Science Wednesday: Searching for a Sustainable Way to Remove Arsenic from Groundwater
Posted on March 17th, 2010 - 10:30 AMTweet
Each week we write about the science behind environmental protection. Previous Science Wednesdays.
Many people in Bangladesh use groundwater for their drinking water. In some parts of Bangladesh, arsenic levels in groundwater are more than 100 times the World Health Organization’s recommended limit of 10 parts per billion. Already, 40,000 Bangladeshis are showing signs of arsenic poisoning. Without intervention, 10% of the deaths in this country of 140 million people could be caused by arsenic poisoning.
I am part of the Berkeley Arsenic Alleviation Group (BAAG), a group aiming to provide affordable, sustainable technologies to remove arsenic from groundwater. Our goal is an efficient and cheap technology that removes arsenic and can be easily operated and maintained by local communities.
Our technology, partly funded by an EPA People, Prosperity and the Planet (P3) Award research grant, takes advantage of the fact that arsenic binds to rust. We first put iron into water and then use electricity to corrode the iron and produce rust. Then by filtering the water, or allowing the rust to settle, we can remove the arsenic.
From an engineering standpoint, the design efficiently and sustainably removes arsenic from water . But we can’t just drop it off and leave.
First, we need to figure out if the technology will be affordable for local communities. Are there cultural barriers that might prevent its use? Can this new technology be easily adopted and used?
To develop a sustainable solution to real-world problems, we need an interdisciplinary approach with collaboration among engineers, social scientists, and most importantly local communities.
Because local communities are so important, we are proposing a community-scale clean water center. It will be operated by the local community, for the local community—selling clean water at an affordable price (~$0.02 per person per day). It means partnerships with local people, the key to the sustainability of our technology.
We are now collaborating with local universities, local village leaders, local communities, and local entrepreneurs. By operating a treatment center themselves, the community will be empowered, leading to more likely acceptance and sustainable operations.
About the author: Case van Genuchten is a graduate student in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley and is a member of the Berkeley Arsenic Alleviation Group (BAAG).
Editor’s Note: To meet researchers and see demonstrations of this and other exciting P3 projects, visit the National Sustainable Design Expo on the National Mall in Washington, DC, April 24 and 25.
Tags: arsenic, arsenic in groundwater, groundwater, Science Wednesday
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Question of the Week
March 17th, 2010 at 1:05 pm
Since 1986, I have been living in ex paddy field, time by time renovation my home. You are right……, our main problem, here, is water. At that time the water are smelt and turbid, so difficult to take a bath, drank and washed. Now, rather good, but for drink, we are drinking mineral water. I am so glad to your mankind project in Bangladesh, and I hope, next, also the other countries…..
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David Mc reply on March 22, 2010 9:02 pm:
Learn the symptoms and get your water, water wells tested for arsenic if you can armansyahardanis.
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March 17th, 2010 at 3:22 pm
This is really a well written article about a great project! There is a wealth of information available on arsenic, reflecting the complexity of engineering/treatment issues as well as the range of toxicology and human health protection concerns. This project post clearly describes the practical nature of this effort without bogging down in details; thanks for sharing!
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July 6th, 2010 at 5:32 am
Hi,
Thanks for sharing such a nice information with us. i really like your information which you have provided.
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July 6th, 2010 at 5:34 am
Hi,
Thanks for sharing Such a nice information with us.I really like your Information Which you have provided &this information is very useful.
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July 13th, 2010 at 10:24 am
I like the taste of Arsenic!
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August 23rd, 2010 at 5:29 pm
Jake, that is a very irresponsible statement to make. You don’t know who could be reading this and then go on to taste it
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September 24th, 2010 at 2:26 am
Thanks for the nice blog. It was very useful for me. I’m happy I found this blog.(^_^)
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November 14th, 2010 at 3:56 am
Affordability and availability of technology both are the most important factors that will dictate the pace and adoption of this to remove arsenic from water in areas where it is contaminated.
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November 14th, 2010 at 5:36 pm
This project post clearly describes the practical nature of this effort without bogging down in details; thanks for sharing!
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November 16th, 2010 at 3:42 am
Making this technology not only affordable, but also easily available to local communities is a truly great objective. Working with the local people and getting them to understand ecology and the effects on their lives is an important part of our duties as ‘educated’ westerners to make the world a better place to live in. Thanks for sharing and keep up the good work
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