ABSTRACT
Although arsenic (As) in groundwater is not recorded in many parts of Sri Lanka, excessive levels were noted in the sedimentary terrains that are predominant in the north and northwestern part of the island. The groundwater from these sedimentary terrains showed levels up to 44 µg/L arsenic. The maximum As level observed in the metamorphic terrain was 4.6 µg/L with an average of 0.3 µg/L. Bore-hole sediments collected from the high As region depicted very high affinities of both As and Fe, particularly in the finer fraction of the aquifer materials. The toxicity effects of high arsenic in such terrains remain a neglected health concern that needs greater attention.
