Bihar

• 13 Dec 2024

Water Causing Cancer in Bihar’s Gangetic Plains

Why in News? 

• Recently, a study by scientists from Mahavir Cancer Sansthan, Patna revealed that Manganese (Mn) contamination of water is causing cancer in the Gangetic plains of Bihar. 

 Key Points 

• Rise in Cancer Cases in Bihar 
  • Significant increase in cancer cases in Bihar over the last few decades. 
  • Multiple contributors to cancer, with manganese toxicity highlighted as a trace element influencing carcinogenesis. 
• Study Findings: 
  • Sample Size: Blood samples from 1,146 cancer patients across Patna, Vaishali, East Champaran, Muzaffarpur, Siwan, and Saran. 
  • Gender Distribution: 67% females, 33% males, aged 2-92 years. 
  • Cancer Types: 
    • Breast Cancer: 33.25% 
    • Hepatobiliary and Gastrointestinal Cancer: 26.96% 
    • Cervical Cancer: 5.58% 
    • Other Cancers (Oral, Nasal, etc.): 34.78% 
  • Cancer Classification: 
    • Carcinoma: 84.8% 
    • Leukemia: 9.86% 
    • Lymphoma: 3% 
    • Sarcoma: 2.27% 
  • Observation: 
    • Blood samples from cancer patients revealed Mn contamination, with levels reaching up to 6,022 µg/L in severe cases. 
    • Elevated Mn levels in household hand pump water showed a strong correlation with Mn in patients' blood. 
• Manganese in Hand Pump Water: 
  • 84.8% of samples were within Bureau of Indian standards (BIS) mandated limits (100 µg/L). 
  • 15.2% of samples exceeded permissible levels, with some above 400 µg/L. 
• Geospatial Analysis: 
  • High Mn levels found in the Middle Gangetic Plain and southwestern- northeastern Bihar. 
  • Geo-mapping highlights correlation between Mn concentrations in water and cancer incidence. 
• Toxicity of Manganese: 
  • Manganese is critical for body homeostasis but toxic in excess. 
  • Sources of Exposure can be from sedimentary or igneous rock deposits, Industrial pollution, etc. 
  • First Case in India was documented in 1957 among miners in Maharashtra, movement. 
  • Other Affected Areas reported in West Bengal, Karnataka, and globally in countries like Nigeria, Bangladesh, and China. 

 Heavy Metal Pollution 

• Heavy Metals: 
  • Heavy metals may be defined as elements with an atomic number larger than 20 and an atomic density greater than 5 g cm-3 that must possess metal-like characteristics. Example: arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, manganese, mercury, nickel, uranium etc. 
• Heavy Metal Pollution: 
  • Heavy metal pollution has been caused in our rivers, soils, and environment as a result of rapidly growing agriculture and metal industries, improper waste management, heavy use of fertilizers, and pesticides. 
  • Agricultural and industrial operations, landfilling, mining, and transportation are the primary sources of heavy metals in groundwater. 
  • Through the agricultural water runoff heavy metals reach upto river. 
  • Discharge of wastewater from industries (like the tannery industry which is a big source of chromium heavy metals) directly into river bodies intensified the severity of the heavy metal pollution. 
  • Heavy metals have the property of long persistent in plants, animals and the environment.with symptoms including weakness, emotional instability, and difficulty with