Current Status of Arsenic Poisoning in Bangladesh.
Bangladesh
is a populated country with 161.4 million
people. Natural calamities are a common thing in our country. Cyclone, flood,
draught are common natural calamities in our country. Recently, arsenic is
found in groundwater (1). In rural areas, many people are exposed to the
contamination of groundwater by arsenic. Arsenic is a chemical element that is a
combination of sulfur, oxygen, and chlorine (3). Tube well is the device that is
installed into a well to abstract groundwater from an aquifer. As far as we
know, about 96% of the water supply source is groundwater. Long-term consuming
arsenic contains water that can cause cancer in the skin, lungs, kidney (2). Arsenic
contamination has affected 61 of 64 districst in Bangladesh. Meherpur district
enlisted as higher arsenic invaded district. WHO says, safety value of arsenic
is 0.01 mgL-1 and the threshold limiting value is 0.05 mgL-1.
In some districts such as Jessore, have much more arsenic poisoning (>1.0
ppm). Different NGOs are working on it to aware of people in the rural
district. They also remark those tube well by red and green color.
What is Arsenic:
Arsenic
is a heavy metal molecule. It is one of the most dangerous hazardous substances.
They are a natural element. They are found in water, soil, air. They are the
combination of oxygen, chlorine, sulfur with a different mineral substance such
as lead, copper, and so on. From the manufacturing of pesticides, arsine gas is
produced as a byproduct (3). This gas is very harmful and shows a toxic effect
on the human body.
Sources of Arsenic in Groundwater in
Bangladesh:
We
know that Bangladesh has a natural geological source such as copper, zinc,
lead, chlorine. Arsenic is a smelting process of these compounds. This
biological reaction occurs due to oxidation, reduction, precipitation,
methylation process in deep soil. There are mainly two processes for arsenic
poisoning. They are 1) Ferrous Hydroxide oxidation and another is 2) Oxy-
hydroxide reduction.
1) Ferrous Hydroxide oxidation: Ferrous
hydroxide is also known as arsenic pyrites. They are rich in arsenic compounds.
This process is totally depending on the water table. If the water table is
stable, then organic compounds will only deposit, but if the water table will
lower than the general form, the remaining organic deposit will start the oxidation
process. For this reason, arsenic will release from the compound and will bind
to iron hydroxide. Then it will mix with groundwater and make them poison. Too
much use of fertilizer and natural calamities are responsible for this (3).
(2)
Oxy- hydroxide reduction: This is a natural process. Arsenic molecule presents
in the sedimentation under the water table and coating with iron hydroxide.
When organic substance deposited with the sediment line, arsenic absorbed to
the iron hydroxide and get free into the underwater. Bacteria helps this
oxidation process (3).
Arsenic symptoms of Toxicity:
Arsenic
is a substance that shows the toxic effect if anyone takes it. It is a silent
killer substance. It will inhibit cellular enzyme activity due to the accumulation
of arsenic in the body. Inorganic arsenic is much more harmful than organic
arsenic. Acute arsenic toxicity shows some symptoms such as nausea, vomiting,
diarrhea, fatigue. Chronic arsenic toxicity is more fatal.
· Symmetric
hyperkeratosis of palms and soles, depigmentation, basal cell carcinoma in the skin,
· Peripheral
neuropathy, hypertension
· The
respiratory problem such as pharyngitits, laryngitis, pulmonary insufficiency
· Liver
and kidney damage
· Endocrine
system failure such as diabetes mellitus
· Carcinogenic
such as cancer of skin, lungs, liver, stomach.
Social Implications of Arsenicosis:
It
was a severe problem before 10-15 years ago. People in rural areas are found
most affected by arsenic poisoning by drinking groundwater. This not only a
health hazard problem but also make a social impact. Skin discoloration is a
common symptom of arsenicosis. People of rural areas think that is a contagious
disease. If a school-aged child affected by arsenic poisoning, his/her friend
started to avoid and mock him/her. These make them depressed. For this reason,
he/she stopped going to school (4). For a mature person, people of the village
boycott that affected person and his family. They are not allowed in public in
that village. Family members are also started to avoid them. If the affected
person is a woman, her husband gives her divorce. For men. he became depressed
and go to the city to earn lives. If he faces the same problem there, he
becomes involves in crime.
