The global menace of arsenic and its conventional remediation - A critical review

Abstract

Arsenic is a ubiquitous element found in the earth crust with a varying concentration in the earth soil and water. Arsenic has always been under the scanner due to its toxicity in human beings. Contamination of arsenic in drinking water, which generally finds its source from arsenic-containing aquifers; has severely threatened billions of people all over the world. Arsenic poisoning is worse in Bangladesh where As(III) is abundant in waters of tube wells. Natural occurrence of arsenic in groundwater could result from both, oxidative and reductive dissolution. Geothermally heated water has the potential to liberate arsenic from surrounding rocks. Inorganic arsenic has been found to have more toxicity than the organic forms of arsenic. MMA and DMA are now been considered as the organic arsenic compounds having the potential to impair DNA and that is why MMA and DMA are considered as carcinogens. Endless efforts of researchers have elucidated the source, behavior of arsenic in various parts of the environment, mechanism of toxicity and various remediation processes; although, there are lots of areas still to be addressed. In this article, attempts have been made to lay bare an overview of geochemistry, toxicity and current removal techniques of arsenic together.

Keywords: Adsorption; Aqueous arsenic remediation; Arsenic; Arsenic affected areas; Arsenic geochemistry; Arsenic toxicity; Arsenicosis; Coagulation; DMA; MMA; Membrane filtration.