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Science 22 November 2002:
Vol. 298. no. 5598, p. 1511
DOI: 10.1126/science.298.5598.1511d
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This Week in Science

In an attempt to prevent cholera and other water-borne diseases, Bangladesh encouraged the use of groundwater, which had the unintended effect after several years of exposing a large part of the population to arsenic present as a contaminant. The uncertain origin of the arsenic has hampered remediation efforts. In a study in southern Bangladesh, Harvey et al. (p. 1602; see the news story by Stokstad) rule out several suggested mechanisms and show that young organic carbon is being carried into aquifers by the extraction of groundwater for agriculture. Dissolved carbon is likely feeding bacteria, which liberate arsenic bound in solids in the aquifer back into the groundwater.




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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)