Arsenic is global threat

Arsenic poisoning affects 137 million people and is a threat to global health, according to experts at a conference in London on Wednesday (August 29th).

Speakers at the annual event held for the Royal Geographical Society revealed that large numbers of people in over 70 countries around the world were being exposed to unsafe levels of arsenic in their drinking water.

New research has found that Bangladesh is the worst affected country, however it was also predicted that various other areas, including western parts of South and Central America, were likely to be polluted with arsenic too.

Speaking to the Associated Press, Allan Smith of the University of California, who is also an adviser to the World Health Organization (WHO) on arsenic, said: "Most countries have some water sources with dangerous levels of arsenic, but only now are we beginning to recognise the magnitude of the problem.

"It is the most dangerous contaminant of drinking water in terms of long-term health risks, and we must test all water sources worldwide as soon as possible."