The Bangladesh-Australia Centre for Arsenic Mitigation
AusAid
project 03-6042
Research staff have been involved in studying the behaviour of arsenic in the environment for over 10 years. Currently research staff at CERAR are involved in two major projects in Bangladesh to investigate the dietary intake of arsenic from water, soil and crops. The Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) and AusAID are the major sponsors of these research projects.
This project is an international collaborative effort between CRC for
Waste Management and Pollution Control,
Dhaka Community Hospital,
GHD Pty Ltd and the
Centre for Environmental Risk Assessment and
Remediation at the University of South Australia. The overall goal
of this project is to provide a substantial contribution to the
prevention of arsenic poisoning in Bangladesh via the implementation of
four sustainable programs that can be adopted at the community level to
minimise exposure to arsenic from groundwater and food.
The four distinct but interactive programs are managed by organisations
from both Australia and Bangladesh and include:
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Program
1 was implemented by Dhaka Community Hospital and involved the
establishment of a Bangladesh-Australia Centre for Arsenic Mitigation in
Bangladesh; consequently The Bangladesh-Australia Centre for Arsenic
Mitigation was officially opened on Monday 30th June 2003 by Her
Excellency Ms. Lorraine Baker, Australian High Commissioner to
Bangladesh. This resource centre provides 'professional ongoing advice
on safe water and food, human health and well being for arsenic affected
communities'. -
Program 2 (The Safe Water Program) coordinated by the CRC for Waste Management and Pollution Control has the objective of supplying appropriate treatment methods or alternative water supply options (dugwells and rainwater harvesting) for providing safe drinking water.
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Program 3 (The Safe Food Program) is implemented by CERAR scientists from the University of South Australia and has the objective of establishing a program which will enable the Government of Bangladesh to obtain a better understanding of the potential of exposure to arsenic via the food chain. The significant of exposure to arsenic from food sources will be assessed and strategies capable of being adopted at a village level to reduce arsenic exposure will be developed.
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Program 4 (Community Health Program) is implemented and principally managed by Dhaka Community Hospital to develop a Community Education System in collaboration with participating local communities.
The
main role of CERAR scientists is to implement the Safe Food Program. To
this end field sampling of soils, water and edible plants (including
animal fodder) was initiated in March 2003 concentrating initially on
the five core villages common to all programs
Babutipara
Daniapara
Iruaine
Rasullabad, and
Sarupie
These villages were selected because they were physically located in
one of the five Uppazilla’s identified as being of interest to the
Bangladesh government and had some previously reported cases of
arsenicosis patients.
Using GPS, the positions of all samples were logged allowing the
development of detailed GIS maps of the affected villages. In addition,
in each village a dietary survey of selected households was conducted to
ascertain the types and amounts of food villagers typically eat.
Together with the amounts of arsenic detected in the sampled water and
foods this survey is being used to estimate total arsenic loading. This
phase of the project is currently being expanded into an additional 25
villages.
The other major aim of the safe food program is to build capacity in the
region for arsenic related issues. Therefore training forms an integral
part of the program to ensure that the project goals are sustainable.
To date two workshops have been held in Bangladesh on 'Quality
Management in the Environmental Laboratory” and “Practical
Aspects of Water, Soil and Plant Analysis' and more workshops will
be conducted throughout the project as training needs are identified.
In addition two female postgraduate students from Bangladesh are
involved with this project strengthening both the capacity for
scientific endeavour in Bangladesh and the role of woman in science.