Himalayas May Not Be Pristine Anymore, Study Shows Presence Of Toxic Metals In Clouds

The Himalayan clouds, once believed to offer purest drinking water, might be silently carrying toxic heavy metals, posing potential carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic health risks, especially to children. A new study has highlighted that the clouds over the Eastern Himalayas contain 1.5 times higher pollution levels than those over the Western Ghats.

The study conducted by the Bose Institute, an autonomous body under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), identified significant levels of toxic metals such as cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn) in non-precipitating clouds during the early monsoon season over the Western Ghats and Eastern Himalayas.

For the study, scientists investigated the composition of heavy metals in the non-precipitating low-level clouds collected on the rooftop of the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) in the Western Ghats and the Bose Institute campus located at Darjeeling in the Eastern Himalayas in 2022.

"Children are at higher risk of 30 per cent of such toxic metals than adults in India. Inhalation of polluted clouds over Eastern Himalayas containing high concentrations of toxic metals is the most potential route for non-carcinogenic diseases," the study published in the journal Science Advances highlighted.

"Health risk for the occurrence of carcinogenic diseases has increased due to inhalation of dissolved Cr present in clouds," it added.

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The scientists stated that the inhalation of polluted clouds over the Eastern Himalayas was identified as the main pathway for non-carcinogenic diseases. The study also found that carcinogenic risks have risen due to the inhalation of dissolved chromium present in clouds.

The study linked elevated levels of cadmium, chromium, copper and zinc in the region's clouds to vehicular and industrial emissions from the foothills. They warned that clouds act as transport mediums for heavy metals, which can enter the body through breathing, skin exposure and consumption of rainwater in high-altitude areas.

Despite the alarming findings, the study stated that the Indian clouds remain relatively less polluted compared to countries like China, Pakistan, Italy, and the United States.