Arsenic in Groundwater : Poisoning and Risk Assessment

Arsenic-contaminated groundwater has created one of the world''s largest environmental health crises. This book addresses the arsenic issue within a scientific and social science framework, with the context set by environmental and legal considerations. The text explores the methodological issues of spatial, quantitative, and qualitative enquiries on arsenic poisoning, for instance, using GIS to investigate the distribution of arsenic-laced water in space-time to uncover the pattern of variations over scales from meters to kilometers. The authors also include spatial risk maps that indicate the possible long-term strategies of mitigation.

Arsenic-contaminated groundwater is considered one of the world’s largest environmental health crises, as more than 300 million people in more than one-third of countries worldwide are at risk of groundwater arsenic poisoning. This book addresses how arsenic in groundwater impacts human health by using the frameworks of natural sciences, social sciences, and health sciences in the context set by environmental and legal considerations.

examines the spatial, quantitative, and qualitative aspects on arsenic poisoning; for instance, using geographical information systems (GIS) to investigate the spatial discontinuity of arsenic-laced water in spatial and temporal dimensions to uncover patterns of variations over scales from meters to kilometers. Spatial risk mapping provides insight for academics, researchers, policy makers, and politicians on possible long-term strategies for arsenic mitigation. Qualitative methodological approaches uncover the hidden issues of arsenic poisoning on human health and the related social implications. The book also examines legal aspects, such as the right to safe drinking water, as well as an in-depth look at how community participation can shape public policy.

Features:

• Includes technical insights drawn from GIS-based modeling for spatial arsenic discontinuity and spatial health risks of arsenic poisoning

• Provides a state-of-the-art review of the human health literature and cutting-edge scientific evidence for arsenic-related health and social implications

• Examines the environmental justice and legal issues of drinking water and its quality

• Presents environmental policy and public mitigation strategies with Public Participation GIS (PPGIS) related to arsenic contamination

• More than 2,000 references serve as valuable resources for various aspects of arsenic poisoning