Arsenic in drinking water: a natural killer in Bangladesh and beyond

Ng, Jack C; Moore, Michael R

doi:10.5694/j.1326-5377.2005.tb00034.x

Topics

An urgent alternative watershed management strategy is needed

The world has vast natural reservoirs of geological arsenic. The ubiquitous nature of this element means that in some countries arsenic contaminates drinking water, enters the food chain and imposes significant human health risks. Globally, up to 100 million people are at risk of exposure to excessive levels of naturally occurring arsenic in well water or groundwater.1 The countries where arsenic levels in drinking water supplies exceed acceptable levels include Argentina, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Chile, China, Hungary, India, Mexico, Nepal, Peru, Romania, Taiwan, the United States and Vietnam.1,2

National Research Centre for Environmental Toxicology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD.

Correspondence:

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