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International Conference on

Recent Trends in Environmental Sustainability

ESCON22/NMsB/44
Tackling arsenic hazard through sustainable technologies for ecosystem restoration

1,
1
Nabeel Khan Niazi *, Irshad Bibi , Muhammad Shahid 2
1 Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences, University of Agriculture Faisalabad,
Faisalabad 38040, Pakistan
2 Department of Environmental Sciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Vehari Campus,
Vehari, Pakistan
Correspondence: nabeelkniazi@gmail.com

Abstract

Geogenic arsenic (As) contamination of groundwater in South and Southeast Asian countries
including Pakistan has become the environmental and public health issue due to its highly toxic
effects. Several groundwater wells were tested to evaluate As contamination level, species and
hydrogeochemical behaviour of As in aquifers along various flood plain of Pakistan. Results
revealed that 68% of the wells contained As concentration above the World Health
−1
Organization safe limit for As in drinking water (WHO; 10 µg L ), and 38% wells exceeded
−1
the Pakistan EPA’s quality standard (50 µg L ). Arsenic content of wells at shallow depths
(9–35 m) was below the WHO limit, indicating a safe zone for pumping of drinking water.
Hydrogeochemistry of the aquifers was saline with dominance of Na-SO4 and Na-Ca-HCO3
type water, low Fe content and alkaline pH. Various biochars and natural or modified
biosorbents were evaluated for filtration of As from drinking water. We found that water melon
rind-based filtration media, after mild modification, was the most potent product to remove As
from drinking water of Punjab in Pakistan.

Keywords: Groundwater contamination; Health risk, Toxicity; Speciation

Department of Environmental Sciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Vehari Campus

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