Seasonal arsenic cycling in irrigated paddy soils in Bangladesh and arsenic uptake by rice

Over the last decades, dry season (boro) rice production in Bangladesh has been largely intensified to meet the rising food demand of the growing population and to ensure food self-sufficiency. To date, boro rice cultivation accounts for more than 50% of the country’s rice production, as it provides higher yields and yield security than the traditional rice varieties. Dry season rice requires large amounts of water for irrigation, which is mainly provided by groundwater abstraction from shallow tube wells, often containing high arsenic (As) concentrations. In the long-term, this may lead to As accumulation in paddy soils and further to elevated As contents in rice plants, threatening food quality, rice yields and human health.<br />In order to accurately assess all…