Groundwater arsenic mitigation in Bangladesh: Two decades of advancements in scientific research and policy instruments

摘要

Two decades have passed since the first detection of arsenic above allowable limits in groundwater of Bangladesh. A good number of scientific research and mitigation projects have so far been completed but still today more than 22 million people are exposed to arsenic leaves of 50 μg L~(-1) or more. As there are many untested new wells, it is not precisely known how many people are exposed to what level. Scientific knowledge about occurrences, distribution and release mechanisms have enhanced significantly. Although deep tube wells have emerged as the most effective mitigation measure over most of the country, still there are areas where this does not work. Recent studies reported effectiveness of alternative options like intermediate deep wells and subsurface arsenic removal. There has been a major paradigm shift in the policy arena regarding arsenic mitigation.