Integrated geomicrobiological controls on arsenic and per- and polyfluoroalkyl in Gangetic aquifer: Legacy and emerging threats to drinking water

Debashis Chatterjee; Jitendra Kewalramani; Jishnu Adhikari

doi:10.63697/jeshs.2026.10115

Authors

Debashis Chatterjee Department of Chemistry, University of Kalyani, Kalyani, Nadia, West Bengal, 741235, India https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3652-4650
Jitendra Kewalramani Tetra Tech, Inc., King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, 19406, USA https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8675-0272
Jishnu Adhikari Tetra Tech, Inc., King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, 19406, USA https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6660-9562

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.63697/jeshs.2026.10115

Keywords:

Arsenic, PFAS contamination, Groundwater, Geomicrobiology

Abstract

Groundwater contamination by arsenic (As) and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) represents one of the most pressing environmental and public health challenges globally. While As contamination is predominantly geogenic and widespread in alluvial aquifers, PFAS contamination is largely anthropogenic, arising from industrial activities, landfill leachates, and aqueous film-forming foams (AFFF). Traditionally, scientific research has emphasized hydrogeological transport and contaminant chemistry; however, emerging evidence suggests that geomicrobiological processes play a critical role in regulating the mobility, transformation, and persistence of both contaminant classes. This emerging situation necessitates an integrated framework that explicitly links microbiology, geochemistry, and hydrology, particularly in vulnerable regions such as South Asia, including India and Bangladesh, where groundwater is the primary source of drinking water for millions of inhabitants.

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References

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