Study finds widespread lead poisoning among children and pregnant women in Bihar
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The scale of contamination paints a scary picture of an invisible epidemic, one that disproportionately affects the most vulnerable.
Conducted by a team led by former Bihar State Pollution Control Board chairman Ashok Kumar Ghosh, the study revealed that one in five children tested had blood lead levels (BLL) above 10 micrograms per decilitre (µg/dL), twice the WHO's threshold for medical intervention. The same ratio applied to pregnant women.
"This is a warning bell. Our children are being quietly poisoned," Ghosh said.
The findings, published in the July 2025 issue of the international journal 'Environmental Monitoring and Assessment', placed Bihar among the worst-hit regions globally for childhood lead exposure. For comparison, fewer than 3% of children under six in the United States have BLLs above 5 µg/dL and less than 0.4% exceed 10 µg/dL. In parts of Bihar, however, almost half of the children exceeded that alarming mark.
The study, conducted at Patna's Mahavir Cancer Institute and Research Centre, was a collaborative effort involving Germany's Institute and Clinic for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, along with Pure Earth and Viral Strategies in New York. Researchers randomly selected 150 children and several pregnant women in eight districts – Patna, Muzaffarpur, Gaya, Nawada, West Champaran, Bhagalpur, Vaishali and Purnia.
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Elevated lead levels were found in all districts, but Patna, Gaya and Nawada emerged as the most severely affected. In Patna and Gaya, nearly one in two children had BLLs of 10 µg/dL or higher. The data exposed a disturbing truth – lead poisoning is not limited to isolated incidents, but is woven into the daily lives of thousands.
Historically, lead poisoning has been one of the oldest recorded occupational diseases. Some scientists even believe chronic lead exposure played a role in the collapse of the Roman Empire.
Yet, despite this ancient history, the danger persists in modern India. A 2019 report by UNICEF and Pure Earth estimated that 275 million Indian children are exposed to blood lead levels above 5 µg/dL, figures that remain virtually unchanged today.
The causes are as diverse as they are insidious. According to the study, one of the major sources of lead contamination in Bihar is proximity to industrial activity. Nearly half of the children surveyed live within 1km of industries known to use or process lead.
These include battery recycling, metal smelting and paint manufacturing – activities that can contaminate local soil and dust, putting nearby families at constant risk.
But the threat does not end there. Exposure often begins at home. Children can come into contact with lead brought back on the clothes or tools of parents employed in lead-related industries. Everyday items – from cookware to drinking water – can become vectors of exposure.
The study found that 77% of households relied on hand pumps for their water supply and 28% on municipal sources, both of which can be contaminated through ageing pipes or fixtures containing lead.
In nearly every home surveyed, metal cookware was used (96%) with plastic or ceramic options virtually absent. Researchers also highlighted a particularly troubling source – adulterated spices. Brightly coloured powders, especially turmeric and red chilli, are sometimes laced with lead-based pigments to improve appearance.
"We found a clear and statistically significant link between children's BLLs and lead concentrations in household spices," said one of the study authors.
Even more worrying, 87% of households purchase loose spices from local markets, while just 1% buy from recognised national brands. This lack of regulation leaves ample room for dangerous adulteration to go unchecked.
In response, the study calls for urgent and far-reaching action.
First and foremost, it urges the state govt to integrate routine blood lead level monitoring into paediatric healthcare, allowing early detection and treatment. Secondly, it recommends stronger oversight and testing of consumer products, drinking water, and food items, particularly loose spices and herbal remedies.
Globally, the World Health Organization estimates that 815 million children have blood lead levels above 5 µg/dL – 99% of them in low and middle-income countries. India remains one of the worst-affected, both in terms of scale and impact.
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