Biomaterial Database

Arsenic and other trace elements contamination in groundwater and a risk assessment study for the residents in the Kandal Province of Cambodia. 2009

Thi Thu Giang Luu, and Suthipong Sthiannopkao, and Kyoung-Woong Kim

International Environmental Research Center, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, 261 Cheomdan-gwagiro, Buk-gu, Gwangju 500-712, South Korea.

Concentrations of arsenic and other trace elements in groundwater were examined at three villages (PT, POT and CHL) in the Kandal Province of Cambodia. Concentrations of arsenic in the groundwater ranged from 6.64 (in POT village) to 1543 microg/L (in PT village), with average and median concentrations of 552 and 353 microg/L, respectively. About 86% out of fifteen samples contained arsenic concentrations exceeding the WHO drinking water guidelines of 10 microg/L. Concentrations of arsenic (III) varied from 4 (in POT village) to 1334 microg/L (in PT village), with an average concentration of 470 microg/L. In addition, about 67%, 80% and 86% of the groundwater samples had higher concentrations for, respectively, barium, manganese and lead than the WHO drinking water guidelines. These results reveal that groundwater in Kandal Province is not only considerably contaminated with arsenic but also with barium, manganese and lead. A risk assessment study found that one sample (PT25) had a cumulative arsenic concentration (6758 mg) slightly higher than the threshold level (6750 mg) that could cause internal cancer in smelter workers with chronic exposure to arsenic from groundwater. High cumulative arsenic ingestion poses a health threat to the residents of Kandal Province.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D002160	Cambodia	A country located in Southeastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, between Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos. The capital is Phnom Penh.	Kampuchea,Khmer Republic
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D001151	Arsenic	A shiny gray element with atomic symbol As, atomic number 33, and atomic weight 75. It occurs throughout the universe, mostly in the form of metallic arsenides. Most forms are toxic. According to the Fourth Annual Report on Carcinogens (NTP 85-002, 1985), arsenic and certain arsenic compounds have been listed as known carcinogens. (From Merck Index, 11th ed)	Arsenic-75,Arsenic 75
D012424	Rural Population	The inhabitants of rural areas or of small towns classified as rural.	Rural Residence,Rural Communities,Rural Spatial Distribution,Communities, Rural,Community, Rural,Distribution, Rural Spatial,Distributions, Rural Spatial,Population, Rural,Populations, Rural,Residence, Rural,Rural Community,Rural Populations,Rural Residences,Rural Spatial Distributions
D012987	Soil	The unconsolidated mineral or organic matter on the surface of the earth that serves as a natural medium for the growth of land plants.	Peat,Humus,Soils
D014131	Trace Elements	A group of chemical elements that are needed in minute quantities for the proper growth, development, and physiology of an organism. (From McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 4th ed)	Biometal,Biometals,Trace Element,Trace Mineral,Trace Minerals,Element, Trace,Elements, Trace,Mineral, Trace,Minerals, Trace
D014877	Water Pollution, Chemical	Adverse effect upon bodies of water (LAKES; RIVERS; seas; groundwater etc.) caused by CHEMICAL WATER POLLUTANTS.	Chemical Water Pollution,Chemical Water Pollutions,Pollution, Chemical Water,Pollutions, Chemical Water,Water Pollutions, Chemical
D018570	Risk Assessment	The qualitative or quantitative estimation of the likelihood of adverse effects that may result from exposure to specified health hazards or from the absence of beneficial influences. (Last, Dictionary of Epidemiology, 1988)	Assessment, Risk,Benefit-Risk Assessment,Risk Analysis,Risk-Benefit Assessment,Health Risk Assessment,Risks and Benefits,Analysis, Risk,Assessment, Benefit-Risk,Assessment, Health Risk,Assessment, Risk-Benefit,Benefit Risk Assessment,Benefit-Risk Assessments,Benefits and Risks,Health Risk Assessments,Risk Analyses,Risk Assessment, Health,Risk Assessments,Risk Benefit Assessment,Risk-Benefit Assessments