Background: The study investigated the extent of soil arsenic (As) contamination in agricultural plots in Bengal Delta through contaminated groundwater irrigation. Edaphic levels of As and oxidizable organic carbon (OOC) were tested along a depth gradient (0 to 160 ft) in agricultural plots. Methods: Soil samples were collected from surface up to 160 feet depth at every 5 feet. By boreholes drilling and soil arsenic was estimated in ICP-MS. The analysis for estimation of soil OOC was performed. Statistical analyses were performed by one-way ANOVA to determine significant differences between groups at P<0.05. Results: Concentration of As in soil was observed to be highest in surface soil, then decreased with increasing depth till about 40 ft, after which the concentration remained constant. Similar trends were noted for OOC. OOC showed significant (P < 0.05) positive correlations with the As levels. Conclusion: Natural organic matter may enhance the release of As from soils and sediments into the soil solution, and thus can help in As leaching into the groundwater. Detailed investigation of the soil profile and the extent of bioaccumulation in the edible crops are urgently needed in those arsenic-contaminated areas. © 2013, Bhattacharya et al.; licensee Springer.

ANIRUDDHA MUKHOPADHYAY

Environmental Science

S BHATTACHARYA

D CHATTOPADHYAY

P K DASGUPTA

M K SENGUPTA

U C GHOSH

Fulltext

University of Calcutta (informally known as Calcutta University or CU) is a collegiate public state university located in Kolkata, West Bengal, India.&nbsp;Within India it is recognized as a &quot;Five-Star University&quot; and accredited &quot;A&quot; Grade by National Assessment and Accreditation Council.

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The University of Calcutta has secured the Fifth position among the Universities of India in the prestigious &quot;Indian University Ranking 2019&quot; list, released by the NIRF of the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India.

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It was established on 24 January 1857, and was one of the first institutions in Asia to be established as a multidisciplinary and Western-style university. Its alumni and faculty include several heads of state, heads of government, social reformers, prominent artists, only academy award winner and Dirac medal winner in India, many Fellows of the Royal Society and five Nobel laureates as of 2019 which is highest in South Asia.

University Of Calcutta

Co-deposition and distribution of arsenic and oxidizable organic carbon in the sedimentary basin of West Bengal, India

Journal of Analytical Science and Technology

Arsenic (As) is a metalloid that poses serious environmental threats due to its behemoth toxicity and wide abundance. The use of arsenic-contaminated groundwater for irrigation purpose in crop fields elevates arsenic concentration in surface soil and in the plants. In many arsenic-affected countries, including Bangladesh and India, rice is reported to be one of the major sources of arsenic contamination. Rice is much more efficient at accumulating arsenic into the grains than other staple cereal crops. Rice is generally grown in submerged flooded condition, where arsenic bioavailability is high in soil. As arsenic species are phytotoxic, they can also affect the overall production of rice, and can reduce the economic growth of a country. Once the foodstuffs are contaminated with arsenic, this local problem can gain further significance and may become a global problem, as many food products are exported to other countries. Large-scale use of rainwater in irrigation systems, bioremediation by arsenic-resistant organisms and hyperaccumulating plants, and the aerobic cultivation of rice are some possible ways to reduce the extent of bioaccumulation in rice. Investigation on a complete food chain is urgently needed in the arsenic-contaminated zones, which should be our priority in future researches. © 2012 Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.

Toxicological and Environmental Chemistry

Arsenic bioaccumulation in rice and edible plants and subsequent transmission through food chain in Bengal basin: A review of the perspectives for environmental health

The distribution of As was explored in soils and crops in order to investigate the influence of irrigation with As rich groundwater on the soil-plant system, and to determine its impact on the environment and human health. The study was carried out in an intensively cultivated agricultural area of the Bengal Delta Plain, West Bengal, India. Soils, plants, and irrigation water from adjacent rice and wheat fields were analysed for As and other elements. Irrigation water has concentrations of up to 780 μg L-1 As in the study area. Rice and wheat grains are not contaminated by As (about 0.3 and 0.7 mg kg-1, respectively), but concentrations in rice roots were found to be 169-178 mg kg-1 As, which is more than 20 times higher than value of 7.7 mg kg-1 measured at the uncontaminated reference site. This high content is due to an Fe-rich plaque which coats the rice roots. A significant increase of As concentration was registered also in the stems of the rice plants irrigated with As rich groundwater (6.55-7.06, relative to 0.36 mg kg-1 As in the reference plant). Arsenic concentration in the uppermost soil layers of the rice paddy field (38 mg kg-1) was found to be roughly twice as high as in the soil of the less intensively watered wheat field (18 mg kg-1) and more than 5 times higher than in the soil of a rice paddy irrigated with uncontaminated water (7 mg kg-1). In both soil sections As contents decreased downwards to 11 mg kg-1 at 100-110 cm depth, approaching the background value of 5-10 mg kg-1 measured in an unaffected reference area. Sequential extraction experiments show that most of the mobile As in soils is bound to Fe-oxides. Though no tight correlation was found between Fe and As in the bulk soil samples, these experiments coupled with μ-synchrotron radiation XRF analysis of single soil particles from the rice paddy also indicates that additional to the mobile fraction a substantial part of As is immobilized in (chiefly Fe bearing) silicates. In rice soil some As was also found in the sulphide-bearing phase of the extraction. © 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Applied Geochemistry

Impact of irrigation with As rich groundwater on soil and crops: A geochemical case study in West Bengal Delta Plain, India

Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta

Decoupling of As and Fe release to Bangladesh groundwater under reducing conditions. Part I: Evidence from sediment profiles

Acta hydrochimica et hydrobiologica

Arsenic — a Review. Part I: Occurrence, Toxicity, Speciation, Mobility

Environmental Science & Technology

Arsenic Contamination of Bangladesh Paddy Field Soils:  Implications for Rice Contribution to Arsenic Consumption

Journal	Data powered by TypesetJournal of Analytical Science and Technology
Publisher	Data powered by TypesetSpringer
ISSN	2093-3134
Open Access	No