Abstract
Several confirmed cases of arsenic (As) poisoning have been reported in Central Luzon, the Philippines, in recent years. There is a growing interest in As research in the Philippines due to the reported As poisoning cases. However, an extensive spatiotemporal As study has not been conducted. In this work, As concentration measurements were conducted in 101 wells in Guagua, Pampanga, in Central Luzon, the Philippines, from November 2018 to November 2019. The wells included 86 public hand pumps, 10 pumping stations, and 5 private, jet-powered pumps. Using hydride generation—inductively coupled plasma—optical emission spectroscopy (HG-ICP-OES), analysis of the wells in 12 barangays in Guagua revealed that 38.7% had average As concentrations beyond the 10 ppb limit with some wells having high Mn (4.0 ppm) and Fe (2.0 ppm) content as well. The high pH and reducing conditions in the wells in Guagua may have contributed to the persistence of As in the groundwater. The mean difference in wet season versus dry season As measurements were −4.4 (As < 10 ppb), −13.2 (10 to 50 ppb As), and −27.4 (As > 50 ppb). Eighty-three wells (82.2%) had higher As concentrations in the dry season, 8 wells (7.92%) had higher As concentrations in the wet season, 7 wells (6.93%) had no significant difference between the wet and dry season, and 3 wells had been decommissioned. These results indicate that there is a significant difference in As concentrations in the wet and dry seasons, and this could have implications in water treatment technology and policy implementation. The work resulted in the first year-long characterization of groundwater As in the Philippines.
Highlights
Arsenic (As) is a known pollutant present in groundwater aquifers
The climate in Guagua is the same as most parts of the Philippines; the wet season is from June to November, and the dry season is from December to May [24]
Analysis of the well profiles reveal that of the 101 wells, 86 are publicly available hand pumps
Summary
Arsenic (As) is a known pollutant present in groundwater aquifers. Chronic exposure toAs-containing compounds promotes genetic mutation resulting in an increased risk of cancer, skin diseases, and various damage to other organ systems [1]. Arsenic (As) is a known pollutant present in groundwater aquifers. Groundwater As contamination is reported worldwide and in Asia, there is an estimated total of 150–240 million people affected by high levels of As in countries such as India, Bangladesh, Cambodia, and Vietnam [2]. The Philippines shares many similar geological features with these countries and is heavily reliant on groundwater for consumption. Arsenicosis, is an emerging health issue in several regions in the Philippines. The species of As in the groundwater contribute to the exposure risk, and the order of decreasing toxicity is R3 As > H3 AsO3 > H3 AsO4 > R4 As+ > As0 , where R is a proton or an alkyl
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