21/06/02

Arsenic in ground water around the globe

By: D. Kirk Nordstrom

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<div class="article-wrap">
<div id="article-introduction">
<h1>Arsenic in ground water around the globe</h1>
<h4>By D. Kirk Nordstrom</h4>
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<TD class=tabletext><IMG src="http://c96265.r65.cf3.rackcdn.com/2002june_tap.jpg"></TD></TR></TABLE>As the world population increases beyond 6 billion, one of the most fundamental resources for human survival, clean water, is decreasing.<BR><BR>Surface-water supplies often cannot meet the rising demands for clean water, leading to an increased dependence on groundwater in many parts of the world.<BR><BR>One of the new health issues raised by this is arsenic poisoning, which causes calluses on the palms and soles of feet, leading to skin cancers. The situation is especially severe in India and Bangladesh, where an estimated 36 million people are at risk.<BR><BR>Source: <em>Science</em> 296, 2143 (2002)<BR><BR><A href="http://www.scidev.net/sci.cfm?redir=http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/296/5576/2143?ijkey=nDowW21rFeaWs&keytype=ref&siteid=sci" target="_blank" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/tracking/external/'+this.href);">Link to full text</A><BR><BR><STRONG>Photo credit</STRONG>: WHO</div>
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<p>This article was originally published on <a href="http://www.scidev.net/Global" target="_blank">SciDev.Net</a>. Read the <a href="http://www.scidev.net/global/water/feature/arsenic-in-ground-water-around-the-globe.html" target="_blank">original article</a>.</p>
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As the world population increases beyond 6 billion, one of the most fundamental resources for human survival, clean water, is decreasing.

Surface-water supplies often cannot meet the rising demands for clean water, leading to an increased dependence on groundwater in many parts of the world.

One of the new health issues raised by this is arsenic poisoning, which causes calluses on the palms and soles of feet, leading to skin cancers. The situation is especially severe in India and Bangladesh, where an estimated 36 million people are at risk.

Source: Science 296, 2143 (2002)

Link to full text

Photo credit: WHO