FAARM Marking Tubewells and taking tubewell water samples: Geochemical investigations of drinking water quality in Sylhet, Bangladesh

Background/Summary

Within the framework of a representative field study in Sylhet, Bangladesh, the University Hospital Heidelberg (PD. Dr. med. Sabine Gabrysch) is evaluating the influence of malnutrition on child stunting. Therefore, the iron content of the drinking water will be examined. For this purpose approx. 2.000 wells used for drinking water are registered, labeled and sampled. Through the collaboration with the Institute of Earth Sciences (GEOW) additional parameters like arsenic and the complete water composition can be measured in order to derive important information about redox potential and influencing factors.

Thus, analysis costs will be shared between the University Hospital Heidelberg and the GEOW. Furthermore, the “Heidelberg Center for the Environment” (HCE) awarded a start-up funding to the project for a follow-up proposal. Recent research progress is presented in the project „Influence of human waste on arsenic release into drinking water in Bangladesh – geochemical and statistical investigations“.

The outcome of this project will contribute to the findings of the AsFreeH2O project. Additionally the location in Sylhet will be considered for the implementation of newly developed arsenic removal technologies and their social acceptance. Sylhet poses a challenging research environment due to high arsenic and high poverty.