Arsenic contamination of Bangladesh aquifers exacerbated by clay layers.
Journal
Nature communications
ISSN: 2041-1723
Titre abrégé: Nat Commun
Pays: England
ID NLM: 101528555
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
07 05 2020
07 05 2020
Historique:
received:
03
08
2019
accepted:
08
04
2020
entrez:
9
5
2020
pubmed:
10
5
2020
medline:
18
8
2020
Statut:
epublish
Résumé
Confining clay layers typically protect groundwater aquifers against downward intrusion of contaminants. In the context of groundwater arsenic in Bangladesh, we challenge this notion here by showing that organic carbon drawn from a clay layer into a low-arsenic pre-Holocene (>12 kyr-old) aquifer promotes the reductive dissolution of iron oxides and the release of arsenic. The finding explains a steady rise in arsenic concentrations in a pre-Holocene aquifer below such a clay layer and the repeated failure of a structurally sound community well. Tritium measurements indicate that groundwater from the affected depth interval (40-50 m) was recharged >60 years ago. Deeper (55-65 m) groundwater in the same pre-Holocene aquifer was recharged only 10-50 years ago but is still low in arsenic. Proximity to a confining clay layer that expels organic carbon as an indirect response to groundwater pumping, rather than directly accelerated recharge, caused arsenic contamination of this pre-Holocene aquifer.
Identifiants
pubmed: 32382006
doi: 10.1038/s41467-020-16104-z
pii: 10.1038/s41467-020-16104-z
pmc: PMC7205959
doi:
Substances chimiques
Water Pollutants, Chemical
0
Arsenic
N712M78A8G
Clay
T1FAD4SS2M
Types de publication
Journal Article
Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
2244Subventions
Organisme : NIEHS NIH HHS
ID : P42 ES010349
Pays : United States
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