Data and Knowledge Sharing for the China Arsenic Mitigation Network

Dianjun Sun 1, Dongguang Wen 2, Wenchao Liu 3, Oluwafemi Odediran 4, and Yan Zheng 5,6

1 The Center for Endemic Disease Control, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150061, P. R. China.

2 Department of Hydrogeology and Environmental Geology , China Geological Survey, Beijing 100011, P.R. China

3 Chinese Academy of Water Resources and Hydropower, Ministry of Water Resources, Beijing , P.R. China

4 United Nations Children’s Fund, Beijing Office, 12 Sanlitun Rd., Beijing, 100600, P.R. China

5 Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University , Palisades , NY 10964 , USA

6 Queens College , City University of New York , Flushing , NY 11367 , USA

Exposure to inorganic As from drinking well water has resulted in elevated health risks to at least 0.6 million people residing mostly in rural China . Exposure to As from food dried over un-ventilated coal fire stove and As-laden air affects another ~100,000 people. An important character of the exposed population in China is the relatively long exposure time of ~ 20 years. This resulted in high occurrence rates of severe arsenicosis cases, for instance, in Shanxi , Inner Mongolia and Guizhou . To mitigate this problem, a China Arsenic Mitigation Network was recently formed on March 25, 2006 in Beijing to assist several government agencies charged with the mitigation task. The primary objective of the China Arsenic Mitigation Network is to promote collaboration among all the stakeholders, including but not limited to biomedical researcher, hydrogeologist, geochemist, and water resources engineers.

Chinese central government has committed 2 billion RMB (US$ 250 million) on alternative water supply projects for high water As areas and a stove improvement program for high coal As areas from 2006 to 2011 under the “Chinese Key Endemic Disease Control Program (2006-2010)”. To provide basis for policy making, the China Arsenic Mitigation Network will facilitate 1) joint development of criteria for sampling plans to identify arsenic affected area to include geological, hydrochemical and biomedical data; and 2) joint development of implementation plan to reduce health effect of As exposure.

Defining areas where As problems are likely to occur for As testing will be based on geologic knowledge. This is because cluster areas of As endemics in China were usually identified only after severe health outcomes were evident. In this context, the problem of chronic As exposure may be more wide spread than it is recognized presently, and could be prevented if actions were taken. Mechanisms of how to share hydrogeologic and biomedical data to find the most cost effective way to supply alternative drinking water to affected population by the water resources engineers will be discussed.