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Geostatistically based management of arsenic contaminated ground water in shallow wells of Bangladesh

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  • Faisal Hossain
  • Jason Hill
  • Amvrossios Bagtzoglou

Abstract

This paper investigates the effectiveness of geostatistical approaches, specifically ordinary kriging, for regional management of arsenic contaminated shallow ground water in Bangladesh. The arsenic database for reference comprised the nation-wide survey (of 3534 drinking wells) completed in 1999 by the British Geological Survey (BGS) in collaboration with the Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE) of Bangladesh. A Monte Carlo (MC) framework was devised for selection of randomly-sampled networks of wells from this reference database. Each randomly sampled network was assumed an equi-probable exploratory field campaign designed commensurably with the requirements of rapidity and cost-effectiveness in a rural setting. In general, the kriging method was found to underestimate the arsenic concentration at non-sampled locations. This underestimation exceeded the safe limits at the Holocene region of Southcentral Bangladesh. The probability of successful prediction of safe wells for this region was found to be 72% (WHO safe limit – 10 ppb) and 78% (Bangladesh safe limit – 50 ppb). For the Pleistocene Northwestern region of Bangladesh, the safe well prediction probability was in the ranges of 90%–97%. The relatively more contaminated Holocene region in Southcentral Bangladesh, on other hand, was found more amenable to accurate geostatistical prediction of unsafe wells. Findings from this study exemplify that, while mainstream geostatistical approaches (e.g., ordinary kriging) may not provide the most accurate prediction of mean arsenic concentration at non-sampled locations, they can delineate an approximate strategy for management of arsenic contaminated shallow ground water if applied carefully. The kriging methodology is applied to a test case in Bangladesh; the approach, however, is general and is expected to have application in rural settings for other developing countries where arsenic contamination of ground water is also widespread (e.g., parts of India, Vietnam, Taiwan and Mexico). Copyright Springer Science + Business Media B.V. 2007

Suggested Citation

  • Faisal Hossain & Jason Hill & Amvrossios Bagtzoglou, 2007. "Geostatistically based management of arsenic contaminated ground water in shallow wells of Bangladesh," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 21(7), pages 1245-1261, July.
  • Handle: RePEc:spr:waterr:v:21:y:2007:i:7:p:1245-1261
    DOI: 10.1007/s11269-006-9079-2
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. M. L. Serre & A. Kolovos & G. Christakos & K. Modis, 2003. "An Application of the Holistochastic Human Exposure Methodology to Naturally Occurring Arsenic in Bangladesh Drinking Water," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 23(3), pages 515-528, June.
    2. Ross Nickson & John McArthur & William Burgess & Kazi Matin Ahmed & Peter Ravenscroft & Mizanur Rahmanñ, 1998. "Arsenic poisoning of Bangladesh groundwater," Nature, Nature, vol. 395(6700), pages 338-338, September.
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    Cited by:

    1. A. R. M. Towfiqul Islam & Shuanghe Shen & Muhammed Atikul Haque & Md. Bodrud-Doza & K. W. Maw & Md. Ahosan Habib, 2018. "Assessing groundwater quality and its sustainability in Joypurhat district of Bangladesh using GIS and multivariate statistical approaches," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 20(5), pages 1935-1959, October.
    2. H. Assaf & M. Saadeh, 2009. "Geostatistical Assessment of Groundwater Nitrate Contamination with Reflection on DRASTIC Vulnerability Assessment: The Case of the Upper Litani Basin, Lebanon," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 23(4), pages 775-796, March.
    3. Karen Villholth & Lorraine Rajasooriyar, 2010. "Groundwater Resources and Management Challenges in Sri Lanka–an Overview," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 24(8), pages 1489-1513, June.

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