Abstract
In the Bengal Delta Plain (BDP) the primary arsenic sourcing appears to be different from the global scenario. Here, the Terminal Pleistocene–Holocene depositional platform, the interactive early Holocene depositional morphology with fluvio-estuarine and marine incursions played a crucial role for arsenic sourcing and enrichment. The lenticular silt-fine sand layer between anoxic clay beds favoured entrapment of dissolved organic carbon with decayed phyto-planktons debris. The Terminal Pleistocene–Holocene transgression and regression processes may have acted as major events in the BDP. Interestingly, at the end of the last glacial maxima, the Pleistocene delta had undergone block movements, wherein some parts of the platform were raised above the level of Holocene deposition. Those blocks were found to be free from arsenic in the groundwater. The sea, during re-emerging inundation (10–7 ka BP), has witnessed a monsoon-induced environment in the BDP with the resultant oscillation of sea level leading to higher upsurge towards the north. This might have resulted in the marine incursion and inundation in pre-existing land depressions. Meanwhile arsenic entrapments through marine incursion as well as enrichment in the presence of organic carbon/DOC and/or Fe/Mn/Al catalytic agents could have developed into localised redox traps. It may be of relevance that due to the repetitive transgressive–regressive phases in Holocene, resulting in periodic exposure and weathering of iron-bearing minerals and consequent iron enrichment in the aquifer system. The iron, thus present, had free charge to host arsenic as a sink. It appears that arsenic, wherever found, would likely be of atypical localised exhaustible phenomenon, both in horizontal and vertical context. It also rationalises the cause of the absence of arsenic in the other nearby Pleistocene platform, which has not come across Holocene interaction and marine incursion, as to the likely limiting condition for the search for arsenic in the BDP or beyond.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Acharyya SK, Chakraborty P, Lahiri S, Ray Mahasaya BC, Guha S, Bhowmik A (1999) Comments on Nickson et al, Arsenic poisoning in Ganges delta: the natural contamination of drinking water by arsenic needs to be urgently addressed. Nature 401:545
Acharyya SK, Lahiri S, Ray Mahasaya BC, Bhowmik A (2000) Arsenic toxicity of groundwater in parts of Bengal Basin in India and Bangladesh: the role of Quaternary stratigraphy and Holocene. Environ Geol 39(10):1127–1137
Akai J, Izumi K, Fukuhara H, Masuda H, Nakano S, Yoshimura T, Ohfuji H, Hossain MA, Akai K (2004) Minerological and geomicrobiological investigations on groundwater arsenic enrichment in Bangladesh. Appl Geochem 19:215–230
Appelo CAJ, Postama D (1999) Geochemistry, groundwater and pollution. AA Balkema, Rotterdam
Basu BB (2003) Lessons from Arsenic Technology Park and critical issues of arsenic mitigation: report. School of Fundamental Research, Kolkata, India, November
BGS and DPHE (2001) Arsenic contamination of groundwater in Bangladesh, Vol. 2. British Geological Survey and Department of Public Health Engineering, Bangladesh
Chakrobory D, Mukherjee SC, Pati S, Datta RN, Chatterjee G (2003) Groundwater arsenic in Uttar Pradesh, India. Personal communication from School of Environmental Studies, Jadavpur University, Kolkata
Datta DK, Subramanian V (1998) Distribution and fractionation of heavy metals in the surface sediments of the Ganges–Brahamputra–Meghna river system in the Bengal Basin. Environ Geol 36:93–101
Goodbred SL, Kuehl S (2000) Late Quaternary stratigraphy and evolution of the Ganges–Brahmaputra delta. Sedim Geol 133:229–248
Krishnan MS (1982) Text book of geology of India. Higginbotham, Chennai, India
McArthur JM, Ravenscoroft P, Safiulla S, Thirilwall MF (2003) Arsenic in groundwater: testing pollution mechanisms for sedimentary aquifers in Bangladesh. Water Res 37:109–117
McArthur JM, Banerjee DM, Hudson-Edwards KA, Ravenscoroft P, Purohit R (2004) Natural organic matter in sedimentary basins and its relations to arsenic in anoxic groundwater: the example of West Bengal and its world wide implications. Appl Geochem 19:1255–1293
Roy RK, Ghosh BK (1981) Neotectonics of Southern Ganga valley, Bihar. Proceedings N–Q boundary field conference, India. Special Publication of the Geological Survey of India
Roy RK, Ghosh BK, Bisaria B (1989) Project Munger: a geoscientific appraisal for rural development. Bull Geol Surv India, Ser B, No. 49
School of Fundamental Research (2003) SFR Newsletter, VII(6)
Smedly PL, Kinniburgh DG (2002) A review of the source, behaviour and distribution of arsenic in natural waters. Appl Geochem 17:517–568
Stuben D, Berner Z, Chandrasekharan D, Karmakar J (2003) Arsenic enrichment in groundwater of West Bengal, India: geochemical evidence for mobilization of As under reducing conditions. Appl Geochem 18:1417–1434
Subramanian V, van Griken R, van Deek L (1987) Heavy metal in the sediments of Ganges–Brahamaputra river. Environ Geol Water Sci 9:93–103
Umitsu M (1993) Late Quaternary sedimentary environments and landforms in the Ganges Delta. Sedim Geol 83:177–186
Von Rad U, Schultz H, den Dulk M, Bermer U, Sirocko F (1999) Multiple monsoon control breakdown of oxygen—minimum conditions during the past 30,000 years documented in laminated sediments of Pakistan. Palaeogeogr Palaeoclimatol Palaeoecol 152:129–161
Wadia DN (1975) Geology of India. Tata McGraw-Hill, New Delhi, India
Wedepohl KH (1969) Handbook of geochemistry. Springer, Verlag, Heidelberg New York, 231p
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Chatterjee, D., Roy, R.K. & Basu, B.B. Riddle of arsenic in groundwater of Bengal Delta Plain—role of non-inland source and redox traps. Environ Geol 49, 188–206 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-005-0011-5
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-005-0011-5