Study can help miners assess bauxite exposure

Most occupational diseases among miners cannot be treated or reversed. In order to help these miners be wary of the health hazards, National Institute of Miners' Health (NIMH) has conducted a first-of-its-kind study to identify three biomarkers, or cell components, that can help assess the level of bauxite exposure. They have also been able to conclude the level of exposure that becomes harmful for the health of the person.

In perhaps the first study of its kind, scientists of NIMH studied the effects of bauxite exposure on around 300 miners from three different open cast mines. Under the project titled, 'Systematic study of potential biomarker of occupational diseases in bauxite miners', they studied biomarkers like Hemeoxygenase-1 (HO-1), Neopterin and Parathyroid hormones (PTH). It was concluded that exposure to bauxite leads to lower levels of PTH and higher levels of both HO-1 and Neopterin.

"Despite considerable progress in diagnostic technology, early detection of occupational diseases has remained a challenge for medical science. With early detection and prevention being the only options, identification of suitable biomarkers related to the various occupational diseases becomes all the more important," said principal investigator of the study, Shubhangi Pingale. These biomarkers, she said, can be used by epidemiologists, physicians and scientists to study diseases as predictive, prognosis and diagnostic purposes.

As the fifth largest producer of aluminium in the world with more than 2300 million tones of bauxite reserves, India employs many workers in bauxite mines. They always have the dangers of neurological, respiratory and kidney diseases and several other smaller problems. The biomarkers studied by NIMH can be found within four to five years of exposure. "If miners undergo regular checkups for the levels of these biomarkers as per our scale, it would be possible to reduce or cut off exposure. This would essentially mean cutting down on the disease burden on individuals and the nation," said Pingale.

The four-year-long study was conducted under the guidance of the former director of the NIMH PK Sishodiya and the new director Anupam Agnihotri. The research team consisted of Aruna Gawade, Rajani Tumane, Praveen Soni, Ruchika Jain and Lucky Thakkar.