Arsenic Pollution: Sources, Modes of Enrichment, Mechanisms of Release, and Mitigation Strategies

Dear Colleagues,

Arsenic pollution has caused health risks to millions globally due to the contamination of drinking water and food. Arsenic is a metalloid that is found in over 200 known mineral forms, many of which are sulfides and oxides. Arsenic contamination can be attributed to both natural (geogenic) and anthropogenic (mining) sources, and, depending upon geochemical and transport conditions and exposure, the health effects can be widespread and severe. Several geochemical and microbial mechanisms have been attributed to the mobility of this metalloid in aqueous systems, such as the oxidation of sulfide minerals, the reductive dissolution of iron (oxy)hydroxides, pH-dependent desorption, as well as geothermally influenced dissolution and desorption. The recent literature has shown that mineral solubility, the redox state of the system, the presence of competing ions, natural organic matter (NOM), and microbial reactions are some of the important factors that affect the mobility of arsenic. Various arsenic mitigation strategies are under consideration, including pump-n-treat, point of use treatment, in situ arsenic stabilization, or switching to an alternative source of water, all of which have their own pros and cons. There is a growing need for the development of economically viable and environmentally sustainable arsenic mitigation technologies and strategies. For this Special Issue, we invite original research papers that investigate sources of arsenic in various natural as well as contaminated environments, modes of arsenic enrichment via physical and geochemical pathways, mechanisms of release under diverse environmental conditions and via abiotic as well as microbial processes, and mitigation strategies. The studies may include but are not limited to controlled experiments in the laboratory, field investigations, geochemical, statistical and numerical modeling or their combinations, and the pilot-scale or field-scale implementation of arsenic mitigation strategies. This issue will be divided into four sections:

1. Occurrence of arsenic in the environment: sources, mode of enrichment, and mechanisms of release.
2. Analytical method development and state-of-the-art technological advancements for varied sample matrices.
3. Mitigation strategies: chemical and biological methods for immobilization of arsenic in aquatic systems, experimental, pilot- or full-scale implementation, and life-cycle analyses of treatment systems.
4. Management of the crisis, policy implications and regulatory affairs from socioeconomic perspectives.

Dr. Harshad V. Kulkarni
Dr. Santanu Majumder
Guest Editors

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