Uranium Found in Breastmilk in Bihar. What Are Experts Saying?

A recent study published in Scientific Reports examined uranium levels in breastmilk from several districts in Bihar and has drawn considerable public attention. The research team from Mahavir Cancer Sansthan and Research Center in Patna, Lovely Professional University, and AIIMS New Delhi evaluated U-238 concentrations in breastmilk samples from 40 lactating women. The authors reported that uranium was present in all samples and suggested that some infants could face a potential non-carcinogenic health risk.

However, national experts have clarified that the detected levels remain well below global safety limits and do not indicate any immediate public health concern. A senior nuclear scientist who is also a member of the National Disaster Management Authority explained that the maximum uranium concentration found in the samples, which was up to 5 ppb, is far lower than the World…