Cow Dung as a Fuel
In arsenic contaminated areas of the Ganga–Meghna–Brahmaputra (GMB) plain (area 569 749 sq. km; population over 500 million) where traditionally cow dung cake is used as a fuel in unventilated ovens for cooking purposes, people are simply exposed to 1859.2 ng arsenic per day through direct inhalation, of which 464.8 ng could be absorbed in respiratory tract.
Introduction
Arsenic has been considered as a human carcinogen and causes multiple adverse health effects.1
Groundwater arsenic contamination in the Bengal delta has been termed the largest mass poisoning in history.2
A significant part of the Ganga–
Meghna–Brahmaputra (GMB) plain with an area 569 749 sq. km and population over 500 million, is at risk from groundwater arsenic contamination.3
Before the year 2000, we knew of about five arsenic groundwater contamination incidents from four Asian countries. At present, arsenic groundwater contaminations from 14 Asian countries and 35 countries around the world have been reported.4
Groundwater
arsenic contamination and its health effects in the GMB plain was considered to be mainly from ingestion of contaminated water. Recently, attention has been paid to the exposure of arsenic from food irrigated with arsenic contaminated water.
The contaminated rice is viewed as a newly recognized disaster for south-east Asia,5 where rice is the staple food.
Occupational exposure to arsenic through inhalation of arsenic dust has been documented and is the primary route of exposure with typical patterns of toxic lesions, including cancer.6,7 In the arsenic affected GMB plain, arsenic contaminated groundwater used for irrigation purposes contaminates paddy, straw, vegetables etc.
8,9 Arsenic accumulation in rice straw at very high levels indicates that feeding cattle with such contaminated straw could be a direct threat for their health and also, indirectly, to human health, via presumably contaminated bovine meat and milk.8
In the arsenic affected
Introduction
Arsenic has been considered as a human carcinogen and causes multiple adverse health effects.1
Groundwater arsenic contamination in the Bengal delta has been termed the largest mass poisoning in history.2
A significant part of the Ganga–
Meghna–Brahmaputra (GMB) plain with an area 569 749 sq. km and population over 500 million, is at risk from groundwater arsenic contamination.3
Before the year 2000, we knew of about five arsenic groundwater contamination incidents from four Asian countries. At present, arsenic groundwater contaminations from 14 Asian countries and 35 countries around the world have been reported.4
Groundwater
arsenic contamination and its health effects in the GMB plain was considered to be mainly from ingestion of contaminated water. Recently, attention has been paid to the exposure of arsenic from food irrigated with arsenic contaminated water.
The contaminated rice is viewed as a newly recognized disaster for south-east Asia,5 where rice is the staple food.
Occupational exposure to arsenic through inhalation of arsenic dust has been documented and is the primary route of exposure with typical patterns of toxic lesions, including cancer.6,7 In the arsenic affected GMB plain, arsenic contaminated groundwater used for irrigation purposes contaminates paddy, straw, vegetables etc.
8,9 Arsenic accumulation in rice straw at very high levels indicates that feeding cattle with such contaminated straw could be a direct threat for their health and also, indirectly, to human health, via presumably contaminated bovine meat and milk.8
In the arsenic affected