A new multi-district study in Bihar has detected uranium in the breast milk of 40 lactating women, raising concerns about long-term infant exposure despite experts emphasising that the reported levels do not pose an immediate health risk.
The research, conducted by the Mahavir Cancer Sansthan and Research Centre in collaboration with several partner institutions, is described as the first study to examine potential uranium contamination in human breast milk in the region.
The samples were collected from 40 randomly selected lactating women aged 17 to 35 across six districts in eastern Bihar — Bhojpur, Samastipur, Begusarai, Khagaria, Katihar and Nalanda — between October 2021 and July 2024.
According to the findings, all samples contained detectable levels of uranium, with concentrations ranging from 0.13 µg/L to 5.29 µg/L, the highest levels recorded in the Katihar district.
The results have reinvigorated concerns over groundwater contamination, as groundwater remains the primary drinking source in these areas and Bihar is known to contain several aquifers with naturally high uranium concentrations.
The study’s authors warned that up to 70% of infants in the affected regions could face non-carcinogenic health effects from uranium exposure, cautioning:
“The uranium exposure to the infants through their mother’s breast milk is at a hazardous level.”
Researchers noted that infants are significantly more vulnerable than adults because their bodies process and eliminate uranium at a much slower rate. Uranium can accumulate in developing kidneys, and prolonged exposure may also affect neurological development.
However, other experts have urged against alarm.
Dr Dinesh K. Aswal, Director of the National Physical Laboratory, told NDTV that the recorded uranium levels are six times lower than the World Health Organisation’s safe limit for uranium in drinking water.
“There is absolutely no reason for alarm. Mothers can and should continue to breastfeed their children without hesitation,” Dr Aswal said.
Even so, the authors of the study argue that the presence of uranium in breast milk, even in microgram concentrations demands urgent and extensive monitoring, particularly in groundwater-dependent regions.
The study calls for strengthened groundwater surveillance, long-term infant health tracking, and broader environmental assessments, while scientists maintain that breastfeeding remains safe and should continue without interruption.