Abstract
Arsenic (As) is a toxic metalloid with high bioaccumulation capacity that can enter into food chain and cause various health risk in living organisms. As contamination is a worldwide problem. In Pakistan, As is reported in many areas of Sindh, Punjab, and some areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and there is growing concerns of it in environmental compartments especially in water, soils sediments, and fodder of these areas. The aim of this review is to summarize information of As contamination level in different environmental compartments (air, soils sediments, water, and biosample) of Pakistan. The review suggested that elevated level of As were found in air, soil, sediment, water, and different biological samples from Pakistan. The southern Punjab and Sindh especially the Manchar lake area are the hot spot in Pakistan have highest concentration of As in environmental compartments. Most of these affected areas exceed the as concentration in soil, and water set by World Health Organization (WHO), and millions of humans and livestock of these areas are directly exposed to As contamination. There is urgent need to develop treatment technologies for As for safe drinking water. The review suggests that more in-depth studies are needed to figure out As levels and methylation in soil, sediments, and biological samples with the main focus on human. The review will be helpful to researchers and policy makers for further research and to devise policies for Ae management.
Similar content being viewed by others
Data Availability
Data will be available on request.
References
Abbas M, Cheema KJ (2015) Arsenic levels in drinking water and associated health risk in district Sheikhupura, Pakistan. J Anim Plant Sci 25:719–724
Abbas M, Parveen Z, Iqbal M, Riazuddin M, Iqbal S, Ahmed M, Bhutto R (2010) Monitoring of toxic metals (cadmium, lead, arsenic and mercury) in vegetables of Sindh, Pakistan. Kathmandu University Journal of Science, Engineering and Technology 6:60–65
Ali J, Kazi TG, Baig JA, Afridi HI, Arain MS, Brahman KD, Naeemullah, Panhwar AH (2015) Arsenic in coal of the Thar coalfield, Pakistan, and its behavior during combustion. Environ Sci Pollut Res 22:8559–8566
Ali W, Aslam MW, Feng C, Junaid M, Ali K, Li S, Chen Z, Ziheng Y, Rasool A, Zhang H (2019) Unraveling prevalence and public health risks of arsenic, uranium and co-occurring trace metals in groundwater along riverine ecosystem in Sindh and Punjab, Pakistan. Environ Geochem Health 41:2223–2238
Anwar M (2005) Arsenic, cadmium and lead levels in hair and toenail samples in Pakistan. Environ Sci 12(2):071–086
Arain MB, Kazi TG, Baig JA, Jamali MK, Afridi HI, Shah AQ, Jalbani N, Sarfraz RA (2007) Determination of arsenic levels in lake water, sediment, and foodstuff from selected area of Sindh, Pakistan: estimation of daily dietary intake. Food Chem Toxicol 47(1):242–248
Arain MB, Kazi TG, Baig JA, Jamali MK, Afridi HI, Jalbani N, Sarfraz RA, Shah AQ, Kandhro GA (2009) Respiratory effects in people exposed to arsenic via the drinking water and tobacco smoking in southern part of Pakistan. Sci Total Environ 407:5524–5530
Barringer JL, Reilly PA (2013) Arsenic in groundwater: a summary of sources and the biogeochemical and hydrogeologic factors affecting arsenic occurrence and mobility. Curr Perspect Contam Hydrol Water Resour Sustain 83–116
Brahman KD, Kazi TG, Afridi HI, Naseem S, Sadi S, Arain NU (2013) Evaluation of high levels of fluoride, arsenic species and other physicochemical parameters in underground water of two sub districts of Tharparkar, Pakistan: a multivariate study. Water Res 47(3):1005–1020
