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Arsenic Contamination in Soil, Water and Vegetables in Nilphamari and Bogra Regions: Health Risk Assessment (2015 – 2016)

Md. Harunur Rashid
Soil Science Division, BARI, Joydebpur, Gazipur Bangladesh

S. Sultana
Soil Science Division, BARI, Joydebpur, Gazipur Bangladesh

M. Akter
Soil Science Division, BARI, Joydebpur, Gazipur Bangladesh

S. Akhter
Soil Science Division, BARI, Joydebpur, Gazipur Bangladesh

R. A. Begum
Soil Science Division, BARI, Joydebpur, Gazipur Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

Ganga-Meghna-Bramhaputra basin is one of the major arsenic-contaminated hotspots in the world. To assess the level of severity of arsenic contamination and health risk, concentrations of arsenic in irrigation water, soil and common vegetables intensively cultivated and consumed by the people of Nilphamari and Bogra districts, were investigated. Arsenic concentrations in irrigation water of Nilphamari and Bogra districts were 0.37 and 0.88 mg L^-1 respectively. Arsenic concentrations of irrigation water samples were many folds higher than the WHO recommended permissible limit for drinking water (0.01 mg L^-1) and FAO permissible limit for irrigation water (0.10 mg L^-1). The mean total arsenic concentrations in the studied samples were 0.106 (range 0.002-0.655 mg kg^-1) and 0.504 (range 0.001-2.44 mg kg^-1) in Nilphamari and Bogra, respectively. Arsenic concentrations in the studied crop samples were found not to exceed the Australian food hygiene concentration limit (1.0 mg kg^-1) but exceeded the Chinese food safety standard (0.05 mg kg^-1). Thus, the present study reveals that some vegetables grown in the study area are not safe for consumption, for now. But, the arsenic accumulation in the crops should be monitored periodically as the level of arsenic toxicity in the study area is increasing day by day.

Keywords: Arsenic, Soil, Water, Vegetables, Irrigation water

Location: Soil Science Division of the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute, Joydebpur, Gazipur Bangladesh

Start Date: 00-00-2015

End Date: 00-00-2016

Program Area: Risk Management in Agriculture

Commodity: Arsenic, Contamination of soil

Objectives:

To find the distribution of arsenic in irrigation water, soil, and crops and to assess the influence of arsenic-contaminated irrigation water and soil on vegetables cultivated in the arsenic affected areas.

Methodology:

Irrigation water, soil and vegetables were collected from local markets of Nilphamari and Bogra from November to December 2015. Soil samples were collected from 10–15 cm depth in a 2 m² area by composite sampling from the fields irrigated with the arsenic-contaminated water and transferred to airtight polyethylene bags. Similarly, vegetable samples were collected freshly from the same site as close as possible to the point where soil samples were collected. At each sampling site, five sub-samples of vegetables were collected, and then, those were aggregated into one sample for further treatment. Crop samples were collected during their harvesting time and in their respective harvesting periods. The soil samples were immediately sun-dried after collection and later dried in the hot air oven at 60°C for 72 h. The dried soil samples were then grinded by cautiously disaggregating in a mortar and screened through 2.0-mm pore-sized sieve to get a homogenized representative powder sample. Finally, the samples were stored in airtight polyethylene bags at room temperature. The rice, pulse, and vegetable samples were washed thoroughly with arsenic-free water to remove soil and other contaminants followed by rinsing with de-ionized water with continuous shaking for several minutes. The washing of the plant samples was finished as fast as possible to avoid any possible leakage of absorbed arsenic (Huang et al. 2006). Finally, the samples were dried in the hot air oven at 60°C for 72 h and were stored in airtight polyethylene bags at room temperature with proper labeling. Most of the plant samples were cut into pieces. Proper care was taken at each step to minimize any sort of contamination. Soil and vegetable samples were digested separately following the heating block digestion procedure (Rahman et al., 2007). Of the sample, 0.5 g was taken into clean, dry digestion tubes, and 5 ml of concentrated HNO₃ was added to it. The mixture was allowed to stand overnight under a fume hood. On the following day, the digestion tubes were placed on a heating block and heated at 60°C for 2 h. The tubes were then allowed to cool at room temperature. About 2 ml of concentrated HClO₄ was added to the plant samples. For the soil samples, 3 ml of concentrated H₂SO₄ was added in addition to 2 ml of concentrated HClO₄. Then, the tubes were heated at 160°C for about 4-5 h. The heating was stopped when the dense white fume of HClO₄ was emitted. The content was then cooled, diluted to 25 ml with de-ionized water, and filtered through Whatman No. 42 filter papers for soil samples and Whatman No. 41 for plant samples and finally stored in polyethylene bottles. Prior to sample digestion, all-glass goods were washed with 2% HNO₃ followed by rinsing with deionized water and drying. The total arsenic of samples was analyzed by flow injection hydride generation atomic absorption spectrophotometer (Perkin Elmer Analyst 400) using external calibration (Welsch et al., 1990). For each sample of the digested soil and vegetable, three replicates were taken and the mean values were obtained on the basis of the calculation of those three replicates.

Source of Information: Annual Research Report 2015 – 2016, Soil Science Division, BARI, Joydebpur, Gazipur Bangladesh

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

The concentration of arsenic varied extensively among vegetables as well as collection sites. Vegetables alone contributed about 18% and 80% of the health risk index value in Nilphamari and Bogra, respectively based on the available consumption data. It is important therefore to examine other food sources, such as rice, pulses, spices, tubers etc. to assess the total exposure load from main Bangladeshi foods for arsenic.

Knowledge Management: Report/Proceedings