Heavy toxic metals detected in kids

Balwant Garg

Tribune News Service

Faridkot, February 12

Researchers have detected heavy toxic metals in the body of special children in Punjab. This was revealed after a German laboratory tested the urine samples of 120 autistic children from different parts of the state.

Lead was found to be high in 93 of 120 children and nickel in 118 children. The level of toxic metals is as high as 900 per cent to 2,000 per cent in 27 per cent children for lead and 38 per cent for nickel, says the study by Dr E Blaurock-Busch, PhD, Research Director, Micro Trace Minerals, Germany.

Specialising in the analysis of minerals and toxic metals, the German lab was sent samples of 120 children by Baba Farid Centre for Special Children situated in Faridkot.

These children have been getting treatment for various abnormalities at the centre.

The study also detected presence of dangerous toxic metals in most of these children. The study found arsenic in 83 per cent of children, aluminum in 85 per cent, manganese in 96 per cent, molybdenum 77 per cent, mercury 19 per cent, barium 93 per cent, thallium 34 per cent, copper 22 per cent, iron 43 per cent and cadmium in 49 per cent children.

Further splitting of high values show that in many children levels are dangerously high. Most of these metals are not biodegradable so their levels keep on increasing. “The presence of such a high level of dangerous toxic metals should be taken as a warning,” said Dr Amar Singh Azad, MD (community medicine) and MD (paediatrics), who works in tandem with the Baba Farid Centre.

“The study of these tests indicates there must be direct link between the heavy body burden and the pattern of health problems in Punjab,” said Dr Pritpal Singh, president of the centre.

Excessive use of phosphate fertilisers, reckless burning of fossil fuels, excessive use of ground water and industrial pollution are responsible for increasing level of heavy metals.

“Extensive use of stainless steel, which is an alloy of nickel and steel, and aluminum utensils in kitchens is also a dangerous phenomenon. Use of heavy metals products like pesticides, herbicides, medicines, paints and cosmetics should be curbed. Chemical farming is playing havoc with the environment. Besides increasing the level of heavy metals in human body, it interferes with the process of detoxification by killing microbes and other forms of life,” said Dr Azad.

“I have not seen this study, but a full study needs to be undertaken to measure the concentration of heavy metals in our food chain and how it adversely affects our health,” said Dr Raj Bahadur, Vice-Chancellor, Baba Farid University of Health Sciences.