive odours from lakes and rivers, unchecked growth of aquatic weeds in water bodies, decrease in fish in fresh water, oil and grease floating on water surfaces. Several trace elements are found in polluted water. The most dangerous among them are the heavy metals like Pb, Cd, Hg and metalloids like As, Se,Sb etc. Fluoride in drinking water above 1.5 ppm causes fluorosis. In India about 25 million people suffer from fluorosis. Fluorosis affects bones, teeth, tissues and other organ of the body and leads to death after prolonged illness. It also leads dental decolouration and deformation of bones causing back pain joint pains bowlegs etc. Similarly, when people drink Ascontaminated water. It begins to kill slowly but painfully. Thickening and discolouration of skin, stomach pain, skin cancer etc. are symptoms of As- contaminated water. In India, since the groundwater arsenic contamination was first surfaced from West-Bengal in 1983, a number of other States, namely; Jharkhand, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh in flood plain of the Ganga River; Assam and Manipur in flood plain of the Brahmaputra and Impale rivers, and Rajnandgaon village in Chhattisgarh state have chronically been exposed to drinking arsenic contaminated hand tube-wells water above permissible limit of 50 μg/l. Many more North-Eastern Hill States in the flood plains are also suspected to have the possibility of arsenic in groundwater. Even with every additional survey, new arsenic affected villages and people suffering from arsenic related diseases are being reported.. During the last 1

2 ARSENIC CONTAMINATION IN AND AROUND JHARKHAND three decades, substantial amount of R & D work has been done to enrich knowledge in respect of Source and cause of Arsenic contamination in groundwater. Mechanism of dissolution of Arsenic from soil to groundwater, Impact on Community Health etc. The present paper deals with up to date status of arsenic in India, especially Jharkhand in order to help in further investigation in different parts of Jharkhand. In India Arsenic contamination first food print are reported in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh [7] Since groundwater arsenic contamination was first reported in year 1983 from 33 affected villages in four districts in West-Bengal, the number of villages has increased to 3417 in 111 blocks in nine districts till 2008 in West Bengal alone. In 1999, the arsenicgroundwater contamination and its health effects in Rajnandgaon district of Chhattisgarh state were alsodetected. In 2002, twovillages, Brisbaneand Semaria Ojhapatti, in Bhojpur district, located in the western part of the Bihar state, were reported having contamination exceeding 50μg/L. As of 2008, out of 38 districts of Bihar, 57 blocks from 15 districts having total population nearly 10 million have been reported affected by arsenic groundwater contamination above 50μg/L. During 2003, 25 arsenic affected villages of Ballia district in Uttar Pradesh and people suffering from skin lesions came into limelight. During , the groundwater arsenic contamination and consequent suffering of hundreds of people were reported from 17 villages of the Sahibgunj district of Jharkhand state, in the middle Ganga plain. In 2004, arsenic concentration was also reported from Assam in pockets of 2 districts. In 2007, Manipur state, one of the seven North-Eastern Hill States, had also come into limelight of arsenic contamination in groundwater. Many more North-Eastern Hill States in the flood plains are also suspected to have the possibility of arsenic in groundwater. As of 2008, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh in flood plain of Ganga River; Assam and Manipur in flood plain of Brahmaputra and Imphal rivers, and Rajnandgaon village in Chhattisgarh state have so far been exposed to drinking arsenic contaminated hand tube-wells water. The area and population of these states are km2 2 & approx. 360 million respectively, in which km and approximately 50 million people have been projected vulnerable to groundwater arsenic. Assam Bihar West bengal Uttar Pradesh Jharkhan d Manipur Haryana Pie chart of arsenic level in different state of India. 2

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5 International Journal of Research in Engineering, Technology and Science, Volume VII, Special Issue, Feb ISSN Pie chart of Fluoride level in different district of Jharkhand Bhandaria 11% Chattra 16% Bokaro 14% Garhwa 51% Pakud 8% 5

6 ARSENIC CONTAMINATION IN AND AROUND JHARKHAND - PERMISSIBLE LIMIT OF ARSENIC: The acceptable limit of arsenic in drinking water according to World Health Organization (WHO) is 10 ppb or 0.01 ppm or 0.01mg/l. The M/o WR, RD & GR, however, stated that as per the recommendations of Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), the maximum permissible limit for arsenic in drinking water is 0.05 mg/l as against WHO standard of 0.01 mg/l. In a written reply to a query as to when BIS fixed permissible limit of arsenic in drinking water as 0.05 mg/ l.[4] HEALTH EFFECT Safe water is a fundamental human rights and also basic needs of individual. In ancient Greek and Romans period Arsenic was known as therapeutic agent [5]. Now a days therapeutic arsenicals are of importance only in the treatment of some tropical diseases [6].Arsenic is sixty times more toxic than Arsenate [8]. Water with high Arsenic content drinking over a prolonged period leads to several diseases as documented by various researchers. These diseases are as Hyper Pigmentation, Keratosis, Weakness, Anaemia, Burning sensation of eyes, Swelling of legs, Liver fibrosis, Chronic lung disease, Gangrene of toes, Neuropathy, Skin cancer etc. According to CSIR various types of skin manifestations and other Arsenic toxicity have been observed including melanosis, keratosis, hyperkeratosis, dorsal keratosis, nonpitting edema, gangrene and cancer. Overall prevalence of clinical neuropathy has been reported in various studies in populations of 24- Pargana-North, 24- Pargana-South, Murshidabad, Nadia, and Bardhhaman districts of West Bengal and in the states of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh. The children in the Arsenic contaminated areas are often more affected than the adults. Most of the population suffering from Arsenic skin lesions is from a poor socio-economic background. Explaining out the arsenic effect on human and animal health, DARE stated in a note that people exposed to chronic arsenic toxicity suffer from arsenical melanosis and hyperkeratosis, skin cancer, enlargement of liver, non-cirrhotic portal fibrosis, and respiratory disorders. In severe cases, gangrene in the limbs and malignant neoplasm are also observed. In animals also, the arsenic poisoning causes many abnormalities. Local communities of the industrial tribal belt are already showing Fluoride and Arsenic toxicity. Tribes live with Fluorosis and government, Turns blind eye [3]. 6

7 International Journal of Research in Engineering, Technology and Science, Volume VII, Special Issue, Feb ISSN [2] CONCLUSION The work has attempted to summarise the incidents of Arsenic and Fluoride contamination in ground water around India emphasizing the state of Jharkhand There are so many areas where immediate investigation is needed for identification of Arsenic and Fluoride affected area which is evident in table-i &II so that government could take appropriate measures in time. Arsenic mitigation strategy should be location specific. A method suitable for a particular area may not be generalised for the other affected 7

8 ARSENIC CONTAMINATION IN AND AROUND JHARKHAND region due to having different geographical and environmental condition. People should be made aware of Arsenic and Fluoride problems and its effects. REFERENCE [1] The Telegraph (Calcutta, India) April 14, 2015 [2] condition of ground water. [3] The Indian, Express, January 12, [4] By Mo WR, RD& GR. [5] WHO (1972) health hazards of the human environments Geneva, [6] Goodman LS, Gilman A(1975)Pharmacological basis of therapeutics (5th edn)mcmillan press, New york(usa) [7] Dutta DV kaul MK (1976b) Arsenic content off drinking water in villages of north India a concept off Arsenicosis J ass oc physician India [8] Fazal MA,Kawachi T,ichion E(2001) Extent and severity of groundwater arsenic contamination in Bangladesh.Water international 26: [9] SOES Groundwater Arsenic Contamination in UP, Jharkhand, North eastern state. 8