Agricultural Research Management Information System

Home
Research Summary
Search
About Us
- ARMIS
- Brochure
Contact Us
Report
User Request
Data Input
Help
- Operation Manual
  - PDF
  - Video
- Program Area & Commodity
We have reached 37600 number of research entries at this moment.

- Logout

Research Detail

Home
Research
Detail

Occurrence of Arsenic in Soils, Groundwater and Rice Plants in Selected Districts of Bangladesh

Abdul Latif Shah
Cheif Scientific Officer
Soil Science Division, BRRI Gazipur

Umme Aminun Naher
Principal Scientific Officer
Soil Science Division, BRRI Gazipur

S. M. Mofijul Islam
Senior Scientific Officer
Soil Science Division, BRRI Gazipur

Parvez Hassan
Scientific Officer
Project scientist,Soil Science Division, BRRI Gazipur

Panhwar, Q. A.
Research Fellow
Department of Land Management, Faculty of Agriculture, Universiti Putra Malaysia

Shamshuddin, Jusop
Professor
Land Management Department, Universiti Putra malaysia, malaysia

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

A study was conducted in four districts of Bangladesh, namely Faridpur sadar, Kolaroa (Satkhira), Shibaloya (Manikganj) and Natore sadar to assess arsenic (As) status in groundwater, agricultural soils, rice straw and rice grain. One hundred samples each of soil, irrigation water and plant parts (root, straw, husk and grain) were collected from the four areas for As determination. Results showed that the minimum mean of As in the soils (4 ± 0.17 ppm) and water (2 ± 1 ppb) was found in Natore Sadar, while the maximum in the soil (35 ± 16.03 ppm) and water (462 ± 28 ppb) was in Kolaroa (Satkhira). Murarikati, Keralkata, Jallabad, Jugikhali and Helatala of Kolaroa showed high As in the soils and groundwater. Similarly, high soil and water As were found in Aliabad, Kaijuri and Majchar (Faridpur) areas. The high As containing areas may be considered as arsenic hot spots. Arsenic content in the deep tube well water was also high in the Kolaroa area. In the hot spot areas, the level of As in rice straw and rice grain was significantly higher than those of the normal soil areas. It implies that increase in the level of soil and water As would result in the increase of As content in rice straw and rice grain. However, As content in the rice grain was below the permissible level for consumption. The accumulation of As followed the order of root > straw > husk > grain.

Keywords: Arsenic toxicity, Irrigation water, Drinking water, Hot spot area

Location: Faridpur sadar, Kolaroa (Satkhira), Shibaloya (Manikganj) and Natore sadar

Start Date: 01-01-2006

End Date: 30-12-2007

Program Area: Crop-Soil-Water Management

Non-commodity: Constraints

Objectives:

To assess arsenic (As) status in groundwater, agricultural soils, rice straw and rice grain.

Methodology:

This study was conducted in four districts in Bangladesh, namely Faridpur sadar, Kolaroa (Satkhira), Shibalaya (Manikganj) and Natore sadar. About 834 soil samples including topsoil (0-15cm) and subsoil (16-30cm), 400 irrigation water and 610 plant samples including paddy and straw have been collected from more than 400 spots in the study area. Maximum water samples were collected from shallow tube wells (STW) in the four areas under study. Some deep tube wells water (DTW) was also sampled in Kolaroa and Shibalay under Shatkhira and Manikganj districts. The water samples were taken into 50 mL plastic bottles previously rinsed with 2 N HCl acid, followed by rinsing with STW and DTW water. To arrest the microbial growth and to prevent the precipitation of metals like Fe, Al, As, etc., 5mL of 2 N HCl was added to each bottle. Similarly, top- and subsoil, paddy and straw samples were collected from the respective areas and were prepared for digestion. GPS data were also recorded from the sampled areas for map preparation using GIS. Total As content was determined by digesting the soil, straw and paddy samples with tri-acid mixture (HNO₃:HClO₄:H₂SO₄, 5:2:1) until the digest solution became whitish or clear. The digest was cooled and then filtered and finally made up to volume of 50 mL. A Perkin-Elmer Analyst 100 atomic absorption spectrophotometer (PerkinElmar Shelton, CT 064844794 USA) equipped with a FIAS-100-flo injection hydride generation system was used for arsenic determination. All the samples were pre-reduced with concentrated HCl (1mL), 5% KI and ascorbic acid mixture prior to hydride generation. Using the recorded GPS data, maps of the sampling areas were prepared with the help of ArcGIS 9.3 software. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) was done following the F-statistics. Duncan’s multiple range test (DMRT) was used for mean comparisons of the treatment at 5% level of probability. Pearson correlation coefficients among the parameters were also determined.

Source of Information: Jokull journal.63(11): 122-131, 2013.

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

1. Government

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

This study showed that the level of arsenic in the irrigation water in Kolaroa, Satkhira and Faridpur sadar, Bangladesh was above the WHO permissible limit of 0.01 mg kg-1 for drinking water and FAO permissible limit of 0.10 mg kg-1 for irrigation water. The soils in the areas under study were contaminated with arsenic by the irrigation water contaminated with arsenic. The trend of the accumulation of As in the rice plant parts followed the order of root > straw > husk >grain. But, the As content in the grain was below the permissible level for consumption. Thus, the exposure of the people living in the study area to arsenic contained in rice is less of an immediate concern than the continued use of highly arsenic contaminated groundwater for drinking and cooking purposes.

Knowledge Management: Journal