Arsenic in Groundwater: A Threat to Agriculture and Its Mitigation Measures to Protect the Food Chain

Arsenic—a non-threshold class-I carcinogen, is mostly of geogenic origin contaminating groundwater worldwide. The use of this arsenic contaminated groundwater for potable and irrigation purposes poses a serious threat to human health. Irrigation of agricultural fields with arsenic-tainted groundwater is adding considerable amounts of arsenic to soils. This build-up of arsenic further contaminates crops and vegetables being cultivated in these fields. Arsenic in agriculture produces puts human health at risk of several diseases when consuming these arsenic-laden eatables. The temporal and spatial distribution of groundwater arsenic in irrigated cultivable fields is a serious concern worldwide, especially in South-East Asian countries. Data such as origin, fate and transfer, distribution of arsenic from aquifers to the soil, bioaccumulation at different levels of the food chain, and its related health impacts on human beings and livestock need to be generated. R&D on alternative sources of irrigation groundwater, mitigation measures in relation to arsenic contamination and toxicity and integration of groundwater arsenic problems with socio-economic concerns are also required. Strategies for stakeholders’ involvement, improving legal, policy, institutional and human capacity, and awareness programs for the community at risk are highly warranted. Developing countries should address some specific challenges in the context of improving mitigation approaches for arsenic contamination in groundwater and irrigated ecosystems. The long term solutions and strategies would require joint interdisciplinary R&D, capacity building, and effective awareness through a diverse and integrated regional network and partnership about tackling the groundwater arsenic threat in agriculture.