S A S M I T
GLOBAL ADVOCACY AWARENESS-RAISING, CAPACITY-BUILDING AND EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION

KTH-International Groundwater Arsenic Research Group will be responsible for global advocacy, awareness-raising, capacity building and exchange of information as well as replication trials and final conceptualization of the studied mitigation option. All work will be done in close collaboration with NGO Forum, Dhaka University and Ramböll as well as the external collaborators within the network.

During year one, responsible for------

  1. Prepare an inventory of the arsenic occurrences globally in south Asia and their distribution.
  2. Initiate activities on campaigns for awareness raising, about the presence of As, its heterogeneities and behaviours in natural groundwater environments and the necessities to explore for safe aquifers that can be sustainable over a wide range of countries with diverse socio-economic scenario.
  3. Consolidate information and database on the groundwater resources for exploitation of safe-drinking water in different parts of the As affected hotspots in various parts of the globe. This is presently being carried out in the form of a Taylor and Francis Publication entitled “Geogenic Arsenic in Groundwater of Latin America–Occurrence, Health Impact, Remediation and Management” together with the International Society of Groundwater for Sustainable Development (ISGSD) (www.isgsd.org)” edited by the team including researchers from KTH-International Groundwater Arsenic Research Group. This will be integrated and strengthened as a current project component.
  4. Include new areas in the compilation of the available database on the occurrences of As, estimation of the affected population, and the present mitigation approach and their sustainability as safe drinking water source.

Achievement after 1 year:

"Global advocacy, awareness-raising, capacity building and exchange of information”, the following activities have been done:"

  • Presentation of 3 abstracts at 2nd International Congress on Arsenic in the environment, Arsenic from nature to humans, Valencia, 21-23 May 2008 (co-financed activity1)
  • Presentation of the SAsMit Project as a advisory member of the European Commission Sixth Framework Programme (2002-2006), Marie Curie Actions – Human Resources and Mobility Activity Area, Research Training Networks: Geogenic chemicals in groundwater and soils: a research training Network (30 June-3 July 2008).
  • Groundwater Arsenic: A global environmental health problem and sustainable mitigation (Topical Session, Geological Soceity of America, Annual Meeting, Houston Texas, USA (5-9 October, 2008)
  • SAsMit project presentation for Asian Development Bank in Cambodia, 2009-02-25
  • Special Issue of Journal of Contaminant Hydrology: “Distribution of Geogenic Arsenic in Hydrologic Systems: Controls and Challenges” Editors: Mukherjee, A., Bhattacharya, P., Savage, K., Foster, A. & Bunschuh, J. July, 2008, J. Cont. Hydrol. v. 99 (1-4): 1-150.
  • Special Issue of Environment International: “Arsenic Geochemistry, Transport Mechanism in the Soil-Plant System, Human and Animal Health Issues” Editors: Kim, K.-W., Bang, S., Zhu, Y. G., Meharg, A. A. & Bhattacharya, P., April, 2009 Environmental International. v. 35(3): 453-515.
  • Supplementary Issue of Environmental Geochemistry and Health: “Arsenic in the Environment—Risks and Management Strategies” Editors: Naidu, R. & Bhattacharya, P., April, 2009 Environmental Geochemistry and Health v. 31 (Supplement 1): 1-113.
  • Edited book: “Groundwater and Sustainable Development: Problems, Perspectives and Challenges” P. Bhattacharya, AL Ramanathan, A.B.Mukherjee, J. Bundschuh D. Chandrashekharam & AK Keshari (eds) © 2008, Taylor & Francis Group, London, ISBN 978-0-415-40776-2, 460p.
  • Interdisciplinary Book Series: “Arsenic in the Environment” Volume 1, Series Editors: Jochen Bundschuh and Prosun Bhattacharya, CRC Press/Taylor and Francis. “Natural arsenic in groundwaters of Latin America ? Occurrence, health impact and remediation”. Bundschuh, J. Armienta, M.A., P. Birkle, Bhattacharya, P., Matschullat, J. & Mukherjee, A.B. (eds.) © 2009 CRC Press/Taylor and Francis (ISBN: 978-0-415- 40771-7).

The 2nd International Congress on Arsenic in the environment, Arsenic from nature to humans, Valencia, was organized by the SASMIT project in May 2008. Three abstracts were presented at the congress.

The SASMIT project was presented to the advisory member of the European Commission Sixth Framework Programme (2002-2006), Marie Curie Actions –Human Resources and Mobility Activity Area, Research Training Networks: Geogenic chemicals in groundwaters and Soils: a research training Network (30 June-3 July 2008).

A topical session on “Groundwater Arsenic: A global environmental health problem and sustainable mitigation” was organized in the GSA (Geological Soceity of America) Annual Meeting, Houston Texas, USA (5-9 October, 2008).

