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Dear All:
We have requested Dr. Prosun Bhattacharya, Dr Aftab Alam Khan, Dr. Badrul Imam and Dr. Gunnar Jacks several times to answer and explain the following questions:
"Please explain:
1. Why the "Oxyhydroxide Rerduction Theory" should not be considered a wrong and misleading theory for the mobilization of arsenic into the groundwater of Bangladesh and West Bengal of India?
2. Why the concept of "low sulfate concentration in the groundwater of the Bengal Basin" that you used as a main criterion for the rejection of the oxidation theory, should not be considered unscientific and an improper judgement?
Please answer:
1. If the Oxyhydroxide Reduction hypothesis is correct and if arsenic was present in an adsorbed form on iron hydroxide for thousands of years and existed in a solution for thousands of years in the aquifer groundwater of the Bengal Basin without being flushed out to sea, how did the people of Bangladesh and West Bengal of India avoid the arsenic poisoning when thousands of people drank water from dugwells for thousands of years and from thousands of tubewells for 60 to 70 years, prior to the 1970s?
2. Also please explain how millions of people in Bangladesh who had been drinking water from millions of tubewells during the interval between the 1960's and prior to 1975, before the construction of dams/barrages and diversion of surface water by India from the Ganges, Tista, and 28 other common rivers of Bangladesh and India, lack signs of arsenic poisoning?"
2. Also please explain how millions of people in Bangladesh who had been drinking water from millions of tubewells during the interval between the 1960's and prior to 1975, before the construction of dams/barrages and diversion of surface water by India from the Ganges, Tista, and 28 other common rivers of Bangladesh and India, lack signs of arsenic poisoning?"
The reasons we requested them to answer the above mentioned questions are as follows:
a). Bhattacharya et.al. proposed the Oxyhydroxide reduction theory and rejected the oxidation theory for the mobilization of arsenic into groundwater of Bangladesh and West Bengal of India. We analyzed the data and criteria that they used for establishing the "Oxyhydroxide Reduction theory" and rejecting the "Oxidation Theory" for the mobilization of arsenic into the groundwater of the Bengal Basin. Our analysis revealed that the oxyhydroxide reduction theory is a wrong and misleading theory. On the other hand, they did not study the oxidation theory at all, and without proper study they rejected the oxidation theory. Therefore, their theories are not acceptable.
b). The groundwater arsenic poisoning is a geological science related problem. Dr. Bhattacharya et.al. are geologists. We as geological professionals strongly believe that they have a moral obligation to answer these questions. Because, the groundwater arsenic poisoning is a life and death problem of a nation, many engineers, chemists, geologists, and environmentally concerned people have been misled and misguided by their wrong theories and improper judgements regarding the source and the mechanism for releasing arsenic into groundwater.
c). We strongly feel that Bhattacharya et.al do not have any reliable geological, hydrological, hydrogeological and geochemical data/parameters to answer these questions. Their work on the groundwater arsenic poisoning in Bangladesh and West Bengal of India is based on wrong data and misconception. They do not have reliable data, and are not capable of answering these questions. If they really want to find the actual cause of the arsenic disaster in Bangladesh and West Bengal of India, they are most welcome to discuss what should be done to find the real cause of the arsenic poisoning and a solution to the problem.
d). We strongly believe that the answer of these questions will provide scientists, journalists, environmentally concerned people, and the policy makers of Bangladesh and West Bengal of India with a clear picture regarding the source and the real mechanism responsible for the mobilization of arsenic into groundwater, and a permanent solution to the arsenic disaster of Bangladesh and West Bengal of India.
Sincerely,
Meer Husain
Environmental Geologist
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