London:
The DNA of an average Bengali living in West Bengal could be facing
serious damage due to high levels of arsenic being consumed through the
rice they eat, says a study.
A joint Indo-British study announced by the University of Manchester has proved a link between rice with high levels of arsenic and chromosomal damage, as measured by micronuclei in urothelial cells.
Increased frequency of these micronuclei has been shown by researchers to be linked to the development of cancers.
The researchers from the University of Manchester and CSIRIndian Institute of Chemical Biology in Kolkata looked at the frequency of micronuclei – the tell-tale sign of chromosomal damage among 40,000 people by screening individual cells extracted from their urine samples.
They discovered that people in rural West Bengal eating rice as a staple with greater than 0.2 mg/kg arsenic showed higher frequencies of micronuclei than those consuming rice with less than this concentration of arsenic.
They demonstrated that the trend of greater genetic damage with increasing arsenic in rice was observed for both men and women, for tobacco-users and non-users, and for those from three different locations within the study area.
Rice is the staple food of over three billion people. Because the rice plant is highly efficient at absorbing arsenic from soil and water, it is reported to be the highest arsenic-containing cereal. For Indians, rice is their staple food.
A good portion of the Ganga-Meghna-Brahmaputra
plain, spread across 600,000 sq km with a population of over 500 million, is at risk from groundwater arsenic contamination.
Over 100 million people living in UP, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Bangladesh, Assam, Arunachal, Manipur and Tripura drink arsenic water regularly that causes cardiovascular and neurological disorders.
Professor David Polya from University of Manchester said, “This is the first time a link between consumption of arsenicbearing rice and genetic damage has been demonstrated. As such, it vindicates increasing concerns expressed by the European Food Safety Authority and others about the adequacy of regulation of arsenic in rice.”
The team, funded by the UK India Education and Research Initiative (UKIERI), chose a study population with relatively similar dietary and socio-economic status that was not otherwise exposed to arsenic, for example, through drinking water.
STAPLE THREAT
A joint Indo-British study has proved a link between rice with high levels of arsenic and chromosomal damage
Increased frequency of micronuclei — the tell-tale sign of chromosomal damage — has been shown to be linked to the development of cancers
People in rural West Bengal eating rice as a staple with greater than 0.2 mg/kg arsenic showed higher frequencies of micronuclei
The trend of greater genetic damage was observed for both men and women and for tobacco-users and non-users
A joint Indo-British study announced by the University of Manchester has proved a link between rice with high levels of arsenic and chromosomal damage, as measured by micronuclei in urothelial cells.
Increased frequency of these micronuclei has been shown by researchers to be linked to the development of cancers.
The researchers from the University of Manchester and CSIRIndian Institute of Chemical Biology in Kolkata looked at the frequency of micronuclei – the tell-tale sign of chromosomal damage among 40,000 people by screening individual cells extracted from their urine samples.
They discovered that people in rural West Bengal eating rice as a staple with greater than 0.2 mg/kg arsenic showed higher frequencies of micronuclei than those consuming rice with less than this concentration of arsenic.
They demonstrated that the trend of greater genetic damage with increasing arsenic in rice was observed for both men and women, for tobacco-users and non-users, and for those from three different locations within the study area.
Rice is the staple food of over three billion people. Because the rice plant is highly efficient at absorbing arsenic from soil and water, it is reported to be the highest arsenic-containing cereal. For Indians, rice is their staple food.
A good portion of the Ganga-Meghna-Brahmaputra
plain, spread across 600,000 sq km with a population of over 500 million, is at risk from groundwater arsenic contamination.
Over 100 million people living in UP, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Bangladesh, Assam, Arunachal, Manipur and Tripura drink arsenic water regularly that causes cardiovascular and neurological disorders.
Professor David Polya from University of Manchester said, “This is the first time a link between consumption of arsenicbearing rice and genetic damage has been demonstrated. As such, it vindicates increasing concerns expressed by the European Food Safety Authority and others about the adequacy of regulation of arsenic in rice.”
The team, funded by the UK India Education and Research Initiative (UKIERI), chose a study population with relatively similar dietary and socio-economic status that was not otherwise exposed to arsenic, for example, through drinking water.
STAPLE THREAT
A joint Indo-British study has proved a link between rice with high levels of arsenic and chromosomal damage
Increased frequency of micronuclei — the tell-tale sign of chromosomal damage — has been shown to be linked to the development of cancers
People in rural West Bengal eating rice as a staple with greater than 0.2 mg/kg arsenic showed higher frequencies of micronuclei
The trend of greater genetic damage was observed for both men and women and for tobacco-users and non-users
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