Sultan Mohd Wajahat, Qureshi Fazil, Ahmed Salman, Kamyab Hesam, Rajendran Saravanan, Ibrahim Hussameldin, Yusuf Mohammad
Department of Geology, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh 202002, India.
Chemical and Petroleum Engineering Department, UAE University, P.O. Box 15551, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates.
Environ Res. 2025 Jan 15;265:120457. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.120457. Epub 2024 Nov 27.
While groundwater is commonly perceived as safe, the excessive presence of trace metals, particularly arsenic (As), can pose significant health hazards. This review examines the current scenario of pollutants and their mitigations focusing on As contamination in groundwater across multiple nations, with a specific emphasis on the Indian Peninsula. Arsenic pollution surpasses the WHO limit of 10 ppb in 107 countries, impacting around 230 million people worldwide, with a substantial portion in Asia, including 20 states and four union territories in India. Analysis of the correlation between the aquifer and arsenic poisoning highlights severe contamination in groundwater originating from loose sedimentary aquifer strata, particularly in recently formed mountain ranges with geological sources presumed to contribute over 90% of arsenic pollution, i.e. a big environmental challenge. A myriad of techniques, including chromatographic, electrochemical, biological, spectroscopic, and colorimetric methods among others, are available for the detection and removal of arsenic from groundwater. Removal strategies encompass a wide array of approaches such as bioremediation, adsorption, coagulation/flocculation, ion exchange, biological processes, membrane treatment, and oxidation techniques specifically tailored for affected areas. Constructed wetlands help to eliminate heavy metal impurities such as As, Zn, Cd, Cu, Ni, Fe, and Cr. Their efficiency is influenced by design and environmental factors. Nanotechnology and nanoparticles have recently been studied to remove arsenic and toxic metal ions from water. Cost-effective solutions including community-based mitigation initiatives, alongside policy and regulatory frameworks addressing arsenic contamination, are essential considerations.
虽然地下水通常被认为是安全的，但微量金属尤其是砷（As）的过量存在会带来重大健康危害。本综述考察了污染物的现状及其缓解措施，重点关注多个国家地下水中的砷污染，特别强调了印度半岛。在107个国家，砷污染超过了世界卫生组织规定的10 ppb的限值，影响全球约2.3亿人，其中很大一部分在亚洲，包括印度的20个邦和4个联邦属地。对含水层与砷中毒之间相关性的分析表明，源自松散沉积含水层地层的地下水中存在严重污染，特别是在最近形成的山脉中，据推测地质来源贡献了超过90%的砷污染，这是一个重大的环境挑战。有多种技术可用于检测和去除地下水中的砷，包括色谱法、电化学法、生物法、光谱法和比色法等。去除策略包括广泛的方法，如生物修复、吸附、混凝/絮凝、离子交换、生物过程、膜处理以及专门针对受影响地区的氧化技术。人工湿地有助于去除砷、锌、镉、铜、镍、铁和铬等重金属杂质。其效率受设计和环境因素影响。最近对纳米技术和纳米颗粒进行了研究，以从水中去除砷和有毒金属离子。具有成本效益的解决方案，包括基于社区的缓解举措，以及应对砷污染的政策和监管框架，都是至关重要的考虑因素。
