20 million people in China are at risk due to contaminated water
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
All iLive content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible.
We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses ([1], [2], etc.) are clickable links to these studies.
If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please select it and press Ctrl + Enter.
European scientists have established that millions of people in China are at risk due to water contaminated with arsenic. Experts believe that the health of twenty million Chinese is under threat.
Swiss scientists analyzed statistical geological data and determined that some regions of China are at risk. The fact that some amount of arsenic is present in the earth's crust is considered natural, but recent studies by geologists have shown that in some areas of the PRC arsenic enters groundwater, which is dangerous for the health of local residents.
Arsenic is a simple chemical substance, all compounds of which are poisonous and dangerous to human health. Acute arsenic poisoning is characterized by severe vomiting, pain in the intestines, diarrhea and depression of the nervous system. In regions where too much poisonous substance is present in groundwater and soil, many people suffer from pathological diseases of the thyroid gland.
Until the middle of the twentieth century, arsenic was often used as a medicine: some scientists were confident that a small dose of arsenic can kill cancer cells. Due to the fact that arsenic is a carcinogenic substance, its use as a medicine has made a significant contribution to the history of development of oncological diseases.
Geologists are sure that a large number of drinking wells in China need serious verification, since at the moment it is difficult to talk about the degree of groundwater contamination. Thorough inspection of each drinking well will take a huge amount of time, so Swiss scientists have proposed an alternative method.
Specialists from Basel conducted several studies using available information from the Institute's laboratories on science and technology in the hydrosphere. For several months, scientists analyzed the data provided by the institute: climate features, soil use, altitude and the number of industrial buildings. After studying the regional features and characteristics of rocks, scientists were able to determine the geographical areas in which toxic groundwater could turn out to be.
The data published by Swiss specialists indicate that there are almost twenty million people in China at risk. In the risk zone are also those regions, which in the twentieth century were considered quite safe.
Previously, arsenic was found in drinking water sources in some regions of southeastern India. The poisonous substance began to flow into the drinking water because of too frequent water withdrawal from popular sources.
Experts believe that at the moment it is necessary to check those regions that were not previously seen as toxic. There is a likelihood that the number of polluted sources is much larger than expected at the moment; in this case, environmentalists will have to prohibit their further use and take measures to clean groundwater.
[