Brahman KD, Kazi TG, Baig JA, Afridi HI, Khan A, Araina SS, Arain MB (2014) Fluoride and arsenic exposure through water and grain crops in Nagarparkar, Pakistan. Chemosphere 100:182–189
Brammer H, Ravenscroft P (2009) Arsenic in groundwater: a threat to sustainable agriculture in South and South-east Asia. Environ Int 35:647–654
Edirisinghe E, Jinadasa B (2019) Arsenic and cadmium concentrations in legumes and cereals grown in the North Central Province, Sri Lanka and assessment of their health risk. Int J Food Contam 6:1–5
Emadi A, Gore SD (2010) Arsenic trioxide—an old drug rediscovered. Blood Rev 24:191–199
Farber EM (1992) History of the treatment of psoriasis. J Am Acad Dermatol 27:640–645
Farooqi A, Masuda H, Firdous N (2007a) Toxic fluoride and arsenic contaminated groundwater in the Lahore and Kasur districts, Punjab, Pakistan and possible contaminant sources. Environ Pollut 145:839–849
Farooqi A, Masuda H, Kusakabe M, Naseem M, Firdous N (2007b) Distribution of highly arsenic and fluoride contaminated groundwater from east Punjab, Pakistan, and the controlling role of anthropogenic pollutants in the natural hydrological cycle. Geochem J 41:213–234
Farooqi A, Masuda H, Siddiqui R, Naseem M (2009) Sources of arsenic and fluoride in highly contaminated soils causing groundwater contamination in Punjab, Pakistan. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 56:693–706
Hashmi MZ, Kanwal A, Pongpiachan S, Xiaomei S, Nasim W, Saand MA, Mubeen M, Akram R, Wang S, Ahmed Z (2020) Arsenic distribution and metabolism genes abundance in Paddy soils from Punjab and Sindh provinces, Pakistan. Arab J Geosci 13:526
Jabeen G, Javed M (2011) Evaluation of arsenic toxicity to biota in river Ravi (Pakistan) aquatic ecosystem. Int J Agric Biol 1:1814–9596
Kazi TG, Brahman KD, Afridi HI, Arain MB, Talpur FN, Akhtar A (2016) The effects of arsenic contaminated drinking water of livestock on its total levels in milk samples of different cattle: risk assessment in children. Chemosphere 165:427–433
Khan S, Shah IA, Muhammad S, Malik RN, Shah MT (2015) Arsenic and heavy metal concentrations in drinkingwater in Pakistan and risk assessment: a case study. Hum Ecol Risk Assess 21:1020–1031
Lu J, Chew E-H, Holmgren A (2007) Targeting thioredoxin reductase is a basis for cancer therapy by arsenic trioxide. Proc Natl Acad Sci 104:12288–12293
Malana MA, Khosa MA (2011) Groundwater pollution with special focus on arsenic, Dera Ghazi Khan-Pakistan. J Saudi Chem Soc 15:39–47
Mandal BK, Suzuki KT (2002) Arsenic round the world: a review. Talanta 58:201–235
Matschullat J (2000) Arsenic in the geosphere—a review. Sci Total Environ 249:297–312
Memon AH, Ghanghro AB, Jahangir TM, Lund GM (2016) Arsenic contamination in drinking water of district Jamshoro, Sindh, Pakistan. Biomed Lett 2:31–37
Nickson RT, McArthur JM, Shrestha B, Kyaw-Myint TO, Lowry D (2005) Arsenic and other drinking water quality issues, Muzaffargarh District, Pakistan. Appl Geochemistry 20(1):55–68
Nurchi VM, Djordjevic AB, Crisponi G, Alexander J, Bjørklund G, Aaseth J (2020) Arsenic toxicity: molecular targets and therapeutic agents. Biomolecules 10:235
Pak EPA (Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency) (2008) National standards for drinking water quality, (Ministry of Environment). Government of Pakistan, Islamabad, Pakistan
Rahman FA, Allan DL, Rosen CJ, Sadowsky MJ (2004) Arsenic availability from chromated copper arsenate (CCA)–treated wood. J Environ Qual 33:173–180
Rasool A, Farooqi A, Masood S, Hussain K (2016a) Arsenic in groundwater and its health risk assessment in drinking water of Mailsi, Punjab, Pakistan. Hum Ecol Risk Assess 22:187–202
