Assessment and treatment of arsenic contaminated tube well water from selected areas in Kyaunggon Township, Ayeyarwady Region, Myanmar

Abstract

Arsenic contamination of tube well water has become the greatest health threat to the people. This cross-sectional analytic study aimed to find out the prevalence of arsenic contaminated wells in selected areas of Kyaunggon Township, to increase the arsenic awareness and to construct the low-cost arsenic reducing Gravel Sand Filter (GSF) for household use. The water samples were tested for arsenic and other parameters. About 66% (63/96) tube wells of depth between 12 to 183 meters had arsenic concentration more than 10 ppb and moreover 42 out of 63 tube wells had depth between 30 to 90 meters. Therefore, this depth range should be avoided for tube well construction in that area. About 67.7 % (65/96) had iron concentration more than 0.3 ppm, 74 % (71/96) had manganese concentration more than 0.4 ppm and 4.1 % (4/96) had phosphate concentration more than 4 ppm according to WHO drinking water quality guideline. These results were disseminated to basic health staff, teachers and students from respective areas. GSF was constructed and demonstrated to villagers. Widely using of this removal method in arsenic contaminated areas will partly contribute towards the safe water supply and promote the community health.

Groundwater contamination by arsenic in Myanmar and their sustainability: a review

“…Unpublished fieldwork data from the Water Resources Utilization Department (WRUD) between 1952 and 2013 have documented that As concentration in the (Pavelic et al, 2015), with 98.4% of the groundwater samples having As value <50 µg/L (McCartney et al, 2013;Drury, 2017). In contrast, As concentration in the Ayeyarwady River Basin and Delta is ~50 µg/L, and >50 µg/L in the Kyaunggon and Kyonpyaw Townships (Mar Wai et al, 2019;Phyu et al, 2020). Thus, groundwater concentration in the Dry Zone is relatively low compared to that in the Ayeyarwady River Basin regions (Fig.…”

“…No specific studies on the socioeconomic impact of arsenicosis have yet been undertaken in Myanmar. However, people in the Ayeyarwady region are most likely to suffer from arsenicosis because the groundwater of the region has the highest As content in Myanmar (Phyu et al, 2020). Appropriate remediation and removal treatments can play a vital role in prevention and reduction of the negative impacts of As contamination in groundwater.…”

“…Therefore, using substitute water source with low or no As content is one of the best options because Myanmar possesses enormous surface water, and groundwater resources. An As removal technique called Gravel Sand Filter (GSF) is being utilized in Kyaunggon Township, Ayeyarwady region, which is located in one of the most intensely contaminated regions (Phyu et al, 2020). The GSF technology for removing As at the household level is inexpensive, efficient, and suitable for long-term use in developing countries (Abbas et al, 2018).…”

“…Groundwater in Myanmar is at risk of pollution, and studies have been conducted to define the As levels in groundwater area (van Geen et al, 2014;Bacquart et al, 2015;Phyu et al, 2020). However, there has been no systematic review of these studies, and as a result, information on groundwater contamination by arsenic and other contaminants remains scattered.…”