Toxic alert: Cancer-causing poison detected in breast milk, 70% of infants at risk, health dept sounds alarm

Patna (The Uttam Hindu): A new study published in the prestigious scientific journal 'Nature' has created a stir in the health department of Bihar and the country. This study has made a very shocking and frightening revelation that extremely high levels of uranium have been found in the breast milk of lactating women in Bihar. This research has been done by a joint team of Mahavir Cancer Institute, Patna and AIIMS, New Delhi. Researchers have warned that this situation can pose serious health risks for newborns.

The study was led by Dr. Arun Kumar and Prof. Ashok Ghosh of the Mahavir Cancer Institute, along with Dr. Ashok Sharma of the Department of Biochemistry at AIIMS. The team collected samples from Bhojpur, Samastipur, Begusarai, Khagaria, Katihar, and Nalanda districts of Bihar between October 2021 and July 2024. Breast milk samples from 40 lactating women aged 17 to 35 were analyzed. According to the report, uranium (U-238) was found in all samples.

The tests showed uranium levels ranging from 0 to 5.25 g/L, while there is no global safe limit for uranium in breast milk. According to the data, Khagaria district had the highest average uranium levels, while Nalanda had the lowest. Katihar had the highest concentration in a single sample. Worryingly, nearly 70 percent of infants were exposed to levels that could lead to serious health problems in the future.

Co-author Dr. Ashok Sharma of AIIMS described this situation as extremely worrying. He said, "We still don't know the exact source of uranium and where it's coming from. The Geological Survey of India is investigating this. Unfortunately, uranium has now entered our food chain." Experts believe that Bihar's excessive dependence on groundwater for drinking water and irrigation, disposal of untreated industrial waste, and the indiscriminate use of chemical fertilizers may be the main reasons for this. Previously, people here have been found to have traces of elements like arsenic, lead, and mercury.

This news is nothing less than a wake-up call for infants. Doctors explain that newborns' organs are still developing, making them absorb toxic metals more rapidly than adults. Their low body weight increases their risk manifold. Uranium entering the body through breast milk can damage children's kidneys, cause neurological problems, and even become a major cause of cancer.

Globally, there have been reports of uranium being found in groundwater in countries like the US, Canada, and China. However, its detection in breast milk in Bihar takes the problem to a new and serious level. Despite these alarming results, researchers advise mothers not to stop breastfeeding, as breast milk is the best source of nutrition for infants. However, the government needs to identify its sources and take immediate action to prevent it.