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Arsenic in Drinking Water—A Global Environmental Problem

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Joanna Shaofen Wang and Chien M. Wai

Department of Chemistry, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83844-2343

J. Chem. Educ., 2004, 81 (2), p 207

DOI: 10.1021/ed081p207

Publication Date (Web): February 1, 2004

Section:

History, Education, and Documentation

Abstract

Arsenic contamination of groundwater is a global environmental problem affecting a large number of populations, especially in developing countries. The "blackfoot disease"that occurred in Taiwan more than half of a century ago was attributed to drinking arsenic-contaminated water from deep wells containing high concentrations of the trivalent arsenite species. Similar arsenic poisoning cases were reported later in Chinese Inner Mongolia, Bangladesh, and India—all related to drinking groundwater contaminated with arsenic. The maximum contaminant level (MCL) of arsenic in drinking water has been changed recently by the U.S. EPA from 50 ppb to 10 ppb; the compliance date is January 2006. This article summarizes documented global arsenic contamination problems, the regulatory controversy regarding MCL of arsenic in drinking water, and available technologies for removing arsenic from contaminated waters. Methods for analyzing total arsenic and arsenic species in water are also described.

Keywords (Audience):

General Public

Keywords (Domain):

Environmental Chemistry

Keywords (Subject):

Arsenic

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This article has been cited by 2 ACS Journal articles (2 most recent appear below).

Adsorptive Removal of As(III) from Aqueous Solution by Zr(IV)-Loaded Collagen Fiber
Xin Huang, Limin Jiao, Xuepin Liao and Bi Shi
Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research2008 47 (15), 5623-5628
- Adsorptive Removal of As(III) from Aqueous Solution by Zr(IV)-Loaded Collagen Fiber
  Xin Huang, Limin Jiao, Xuepin Liao and Bi Shi
  Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research2008 47 (15), 5623-5628
  Compared with arsenate [As(V)], arsenite [As(III)] is more toxic to human health and more difficult to be removed from aqueous solution. In this study, a novel adsorbent, Zr(IV)-loaded collagen fiber (ZrCF), was prepared, and its adsorption ...
  Abstract | Full Text HTML | Hi-Res PDF | PDF w/ Links
Photocatalytic Oxidation of Arsenic(III): Evidence of Hydroxyl Radicals
Paritam K. Dutta, S. O. Pehkonen, Virender K. Sharma, and Ajay K. Ray
Environmental Science & Technology2005 39 (6), 1827-1834
- Photocatalytic Oxidation of Arsenic(III): Evidence of Hydroxyl Radicals
  Paritam K. Dutta, S. O. Pehkonen, Virender K. Sharma, and Ajay K. Ray
  Environmental Science & Technology2005 39 (6), 1827-1834
  Arsenic contamination has been found in the groundwater of several countries. Photocatalysis can rapidly oxidize arsenite (As(III)) to less labile and less toxic arsenate (As(V)), which then can be removed by adsorption onto photocatalyst surfaces. This ...
  Abstract | Full Text HTML | Hi-Res PDF