Arsenic is a metabolic poison that is present in minute quantities in most rock materials and, under certain natural conditions, can accumulate in aquifers and cause adverse health effects.

A new publication by Eawag, the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology is the result of the line of work on ‘developing predictive maps for the identification of risks of groundwater contamination’ (arsenic, fluoride, etc.) published on the EAWAG’s Groundwater Assessment Platform (GAP).

The Global risk modelling of arsenic in groundwater has now been finalised. According to the document between 94 and 220 million people are potentially affected by arsenic contamination in drinking water including in particular:

• Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Uzbekistan and northern Turkmenistan in Central Asia