Arsenic in Food Chain Leads to Health Hazards in West Bengal and North-Eastern States of India

English Abstract:

The supply of good quality food is main necessity for economic and social health of urban and rural population throughout the globe. This study comes to know the severity of As in the west Bengal and north-eastern states of the India. Over the 75% large population of India lives in villages and associated with farming and its related work. Arsenic contamination in ground water is major growing threat to worldwide drinking water resources. High As contamination in water with paddy and wheat plant has been reported in West Bengal Norra et al., 2005. West Bengal is the densest populated area of India, fish and rice are the staple food in West Bengal and as well as in north-eastern states of India. For the fulfil demand of fish large population of the area are using fisheries as the business. In context to West Bengal and North-eastern states of India, arsenic in food chain is emerging menace. In these areas ground water is rich in arsenic, several fold higher concentrations prescribed by WHO (10 µg/L) permissible limits have been reported. Over the 36 million people in Bengal delta are at risk due to drinking of As contaminated water (Nordstrom, 2002). More than fifty percent samples showing higher concentration of arsenic with 535 µg/L was registered from Ngangkha Lawai Mamang Leikai area of Bishnupur district which is fifty fold of the WHO limit. In the area paddy plant has been analysed for arsenic intake and registered with 52 mg/kg in root and 4 mg/kg in stem. Continuous traditional practicing (As rich water pond) and untreated arsenic rich water in fisheries may leads to health hazards. A sustainable development in aquaculture should comprise of various fields including environmental, social, cultural and economic aspects. A scientific study has to be needed for the overcome on this problem and rain harvested water may be used for reduce the arsenic problems in fisheries and health hazards.