Relationship of arsenic concentration with ammonium-nitrogen concentration, oxidation reduction potential and pH of groundwater in arsenic-contaminated areas in Asia

Kiyoshi Kurosawa, Kazuhiko Egashira, Masakazu Tani

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

13 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

This study examines how arsenic (As) concentration is related to ammonium-nitrogen (NH4-N) concentration, oxidation reduction potential (ORP) and pH in groundwater to determine if they have common characteristics in groundwater with high As concentrations in the As-contaminated areas of Bangladesh, Nepal, Cambodia and Vietnam. For the groundwater samples having the three highest As concentrations (top three groundwaters) selected as representatives at each location, As and NH4-N concentrations varied, but ORP and pH did not vary by locations. The ORP value of 30-110mV, indicating the reducing condition, and the neutral to slightly alkaline pH (pH 7.0-7.6) were presumed to be the key conditions for high As concentrations in groundwater of the study areas. According to the ORP (Eh)-pH diagram, the dominant As species in the top three groundwaters from each location was hydrogen arsenate (HAsO42-). Out of the correlations between the four elements for the top three groundwaters in the areas, only the correlation between As and NH4-N concentrations was positive and significant. Thus, it was identified that NH4-N had an effect on increasing As concentration in groundwater.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)85-88
Number of pages4
JournalPhysics and Chemistry of the Earth
Volume58-60
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2013

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Geophysics
  • Geochemistry and Petrology

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