Using geographical information systems to assess groundwater contamination from arsenic and related diseases based on survey data in Lahore,Pakistan |
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| Authors: | Muhammad Imran Sohail Jahanzaib Ather Ashraf |
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| Institution: | 1.Institute of Geo-information Science and Earth Observation (IGEO),University of Arid Agriculture,Rawalpindi,Pakistan;2.Punjab Agriculture Commission,Agriculture Government of Pakistan,Lahore,Pakistan;3.Center for Geographical Information Systems,University of the Punjab,Lahore,Pakistan |
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| Abstract: | The present study was aimed at assessing the groundwater contamination from arsenic (As) and its impact on health from survey data in Lahore, Pakistan. OK (ordinary kriging) technique was used to create As and pH surfaces for samples from 380 groundwater wells at different locations and depths in the study area. Geographic information systems (GIS) was applied to delineate areas for safe, risk, and dangerous zones of As in drinking water from groundwater wells at 640 to 850 ft depths. To analyze effects of high As on public health, GIS-based field surveys were conducted to link health data along location of respondents to As contamination levels in the delineated safe, risk, and dangerous zones. Moreover, various pH levels and their effectiveness were studied to suggest cost-effective As treatment in the study area. Our results show that As contaminated strata varies with depth of groundwater wells, i.e., 44.50% areas comprising safe zone of drinking water from deep wells at 850 ft depth compared to 26% areas of shallow water at 640 ft depth. About 35% area with pH range (7 to 7.5) is marked in the risk and danger zones of As that can be initially targeted for treatment. Surveys confirm that people living in the risk and danger zones have some kind of As-related diseases. |
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