干旱区生态环境知识资源中心

Hetao Basin, an inland-arid/semi-arid basin, is well known for the widely distribution of high arsenic groundwater and the serious local arseniasis causing by drinking high arsenic groundwater. Shallow groundwater in the basin generally occurs in the Quaternary alluvial, alluvial-pluvial, and fluvial-lacustrine aquifers, which are unconfined or leaky-confined. In this study, soil samples, surface water and groundwater samples were taken from Hetao Basin to analyse the occurrence and the distribution of arsenic in water and soil environments in this inland-arid/semi-arid basin. This study will provide a scientific basis for protect the safety of water supply in high arsenic groundwater areas.