Arsenic is highly toxic and carcinogenic. Groundwater is particularly vulnerable to contamination with arsenic as a result of natural geochemical processes and problems can be exacerbated by mining activity. Even natural concentrations of arsenic in groundwater can limit its suitability for drinking.
It is now apparent that arsenic contamination of groundwater is quite extensive. In the last eight years, BGS has undertaken a series of collaborative investigations into the arsenic contamination of groundwater in various countries. These investigations have included both 'mining-related' and 'natural' sources of arsenic contamination. Many of these have been undertaken with support from the UK Department for International Development (DFID).