The study highlighted Bangladesh's public health crisis, citing regular heavy flooding as the most responsible for this type of climate crisis. Arsenic levels rise due to sea level rise and seasonal flooding. Arsenic is released from the sediments when salt water from the sea mixes with fresh water.
Cyclone Amphan in 2018 inundated one-third of the country. An average of 21 percent of the country is flooded due to heavy monsoon rains.
Researchers collected water samples from wells across Bangladesh to test oxygen concentration, pH, and temperature to understand the dynamics behind arsenic release.
The safe limit set by the World Health Organization (WHO) for drinking water is a maximum of 10 micrograms per liter. About 49 percent of Bangladesh's groundwater has arsenic concentrations above that limit. Some samples recorded arsenic concentrations of around 450 micrograms per litre. Which is 45 times the level prescribed by the World Health Organization (WHO).
The author of the study and professor of Norwich University. Seth Frisby said, this infection has been seen in Bangladesh as well as the neighboring country of West Bengal in India.
In response to the findings, Jamie Williams, senior policy advisor for poverty alleviation at the charity Islamic Relief, said Bangladesh is already suffering from water shortages due to pesticide pollution in fisheries. Population density, the drainage of the limited lowlands dominated by the Himalayan mountains and major rivers in their foothills make Bangladesh's climate more vulnerable. Many people are forced to live and farm in landless and flood-prone lands. The prevalence of waterborne diseases is increasing.
The researchers called for quick implementation of potential solutions, including building water treatment technologies and infrastructure to prevent groundwater pollution.
Source: Independent
0 Comments