Arsenic Awareness Society: Our Aim & Objective

Monday, May 28, 2007

Our Aim & Objective

Our objective is to save the unfortunate arsenic affected people in rural areas. Our aim , firstly , to guide ,teach and impart proper knowledge and keep constant aware of the techniques and methods to prevent arsenic contamination in drinking water , secondly , to mitigate the arsenic contamination in water by applying different physical methods by supplying filter kits and chemicals substances . Finally, it is also our very gesture to look after the arsenic affected patients – to give them necessary medical advice and to guide them to get the facilities from Govt Hospitals .

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Introduction Arsenic Awareness in West Bengal

Our Team Effort

Coordinated efforts from the Health dept., Public Sanitation, Engineering Dept. and Education Dept. along with different NGO’s and Medical organizations are of immense importance to minimize the sufferings of arsenic effected victims. In our State such efforts should also be taken to curb this arsenic toxicity. As a part of this program, we have organized several programs with team comprising representatives from our society and Prof. Arunava Mazumdar, Mr. Bhaskar Banerjee and many others from All India Institute of Hygiene and Public Health, Dr.Debdutta Chatterjee of SSKM Hospital, Arsenic Clinic and Engineer, Mr. Bhairabh Chaterjee from public health engineering Dept. of West Bengal – in different parts of Nadia district. To give an example we had organized awareness programs (in the months of April, May and June 2002) at Karimpur and Nazipur where Block Development officer, IC of Karimpur P.S, representatives from local panchayats (Panchayat Pradhan Ms.Mukti Das and Upapradhan Ms. Archana Mandal ) and other NGOs Nazimpur Durjoy Sanghha and from the Arsenic Awareness Society -Mr.Anup Biswas , Mr. Debaprasad Sanyal , Mr.Partha Sarkar ,Mr.Piyush Kanti Saha, Mr.Asit Mondal , Mr.Gajen Mondal, Mr.Boloram Biswas ,Mr.Tarak De ,Mr Bivas Pal,Mr.Sujit Mondal and others, teachers and students from schools and colleges, Medical professionals and people from nearby villages participated.

Importance of toxicity of Arsenic as well as AIDS

Considering the seriousness of this situation, we realized that we must take appropriate steps and sustained awareness programs to educate the people on this issue. Although people of our state are cautious about the danger of AIDS but they are attaching less importance to arsenic toxicity, and we forget that the magnitude of Arsenic toxicity is much more than AIDS in our state. Other countries like Argentina, Mexico, Taiwan, China, Thailand, Chile, Bangladesh which are facing this problem have been able to control this menace because of continuous efforts by their Governments, along with other NGOs, Print media,Electronic media and common people.

Awareness the de-contamination Methods and other preventive measures in arsenic stricken Areas

It has been observed that these awareness programs have been able to motivate the local people of the affected villages to face the challenge. They have been shown how to use arsenic contaminated water after filtering along with other necessary steps as given below. a) To store the arsenic contaminated water for 24 hours because oxygen is much less in underground water. After storing the water for 12-24 hours, arsenic gets oxidized and settles at the bottom part. If the supernatant is filtered, approximately 50% to 60% of the arsenic can be removed from the water. b) to mix 2mg. Of bleaching powder and 40 mg. Of alum with 1 liter arsenic contaminated water. To stir it with a stick for one minute and to store it for 2 hours. The supernatant may be filtered further. This will give us 90-95% arsenic free water. In all cases, however, in the arsenic affected areas, tube well water must be tested with the help of arsenic detecting kits ( as per the guideline the water which is found with arsenic level of .05 mg/litre, is not useable as potable water). We realized that approximately 60 to 70% tube wells are made by private owners and in most of these tube wells the depth is within 80 to 120 feet and it is also found that arsenic is more prevalent at the depth of 80 to 100 feet. It may so happen that if in a village 20 tube wells are existing out of them 10 may have arsenic contaminated water (which can be detected by simple arsenic detecting kits-costing only INR.20). People may be educated to avoid those tube wells and drink water from other tube wells. If it so happens in a village all the tube wells are having arsenic contaminated water by the simple techniques of purification (mentioned above) we can get almost arsenic free water. This simple education should be included at the Panchayats level. Arsenic detecting technique, the process of minimizing arsenic in arsenic contaminated water, how to make low cost filters etc. should be included in the school curriculum of arsenic affected areas. If possible through government and NGOs – deep tube wells, bigger plants for arsenic removal can also be planned. If possible, river water utilization can also be helpful. Education on rain water harvesting may be also helpful in the long run.

Principle of Method for Arsenic Detection through Arsenic Field Test kit

MMercuric Bromide Stain Method as adopted for detection ofArsenic ,as per Standard Literaturem can detect presence of Arsenic upto a minimum limit of 0.05 mg per litre . The principle adpoted for detection of the presence of arsenic in water in mercuric bromide stain method , is to first reduce the penta valent arsenic to trivalent arsenic by potassium iodide and Stannous Chloride , then this trivalent arsenic is allowed to react with Hydrogen ion (which would be generated by the reaction of Hydrocholoric acid and Zinc granules) to form arsine (AsH3).The arsine is passed through a Column containing a roll of cotton moistened with Lead Acetate solution.This generated arsine produces a yellow brown stain on test paper strips impregnated with mercuric bromide .

Arsenic Awareness Society

Monday, May 28, 2007

Our Aim & Objective

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