Hotspots of geogenic arsenic and manganese contamination in groundwater of the floodplains in lowland Amazonia (South America)

Arsenic enrichment in groundwater resources in deltas and floodplains of large sediment-rich rivers is a worldwide natural hazard to human health. High spatial variability of arsenic concentrations in affected river basins limits cost-effective mit-igation strategies. Linking the chemical composition of groundwater with the topography and fluvial geomorphology is a promising approach for predicting arsenic pollution on a regional scale. Here we correlate the distribution of arsenic con-taminated wells with the fluvial dynamics in the Amazon basin. Groundwater was sampled from tube wells along the Am-azon River and its main tributaries in three distinct regions in Peru and Brazil. For each sample, the major and trace element concentrations were analyzed, and the position of the well within the sedimentary structure was determined. The results show that aquifers in poorly weathered sediments deposited by sediment-rich rivers are prone to mobilization and accumu-lation of aqueous arsenic and manganese, both in sub-Andean foreland basins, and in floodplains downstream. Two zones at risk are distinguished: aquifers in the channel-dominated part of the floodplain (CDF) and aquifers in the overbank de-posits on the less-dynamic part of the floodplain (LDF). Some 70 % of the wells located on the CDF and 20 % on the LDF tap groundwater at concentrations exceeding the WHO guideline of 10 mu g/L arsenic (max. 430 mu g/L), and 70 % (CDF) and 50 % (LDF) exceeded 0.4 mg/L manganese (max. 6.6 mg/L). None of the water samples located outside the actual floodplain of sediment-rich rivers, or on riverbanks of sediment-poor rivers exceed 5 mu g/L As, and only 4 % exceeded 0.4 mg/L Mn. The areas of highest risk can be delineated using satellite imagery. We observe similar patterns as in affected river basins in South and Southeast Asia indicating a key role of sedimentation processes and fluvial geomorphology in priming arsenic and manganese contamination in aquifers.

Automated summary

Arsenic enrichment in groundwater resources in deltas and floodplains of large sediment-rich rivers poses a worldwide natural hazard to human health. The high spatial variability of arsenic concentrations in affected river basins hinders the implementation of cost-effective mitigation strategies. Linking the chemical composition of groundwater with topography and fluvial geomorphology shows promise in predicting arsenic pollution on a regional scale. In the Amazon basin, arsenic contamination in wells was found to be correlated with fluvial dynamics.