10.13.11 - Road Trip!

Pool at our Taj hotel

          Just when we were starting to get settled in at MCC, it was time to leave. However, it was enjoyable leaving our home away from home in Tambaram with the knowledge that we were embarking on a 5-day journey to the Pondicherry, one of the nicest cities in southern India. We got on board a large tour bus and ventured out onto the wild streets of Chennai. It was definitely nice being the largest vehicle on the road for a change! One of the stops that we made on the way to our hotel was the Covelong Crocodile farm. I was impressed by the striking force of the King Cobras and the immense size of JAWS III, reportedly the largest known captive crocodile in India (21 ft). Our Taj hotel was one of the nicest hotels I have ever stayed at. We were greeted with seashell necklaces and assorted beverages. The hotel was situated a 9-iron away from the beach and several of us ventured out onto the coarse, tan sand. As we walked towards the water, the red-haired Elizabeth Johnston exclaimed, "This sand is burning my feet." I suggested that she walk more "gingerly." Props to EJ for dealing with my sense of humor. The Bay of Bengal was bathwater temperature and felt extremely good. As I was floating with my friends in the pleasant surf, I realized that I was experiencing the best fall break ever.
          The contrast between the affluent and the destitute is striking. Just 1 km away from our 5 star hotel, there are people rummaging through bags of trash in the street gutters, desperately in search of edible objects. 

10.12.11 - Large tree? Hanging vines? Yes please!

          After classes today, the six of us boys ventured into the Tambaram market again. We discovered that afternoons are a good time to go due to relatively low traffic. Some of the new things that we explored included the animal slaughtering area, street food alley, and an upscale men's apparel store. I have a feeling I'm going to be lookin' pretty fly for Diwali on 10.26. The kids in the market are hysterical. They love singing, dancing, goofing off - anything to get attention from the fair skinned foreigners. We were able to communicate with some of the kids and our new friends showed us through a beautiful garden temple near the Tambaram market.
          When we got back to MCC, I decided to climb the huge banyan tree that is located right across from our residence at the International Guest House. I was able to jump up, grab several of the hanging vines, and pull myself up hand-over-hand high above the ground below. I'm looking forward to attempting to climb to the top sometime before we leave MCC.
Check it out: Pics of my climb

10.11.11 - So that's what a monsoon is like

          While we were sitting in class this morning, we got a brief taste of what the monsoon season is like in India compliments of the retreating south-west monsoon that quickly dumped a large volume of water on the campus and then moved on. After class, we did our best to leapfrog the muddy puddles that pocked the dirt roads on campus as we walked to the SOS orphanage. The mosquitoes were much more prevalent in the orphanage - presumably due to the stagnant water. Some of the kids in the orphanage were playing a variation of cricket that closely resembled baseball. It was fun to see how inspired the kids were to play as a result of our presence!

10.10.11 - FDOC, MCC style

          Today was our first day of classes at MCC. The principle gave a lecture on the history of MCC and Dr. Menon delivered a fascinating talk on natural resource management in India. After classes, we ventured off campus as a group. We crammed 10 students, 1 prof, and 1 driver into a bright yellow rickshaw! We drove to bank to exchange our dollars for rupees. Since we were rolling with rupees-on-rupees, we decided to celebrate by picking up some ice cream from a street vendor. For the record, Indian mango cream popsicles are spot on.
          Despite the exhilaration of acquiring rupees and enjoying ice cream, I still can't get over the horrid water conditions in the city; trash, cow poop, and human waste fill the stagnant, open air drains. I couldn't help but think how petty my summer RBRI research was considering the dire conditions of Tambaram's water supply. Who cares about a low pH or an anomalous conductivity reading when there is human s__t in the water supply? India has a long way to go in improving sanitation conditions. Enforcing laws prohibiting public defecation would be a start.
Here is a video our rickshaw ride: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10150245992837325   

10.9.11 - It wasn't a mefloquine dream afterall

          That was the hardest, deepest 12 hours of sleep I have had in a long time! After a good night of rest, I am better able to appreciate my new, exciting, and exotic surroundings. This morning we left the shelter of the MCC compound and took a group trip across the street and over the bride spanning the railroad tracks into the Tambaram marketplace. I was struck by the overwhelming volume of people flowing in and out of the market. Everyone walks on the left side of the staircases - just the opposite of how it's usually done in the States. I was shocked by the people experiencing foot abnormalities - some people were missing toes due to leprosy, while others had more than 5 to a foot. On a brighter note, we stopped at Suresh's  middle school. He was beaming with happiness. It has been interesting to watch the native in him come out since our arrival. He has started using the signature, non-committal head bobble used by many Indians. After experiencing the unforgettable sights and smell of the textile, produce, and fish markets, we stopped at a coconut vendor just outside of MCC. Suresh bought us several coconuts at 25 rupees ($0.50) a piece. Ryan, Eric, and Stephen put the team on their backs and chugged most of the delicious coconut milk. It's finally starting to sink in that I am in India. The natives have been mostly friendly and I feel like I will eventually be able to fit in with the culture. 

