Review of Arsenic Contamination in Groundwater and its Effects on Human Health

Arsenic (As) is located with atomic number 33 in group 5 in the periodic table of elements. This element is the twentieth most abundant element in the Earth s crust with a concentration between 0.5 to 2.5 mg/kg. Organic and inorganic compounds of arsenic forms may exist in the environment at various oxidation states (-3, 0 +3, and +5). Arsenic forms exist in the environment at various oxidation states (-3, 0 +3, and +5). Geochemical conditions including pH, redox (reduction and oxidation (Eh)), flow, and transport are wide as the reasons for groundwater contamination to arsenic. Millions of people worldwide are at risk of arsenic contamination and its toxic compounds. The sources natural of arsenic contamination in groundwater can refer to rocks weathering, fossil fuels, marine sedimentary rocks, and volcanic activity in igneous rocks. Anthropogenic sources also contribute to the amount of arsenic in groundwater. Some of these sources include acid mine drainage, coal combustion, pigment plant, glass production plant, use of arsenic as wood preservatives, and insecticides. This element is the most widely toxic element that affects the skin and epidemiological studies have confirmed the role of it’s in the development of skin cancer. It is odorless and tasteless and shows both acute and chronic effects in the human body.

کلیدواژه ها:

Arsenic (As) ، Contamination ، Groundwater ، Skin Cancer