Assessment of Arsenic content in water, soil and plant samples of Patna

The aim of present study was to develop a database of Arsenic (As) in groundwater, soil, vegetables, cereal and forage crops to evaluate the potential human health risks posed by a higher level of As, in Maner block of Patna, Bihar. The total concentration of arsenic in various samplesunderstudywasdeterminedbyhydridegeneratoratomicabsorptionspectrophotometer. The concentration of Arsenic in ground water, soil and plant samples exceeded the WHO guideline values (10 ppb). The concentration of As in groundwater (tubewell) used for irrigation and agricultural soil samples ranged between 11.07 to 91.72 ppb and 82.2-135.5 ppb, respectively, which was on an average above the permissible limit of WHO guideline value. Soil of the study area was slightly acidic to alkaline in nature with low range of nitrogen and medium range of Pand K.Crops were sampled from the selected sites and result showed that in vegetables As content varied in the range of 50.8 ppb to 289.1 ppb, in forage/pulse in the range of 90.3 ppb to 241.5 ppb and in cereal (Maize)crop in the range of 40.1 ppb to 265.4 ppb. Above ground concentration of arsenic in vegetables (consumable portion) was found to be higher than cereal and forage crops.