Arsenic contamination in the groundwater of Thoubal and Bishnupur district of Manipur, India

Abstract

Groundwater plays an important role in shaping the economic and social health of urban and rural population throughout the globe, however the distribution of good quality groundwater is quite uneven. In many parts of the world, especially in the South and South-East Asian nations, manifold higher concentrations of arsenic (As) than the WHO permissible limit has been reported. Still it seems that the extent of the As contamination is not known completely, as in the case of North-Eastern Indian states where very limited studies has been conducted till date. A systematic study has thus been undertaken to assess the groundwater quality of Thoubal and Bishnupur district of Manipur. In total 26 water samples have been collected and analyzed for various elements, including the arsenic. More than 45 % of collected water samples have shown As concentrations well above the permissible limit (10?g/L) prescribed by WHO for drinking water. The highest concentration of arsenic (535?g/L) has been reported from Ngangkha Lawai Mamang Leikai area of Bishnupur district which is fifty fold higher than the WHO limit and tenfold higher than the Indian permissible limit (50?g/L) of As in drinking water. The study indicates that these two districts are severely affected by as contamination in the groundwater. � 2014 CAFET-INNOVA TECHNICAL SOCIETY.