Rasool A, Xiao T, Farooqi A, Shafeeque M, Masood S, Ali S, Fahad S, Nasim W (2016b) Arsenic and heavy metal contaminations in the tube well water of Punjab, Pakistan and risk assessment: a case study. Ecol Eng 95:90–100
Rehman ZU, Khan S, Mark KQ, Brusseau L, Shah MT, Din I (2016) Quantification of inorganic arsenic exposure and cancer risk via consumption of vegetables in southern selected districts of Pakistan. Sci Total Environ 550:321–329
Rehman K, Fatima F, Akash MSH (2019) Biochemical investigation of association of arsenic exposure with risk factors of diabetes mellitus in Pakistani population and its validation in animal model. Environ Monit Assess 191:511
Rehman F, Cheema T, Azeem T, Naseem AA, Khan I, Iqbal N, Shaheen A, Rehman F, Rehman QU (2020) Groundwater quality and potential health risks caused by arsenic (As) in Bhakkar, Pakistan. Environ Earth Sci 79:529
Sackett PD (2016) Elemental cycles in the Anthropocene: mining aboveground. Geol Soc Am Spec Pap 520:99–116
Shah AQ, Kazi TG, Arain MB, Jamali MK, Afridi HI, Jalbani N, Baig JA, Kandhro GA (2009) Accumulation of arsenic in different fresh water fish species–potential contribution to high arsenic intakes. Food Chem 112:520–524
Shah AH, Shahid M, Khalid S, Natasha ZS, Bakhat HF, Murtaza B, Farooq A, Akram M, Shah GM, Nasim W, Niazi NK (2019) Assessment of arsenic exposure by drinking well water and associated carcinogenic risk in peri-urban areas of Vehari, Pakistan. Environ Geochem Health 42:121–133
Shahid M, Khalid M, Dumat C, Khalid S, Niazi NK, Imran M, Bibi I, Ahmad I, Hammad HM, Tabassum RA (2017) Arsenic level and risk assessment of groundwater in Vehari, Punjab Province, Pakistan. Exposure and Health 10:229–239
Singh P, Mitra P, Goyal T, Sharma S, Sharma P (2021) Evaluation of DNA damage and expressions of DNA repair gene in occupationally lead exposed workers (Jodhpur, India). Biol Trace Elem Res 199:1707–1714
Smedley PL, Kinniburgh DG (2002) A review of the source, behaviour and distribution of arsenic in natural waters. Appl Geochem 17:517–568
Sultana J, Farooqi A, Ali U (2013) Arsenic concentration variability, health risk assessment, and source identification using multivariate analysis in selected villages of public water system, Lahore, Pakistan. Environ Monit Assess 186:1241–1251
Tabassum RA, Shahid M, Niazi NK, Dumat C, Zhang Y, Imran M, Bakhat HF, Hussain I, Khalid S (2018) Arsenic removal from aqueous solutions and groundwater using agricultural biowastes-derived biosorbents and biochar: a column-scale investigation. Int J Phytoremediation 21:509–518
Welch AH, Westjohn D, Helsel DR, Wanty RB (2000) Arsenic in ground water of the United States: occurence and geochemistry. Ground Water 38:589
WHO (2011) World Health Organization guidelines for drinking water quality, 4th edit. Recommendations, vol 1. Geneva, Switzerland. Hum Ecol Risk Assess 21(4):20151031
Zaffiri L, Gardner J, Toledo-Pereyra LH (2012) History of antibiotics. From salvarsan to cephalosporins. J Invest Surg 25:67–77
Acknowledgements
Higher Education Commission of Pakistan NRPU projects 7958 and 7964. Thanks are due to Pakistan Science Foundation project PSF/Res/CP/C-CUI/Envr (151) for providing the funding. Furthermore, thanks are due to Pakistan Academy of Sciences project 3-9/PAS/98 for funding.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The authors declare no competing interests.
Additional information
Responsible Editor: Amjad Kallel
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
Hashmi, M.Z., Ahmed, Z., Rehman, S.U. et al. A review on arsenic status in environmental compartments from Pakistan. Arab J Geosci 16, 130 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-023-11199-2
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-023-11199-2