A number of publications has been published by the team:

  1. Special Issue of Journal of Contaminant Hydrology: “Distribution of Geogenic Arsenic in Hydrologic Systems: Controls and Challenges”Editors: Mukherjee, A., Bhattacharya, P., Savage, K., Foster, A. & Bunschuh, J. July, 2008, J. Cont. Hydrol. v. 99 (1-4): 1-150.
  2. Special Issue of Environment International: “Arsenic Geochemistry,Transport Mechanism in the Soil-Plant System, Human and Animal Health Issues” Editors: Kim, K.-W., Bang, S., Zhu, Y. G., Meharg, A. A. & Bhattacharya, P., April, 2009 Environmental International. v. 35(3): 453-515.
  3. Supplementary Issue of Environmental Geochemistry and Health: “Arsenic in the Environment—Risks and Management Strategies” Editors: Naidu, R. & Bhattacharya, P., April, 2009 Environmental Geochemistry and Health v. 31 (Supplement 1): 1-113.
  4. Edited book: “Groundwater and Sustainable Development: Problems, Perspectives and Challenges” P. Bhattacharya, AL Ramanathan, A.B.Mukherjee, J. Bundschuh D. Chandrashekharam & AK Keshari (eds) ©2008, Taylor & Francis Group, London, ISBN 978-0-415-40776-2, 460p.
  5. Interdisciplinary Book Series: “Arsenic in the Environment” Volume 1,Series Editors: Jochen Bundschuh and Prosun Bhattacharya, CRC Press/Taylor and Francis. “Natural arsenic in groundwaters of Latin America ¯ Occurrence, health impact and remediation”. Bundschuh, J. Armienta, M.A., P. Birkle, Bhattacharya, P., Matschullat, J..& Mukherjee, A.B. (eds.) © 2009 CRC Press/Taylor and Francis (ISBN: 978-0-415-40771-7). A written project presentation was provided to the Asian Development Bank in Cambodia.

Two major events were co-organised at international conferences for global dissemination of the SASMIT project findings and to harmonise these finding with greater scientific community for discussion during year two; i) a special symposium at the 10th International Conference of Biogeochemistry of Trace Elements (ICOBTE) in Mexico and ii) a topical session at Geological Society of America Annual Meeting in Portland, USA (Appendix 1).

At the 10th ICOBTE meeting at Chihuahua, Mexico (July 13-16, 2009), a special symposium on Arsenic in the Environment- Dynamics and Biogeochemistry were organised and co-chaired by Prof. Prosun Bhattacharya and Prof. Kazi Matin Ahmed. The symposium provided a venue for scientists with a broad range of backgrounds and interests to present and discuss research on arsenic in the environment. The themes covered in the symposium included:

  • Source characterization of arsenic in the environment
  • Dynamics of arsenic in soil, water and biota
  • Prediction and modelling of the fate of arsenic in natural environment
  • Analytical techniques and speciation studies
  • Impact of arsenic on agriculture and the food chain
  • Arsenic in the geothermal systems and the seismically active areas
  • Remediation and management of arsenic contaminated soils and groundwater
  • Managing arsenic in contaminated soil and groundwater systems.

At the Geological Society of America, Annual Meeting, Portland, Oregon, USA (18-21 October 2009) a topical session on Geochemistry of Arsenic and Other Toxic Elements and Assessment of Environmental Risks in Global Groundwater Systems were organized. The session served as an inter-disciplinary platform for exchange of the recent advances of scientific knowledge and ideas for improving the understanding of the occurrence and mobility of As and other toxic elements in groundwater. In addition, this knowledge would lead to evaluate and develop suitable mitigation approach based on improved understanding of the hydrogeological and hydrogeochemical characteristics of the aquifers, social dynamics of the affected population. The session focused on:

  • emerging threat of arsenic and other toxic elements in groundwater and sedimentary environments on a global scale,
  • their distribution and chemical speciation in natural and anthropogenically induced systems,
  • biogeochemical and microbiological controls on the dynamics of geogenic contaminants in the environment,
  • bioaccumulation in agricultural and food chain issues,
  • ecological and human health impacts of geogenic arsenic and other related toxic elements,
  • water resource management and mitigation strategies for safe drinking water supplies.

The increased pressure on society to protect human health and the ecosystem has stimulated increased research using a wide range of approaches and techniques. Further, the impact of elevated concentration of As in irrigation water on crops and aquatic ecosystems have also become of concern. In addition to potential human health impacts caused by ingestion of food containing arsenic, the potential for reduced crop yield due to build-up of arsenic in the soil is an active area of research and importance. Although much has been learned about arsenic in the environment, the ability to predict the impact of intentional and unintentional changes to hydrologic and geochemical regimes often remains illusive. Hence there is an urgent need to improve the understanding on the geochemistry of these toxic elements such as As, Mn and other toxic elements in groundwater systems, constraints on their mobility. A comprehensive description of the outcomes from these two events is presented.


Disseminate Information through Website:

This is also the part of global component to disseminate information through Website. A website has already been developed and launched which can be accessed at www.ngof.org/SAsMit. The development of this website and uploading of the relevant information and data is a continual activity. The access to this website has been divided in two categories – general, up to a certain limit and special, with a password protection for entering into details, particularly access to database. A web page (http://www.ngof.org/sasmit/) for the project has been established and launched through NGO Forum webfacilities. Relevant databases, GIS maps and other information and data are uploaded on this web.