University to examine relationship between food and lifestyle and arsenic poisoning in India
Tuesday 28 February 2017
A grant of £195,588 from the UK India Education Research Initiative (UKIERI ) has been awarded to the University of Salford and Anugrah Narayan College, Patna.
The funding will be used to examine the impact of dietary and socio-economic factors in developing arsenic poisoning, in the Indian states of West Bengal and Bihar, where exposure to arsenic is dangerously high.
Arsenic poisoning can cause a range of cancers and neurological problems, and it is estimated that in West Bengal alone around 70 million people are vulnerable to being poisoned from the chemical element.
West Bengal and Bihar are highly exposed to arsenic, because both states are in the path of the contaminated River Ganges, which has very high arsenic levels.
Dr Debapriya Mondal from the University of Salford will be leading the three year study, in partnership with A.N College in and the Mahavir Cancer Sansthan & Research Centre, both based in Patna, India.
Dr Debapriya Mondal, from the School of Environmental and Life Sciences, said: “Both West Bengal and Bihar are known to be exposed to arsenic, however the diets and lifestyle of people who live in these two states are very different. For example, people in Bihar are often vegetarian whereas those in West Bengal are not.
"It is hoped that the study will reveal little fixes that people living in these states can incorporate in to their everyday lives, which should make them at lower risk of developing arsenic induced health effects. For example, it could be the case that the way rice is cooked could significantly decrease the chances of getting arsenic poisoning".
The study will involve collecting samples from three communities in both West Bengal and Bihar.
Samples of rice and water from fourty randomly selected households within each community will be tested for arsenic concentration. The arsenic concentration for both raw and cooked rice and water will be analysed, so that conclusions can be drawn about the effects cooking may have on arsenic exposure.
Blood, urine, hair and nail samples will be collated from one adult male and one adult female in every household involved in the study, to measure the effects of arsenic.
The study, which will start in April, will be a cross-school collaboration for the University of Salford, as data will be analysed by bio statisticians based at the University of Salford’s School of Health Sciences.
The other academics from the University of Salford who will be involved in this research are Prof Mark Danson from the School of Environmental and Life Sciences and Prof Penny Cook and Helen Matthews from the school of Health Sciences.
Students on the MSc Environmental and Public Health course and the Bsc Geography course will also have the opportunity to be involved in the study, by taking part in an exchange programme with students at the Indian University.
Find out more
Victoria Barker
0161 295 4779
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