Arsenic contamination in soil-water-plant (rice, Oryza sativa L.) continuum in central and sub-mountainous Punjab, India.

In the present study, Arsenic (As) concentrations in underground water, soil, and plants (rice) and their inter-relationships in central and sub-mountainous Punjab, India were studied. Approximately, 32% of the tubewell water samples had As concentrations greater than the maximum permissible limit (10 μg As L(-1)) set by the World Health Organization (WHO) whereas in hand pump waters, As concentrations were within the safe range (i.e. <10 μg As L(-1)). As concentrations in tubewell waters were significantly correlated with As concentrations in surface soil (r = 0.57; P < 0.05) and plant samples (r = 0.27-0.82; P < 0.05) in central and sub-mountainous Punjab. The estimated daily intake of As through human consumption in rural and urban population was 0.016 and 0.012 μg day(-1) kg(-1) body weight respectively.