10.8.11 - First time abroad!

          After 36 hours, 36 minutes, and 36 seconds, our trans-global journey came to an end as we arrived at the Chennai airport around 3:30 AM local time. I was so excited as we began our descent from 30,000 ft., but the anticipation abruptly changed to shock as the German pilot announced that an airplane before us had crashed and that we would not be able to land due to debris littering the runway. Our flight was force to circle, but with fuel running low, the pilot elected to land in Bangalore, where we spent 2 hours refueling and waiting for the Chennai airport runway to clear. We finally made it to the Chennai airport, which possessed the distinct smell of an aquarium. After several nervous minutes waiting to get through customs, and several more minutes waiting on our luggage, the study away group finally stepped foot on Indian soil. I was immediately choked by the hellishly high humidity. Hundreds of people lined the street waiting for passengers as we made our stroll towards the waiting Madras Christian College (MCC) vans. With all of the staring and inquisitive faces trained on our position, I kind of felt like a rock star.
          The van ride from the Chennai airport to MCC was one of the most heroic feats of driving I have ever experienced - that's saying something coming from a Bryan Park cart boy haha. Apparently, lines on the road are just "guidelines," as Captain Barbosa would say, and vehicles frequently blared their horns as head-on collisions were narrowly avoided. We safely arrived at MCC around 5 AM local time and elected not to go to sleep in order to fight off the jet lag.
          Our first day at MCC got off to an exciting start when a few of us chose to go on a nature walk around campus. Wild boar, deer, and giant fruit bats were among the observed native creatures. In addition to the abundance of wild and exotic creatures, I was struck by the oppressive humidity, dense smog, and the haphazardly ubiquitous distribution of trash scattered throughout the grounds.
          Later in the day, a few of us decided to venture off campus. After a few cautious false starts, we successfully crossed 8 lanes of the insanely busy Grand Trunk Highway. I was impressed with the way in which local Indians crossed the road; they casually strolled out into traffic with tremendous faith that the oncoming herd of brightly colored mopeds, cars, bikes, and buses would avoid them.
          In the evening we attended a Beatles concert performed by the students and faculty of MCC. It was delightfully surprising to see how much the Indians enjoyed the Beatles. I rarely fall asleep during events/performances, but extreme fatigue from travelling halfway around the world caused me to doze off several times. The verse from Strawberry Fields Forever best summed up the evening and our extensive travels: "Nothing is real and nothing to get hung about..."
          I am abroad and on the loose. Look out India!

Naturally Poisoned: Geogenic Contamination of India’s Water

Entry #5: September 26-30, 2011

Naturally Poisoned: Geogenic Contamination of India’s Water

Water is one of the most important natural resources on the earth. Without water, life would not be able to exist. This liquid is responsible for supporting and sustaining the health and well being of living organisms all across the globe. However, in some areas of India, human consumption of this life-enabling liquid results in physical ailments and severe health impacts. This is due in large part to the fact that the water in various regions of India has been contaminated, not necessarily from anthropogenic inputs, but from geogenic sources. Nature is poisoning the water.

One of the major geogenic contaminants of India’s water supply is fluoride (Dissanayake et al, 2010). Although low concentrations of fluoride are helpful in preventing dental carries, the consumption of high concentrations of fluoride can lead to serious health issues. This ion is found in fluoride-bearing minerals, including hornblende, mica, topaz, apatite, phosphorite, and fluorite (184). Fluorite is the primary supplier of fluoride in the environment. This mineral is typically found in rocks such as gneiss, pegmatite, and quartz. Interestingly, regional climate has a large impact on the degree to which fluoride is released into the environment. The higher amount of rainfall in wet regions promotes the leaching of fluoride, which results in low groundwater concentrations of fluoride. Drier regions have less rain, less leaching, and greater fluoride concentration in the groundwater (183). Fluoride contamination is a widespread issue in India, but the states most severely impacted by unhealthy concentrations of fluoride in drinking water include Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, and Rajasthan. In these states, 50-100% of districts have drinking water containing unhealthy levels of fluoride. The major health issue associated with the consumption of unsafe concentrations of fluoride is fluorosis. This disease damages the enamel of teeth and causes the deterioration of bones and ligaments (187).  Tooth damage can inhibit one’s ability to consume necessary nutrients and decreased limb function leads to difficulty in locomotion, which decreases one’s ability to work (Sarkar, 2009).

