The phobia of arsenic poisoning through drinking water envelops the population of the entire world. This fatal metalloid is known to have poisoned about 140 million people with the ratios highest in the developing countries. The risk of arsenic poisoning stems from the disastrous large scale tube well drinking water program initiated as an aid in the latter years of the 20th century. This program which was originally aimed to protect drinking surface water against bacterial contamination backfired badly. The research team overlooked the fact that arsenic is a natural soil ingredient that leaches into underground water. Failure to evaluate the levels of arsenic in groundwater resulted in exposing the population of the Asian countries such as China, Cambodia and Vietnam and some South American countries to this form of contagion. Since most of the water in North America and Europe is supplied by utilities, therefore the population of these areas was saved from this lethal pollutant.
As a direct consequence of water being poisoned by arsenic, the rice cultivation in such areas is also adversely affected in terms of health aspects. More than 70 countries in South and East Asia, wherein rice is a staple diet are constantly exposed to arsenic poisoning. The colossal epidemic in Bangladesh owing to arsenic poisoning is a standing example of the potential health hazard. Arsenic is also found in many pesticides, herbicides and insecticides. Other sources of arsenic include industrial effluents, wood preservatives and combustion of fossil fuels.
High proportions of arsenic in drinking water is said to cause major risks to human life. Since arsenic does not enter the body through polluted water used for bathing and washing, contaminated drinking water forms the chief source of arsenic poisoning in the body. Occurrence of cancerous tumors of the lung, skin, kidney and urinary bladder is reported to be a consequence of arsenic infectivity. Cancers and skin problems such as hyperkeratosis has been observed in people exposed to arsenic levels of less than 0.05 mg/L in drinking water. The lethal repercussions of arsenic on health take years to unfold. Also, there is no specific disease caused by arsenic nor are the symptoms of arsenic poisoning the same in different people. All these aspects further complicate the situation. The primary effects are visible in the skin, which further graduate to cancer. Cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, reproductive disorders and gangrene are a few other notable health adversities of arsenic contamination in the human body.
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