Bioavailability and bio-accessibility of arsenic for ecological and human health risk assessment: The geological and health interface

Arsenic (As) contamination is currently reported in over 70 countries worldwide. This overview of As contamination links its presence in groundwater to human exposure including its bioaccessibility from ecological and human health perspectives. Arsenic content in food crops grown in As-contaminated areas, human health effects due to consumption of As-contaminated water, bioavailability and bioaccessibility of As and the ecological effects of As are also considered. Inorganic As is mainly present in food crops such as rice and vegetables grown in As-contaminated areas which pose additional health risks to humans. An effective management strategy is required to minimize human exposure to As from water, soil and food. The focus of this paper is largely Bangladesh and West Bengal, India given the catastrophic impact of As recorded in these countries and subsequent studies that have relevance elsewhere.