Arsenic is another key geogenic contaminant. This element is the 47^th most abundant of the naturally occurring elements. Arsenic is typically found in sedimentary rocks, including shale, slate, and mudstone (Vaughn, 2006). In India, the tectonic uplift of the Himalayan Mountains resulted in increasing the accessibility of arsenic-containing rocks to chemical and physical weathering, which increased the amount of arsenic in the environment (Dissanayake et al, 2010). Arsenic weathered from the rocks of the Himalayas is transported by water down gradient, where it is then deposited in the sediments of areas of lower elevation. These areas are known as arsenic sinks since large amounts of arsenic are dumped and accumulate there. The northeast corner of India is one of these sinks, and large concentrations of arsenic have been found to accumulate in the sediments of West Bengal (177). Increased reliance on ground water for irrigation and drinking water has resulted in an increase in the number of bore wells in northeast India. Overdrafting of the water table has increased the concentration of arsenic in the water by preventing suspended arsenic to settle and precipitate (Dissanayake et al, 2010). Because arsenic exists at typical terrestrial pH values (6.5-7.5) and can be transported in both oxidative and reductive conditions, it is fairly ubiquitous in the environment. This is bad news for the inhabitants of northeastern India, since ingestion of arsenic contaminated water can cause several types of cancer as well as lead to the onset of cardiac, vascular, and pulmonary disease (Vaughn, 2006).

Currently, there are several methods that can be employed to help mitigate the health effects of geogenic contamination. The magnesium silicate serpentine can be used to absorb large amounts of fluoride ions in aqueous solution. Humans suffering from fluorosis can also be directly treated via intravenous administration of magnesium hydroxide. Magnesium hydroxide has been shown to complex with free fluoride ions, which reduces the impact of fluorosis. The long-term solution to the problem of fluoride contamination involves the widespread practice of the Nalgonda technique, which involves increasing pH and adding chlorine and aluminum salts. Increased public participation and governmental support are needed to implement this technique on a broad scale (Dissanayake et al, 2010).

            The mitigation strategies for dealing with arsenic contamination include the use of filters, rainwater harvesting, and regulating bore well distribution and utilization. Although filters are effective in removing arsenic from water, these complex filtration systems often breakdown due to a lack of quality control and an absence of maintenance in rural areas. Additionally, the arsenic removed from the water accumulates in the filtration system in the form of arsenic sludge, which presents another set of health risks.

            Rainwater harvesting is another possible method of reducing arsenic-related health problems. Collecting and saving rainwater reduces one’s reliance on groundwater, which means that overdrafting of the water table is reduced. Arsenic concentration will drop as a result of less groundwater pumping since it will be allowed to settle and precipitate. However, rainwater harvesting is not always a practical solution since many houses in India are constructed with thatched roofs, which are not conducive to the collection of rainwater (Sarkar, 2009).

            The most effective way of ameliorating the health impacts of arsenic contamination is to regulate groundwater access. Currently, the government is too lax in its restrictions on groundwater pumping. As a result, private individuals are free to tap the ground water, even to the point of exploitation. Already high levels of arsenic in the water are exacerbated by constant groundwater withdrawal. Regulating access to groundwater will allow the water table to properly recharge and reduce the concentration of arsenic in the water.

            With all the concern over anthropogenic contamination of the environment, it is easy to forget that there are other sources of environmental contamination. Geogenic materials like fluoride and arsenic occur naturally in the environment, but high concentrations of these substances can result in human health problems. The combination of natural process and human practices can influence the temporal distribution, and thus the health effects presented by geogenic contaminants.   

References

Dissanayake, C. B., Rao, C. R. M., and Chandrajith, R., (2010). Some Aspects of the Medical Geology of the Indian Subcontinent and Neighboring Regions. In Selinus, O., Finkelman, R. B., and Centeno J. A., (Eds.). Medical Geology: A Regional Synthesis.  Springer.

Sarkar, A. (2009) Sustainable solutions to Arsenic contamination of groundwater: The Ganga-Meghna Brahmaputra Basin (Ch 3), In Water, Agriculture, and Sustainable Well-Being. Oxford University Press.

Vaughan, D. J., (2006). Arsenic, Elements, 2:71-75.