Origin of arsenic in drinking waters in the west Backa district of Serbia

Abstract

Danger to the public health through exposure to toxic arsenic compounds in drinking water remains a continuing problem. Because people may be inadvertently exposed to arsenic through contaminated drinking water, it is extremely important to monitor arsenic level and to remove it from sites where arsenic could contaminate groundwater. We measured total (both inorganic and organic) arsenic content in groundwater and drinking water at various sites in the West Backa district of Serbia. In 42 of 69 samples of water drawn from tube wells in the west Backa district of Serbia, we found the total arsenic concentration to be well above the current maximum contaminant level of 10 parts per billion (ppb or mu g/L) for drinking water. Thirteen of these wells had water with arsenic concentrations above 50 mu g/L. The highest arsenic content (148 mu g/L) was found at one location. Consequently, nearly half of population in this district is potentially at risk of arsenic poisoning. Water from tube wells from 45-60 m deep had arsenic concentrations of less than 25 mu g/L. Water from deeper wells had greater variation (0-148 mu g/mL) in arsenic concentrations. These variations in natural underground waters relate to the hydro-geologic properties in this part of the Pannonian plain. We concluded that the depth of a tube well in this district offers a rough prediction of arsenic contamination, but only for wells no deeper than 60 m. Association of increased arsenic concentration in drinking water and epidemiology of certain diseases should be studied in this area.