Where is Arsenic Found?
There are trace amounts of arsenic almost everywhere – in ocean water and in soil, in the water we drink, the food we eat and the air we breathe. There are trace amounts of arsenic almost everywhere – in ocean water and in soil, in the water we drink, the food we eat and the air we breathe. All of the natural forms of arsenic can be traced back to geological deposits. On average, there are about two parts arsenic for every million parts of rock or soil on Earth (a measurement usually expressed as two parts per million or 2 ppm). But arsenic is not distributed evenly throughout the globe. Sedimentary rock in some areas, such as regions of India, China and South America, may contain as much arsenic as two parts per hundred – two percent by weight. Higher-than-average concentrations of arsenic have also been found in the underground rock of some areas in the United States, such as areas of New Hampshire, Maine, Michigan and several Western and Southwestern states. Arsenic in these regions
How are the people dealing with arsenic? What are the effects of arsenic poisoning? What is being done or has been done to contain the arsenic problem? What is a tube well? Alternate A Acid In Bangladesh we see posters that say, Stop acid violence. What are these posters referring to? Who is affected by the violence? What can be done to stop it? Where is acid violence a problem? Why is acid violence a problem? B Bangla Bengali Why is the national language of Bangla so important to the people of Bangladesh? How did the language movement begin? What were the consequences of the fight for their native language? Who did they fight against? C Child Labor Why is child labor an issue in Bangladesh? What is being done to end child labor? Where and what kind of work are children doing in Bangladesh? Who are the children laborers? Alternate C Chittagong Hill Tracts Where are they located? Why is there interest in this region? Why is there controversy? How are the native people different than in
• There are trace amounts of arsenic everywhere; in ocean water, soil, drinking water, food and air. On average, there are 2 parts arsenic for every million parts of rock or soil on Earth, but arsenic is not evenly distributed throughout the earth. • Higher than average concentrations of arsenic have been found in New Hampshire, Maine, Michigan, and several Western and Southwestern states. Arsenic from geological formations can leach into groundwater supplies in certain conditions (see How does it Get There? ).