Long-term health effects of exposure:
People
of rural areas who consume arsenic-contaminated water, they are not affected by
severe illness at first. This kind of serious chronic arsenicosis appears
slowly (1). This number of patients bear arsenic-caused disease. They are the
exposure to arsenic and this number of a patient will grow day by day in
Bangladesh. About 10-20 years ago, many tube wells are installed by different
NGO’s and government. Maximum tube well water contains arsenic contained water.
This tube well is also exposed. If the villagers continue to drink from this
tube well, the number of affected people will increase. Arsine gas is also
harmful to human health which is produced by pesticide manufacturing.
Emergency intervention program:
This
is one of the most threats to a health issue for human health. So, it is
necessary to take a step to make sure arsenic-free water. First of all, we need
to collect all the data from arsenicosis cases. Then we monitor those patient’s
health conditions. Then we should detect which is the arsenic contain tube well
and which is arsenic free tube well. If the number of arsenic-free tube well is
a few, we should have installed arsenic-free water plant. These are some Emergency
intervention program (7).
Treatment of Arsenic poisoning:
Treatment
is needed for arsenic poisoning patients. The primary step is to treat the
patient is to drink safe water which is free from arsenic. Then, they should
have monitored by a registered doctor. Again, there is a therapy which is known
as chelation therapy. The method of this type of therapy is, it contains some
drugs such as sulfhydryl drugs which can bind heavy metal drugs and can
eliminate from the body readily. In this process, a large portion of arsenic
molecules can release from the body by urination. Chelation should have a low
order of toxicity and eliminated quickly by urination without breakdown their
molecule. Another method is nutrition. There is some nutritional factor which
can modify cancer risk factor by arsenic (5). Some vitamins and nutritional
containing food can cure arsenicosis. Patients also should take multivitamin
tablets. Moreover, to treat hyperkeratosis of palms and soles, the patient
should use moisturizing lotion (3).
Ongoing monitoring:
Now,
Government workers and NGO workers have carried out the testing of the water program
(6). They also tried to make aware people that the effect of arsenicosis
disease. They also regularly monitor and educate them. Some field workers are
also given a visit to those areas, which have a more affected person. They
provide them antifungal lotion, vitamin tablets, and necessary medicine. Field
workers also collect data about the sources of arsenic-contaminated water (7).
So, Arsenic poisoning is a current problem in
our country. It is challenging for Bangladesh to ensure the good health of all
peoples. Day by day, the arsenicosis cases are getting low, because people are
much more aware than before. Most people now take filtering water. The government
installed a deep tube well, so that, arsenic cannot mix with water. But all of
this technology is not affordable to all. So, more research is needed. The national
and international community should take proper steps to make sure to use those
technologies. It can save millions of people’s lives and health issues.
References:
(1) M.F.
Hossain, 2005, Arsenic contamination in Bangladesh—An overview
(2)
World Health Organization, 2011, Arsenic in Drinking-water.
(3)
M S Islam, F Islam, 2010, Arsenic Contamination In Groundwater In Bangladesh:
An Environmental And Social Disaster.
(4)
M. Niaz Asadullah, Nazmul Chowdhury, 2011, Poisoning the mind: Arsenic
contamination of drinking water wells and children's educational achievement in
rural Bangladesh.
(5)
Hsueh Y et al. 1997, Serum b-carotene level, arsenic methylation capability,
and incidence of skin cancer. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention.
(6)
Chowdhury M, Jakariya M., 1999 Testing of water for arsenic in Bangladesh.
Science, 284: 1622
(7)
Allan H. Smith,1 Elena O. Lingas,2 & Mahfuzar Rahman, Contamination of
drinking-water by arsenic in Bangladesh: a public health emergency
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