Ground Water Arsenic Poisoning in Buxar District, Bihar, India : Health Hazards

Water pollution in the present scenario is causing lots of health hazards to humans. The developing countries have the maximum burden of pollution in comparison to the other countries. 

Heavy metals as chemical pollutants in water have toxic cumulative toxic properties, carcinogenic potential and cause severe adverse effects to human health. Arsenic is abundant in the crust of the earth and is found in all environments and it is found in soil, minerals, surface and groundwater. Currently, the groundwater arsenic contamination has spread to 17 districts, threatening more than 10 million people in Bihar.

In our recent study, Simri and Tilak Rai Ka Hatta village, a flood plain Diara region of river Ganga in Buxar district was targeted for the ground water arsenic assessment and health related problems assessments. The study showed high contamination of arsenic in the ground water in the entire village where arsenic levels were more than 100µg/L and the maximum level recorded was 1929µg/L. The villagers showed the typical symptoms of Arsenicosis like hyperkeratosis, melanosis in palm and sole, skin irritation, anemia, gastritis, constipation, loss of appetite, lungs problem etc. In the study cancer cases were also reported, particularly– skin cancer and gall bladder cancer. The probability of these two types of cancer cases reported is due to ingestion of arsenic contaminated drinking water that is more than 300 μg/L. The common reason for cancer cases is due to the carcinogenic effect of the transformed arsenic into Dimethyl Arseninous Acid (DMA). Furthermore, arsenic is not only a direct acting genotoxin or mutagen but elevates the degree of DNA damage and mutations by altering DNA repair or also acts as a co-carcinogen tumor promoter and progressor.

Therefore, a proper strategy is immediately required to cater the severity of the arsenic poisoning in these villages.

About the author: Dr. Arun Kumar is a medical practitioner at Mahavir Cancer Institute & Research Centre, Patna, Bihar. To contact him: arunk31@rediffmail.com