Shipyard blast: Excessive presence of 14 heavy metals found in blood of the injured
All the injured in 7 Sept Sitakunda explosion were involved in the industry
Researchers have found the excessive presence of 14 heavy metals in the blood of seven people who were critically injured in last month's explosion at a shipbreaking yard in Sitakunda, Chattogram.
The discovery was made during a study conducted recently by the Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery.
According to the findings, the presence of 14 heavy metals — including arsenic, lead, nickel, copper and mercury — was found to be several times higher than the normal levels in the blood of these patients.
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The side effects of these heavy metals in the blood of humans can lead to incurable complications, doctors said.
A total of 12 officials and workers were injured in an explosion in the pump room of an almost dismantled tanker ship at SN Corporation's shipbreaking yard in the Tetultala area under Sonaichhari union of Sitakunda upazila at around 11:40am on 7 September.
The victims were rescued and primarily taken to Chattogram Medical College Hospital. Seven of them were later admitted to the Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery with critical injuries. Of them, two recovered while five others succumbed to their injuries.
Blood samples of these seven patients were tested at the Central Analytical and Research Facilities, a division of the Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR).
"In this research, we aimed to determine the levels of heavy metals in the blood of people who come to the burn institute to donate blood for admitted patients, and whether the levels increase after the blood enters the patient's body," said Assistant Professor Ashraful Haque of the Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery, one of the researchers.
He said all those injured in the Sitakunda explosion were involved in the shipbreaking industry.
"It is not uncommon for them to be environmentally exposed to these heavy metals. Our research found that the levels of heavy metals in the blood of the Sitakunda patients were several times higher than the healthy people who donated blood," he added.
"Even a one-year-old child who came in for surgery was found to have high levels of arsenic, chromium and several other metals in their blood. This is truly a matter of concern for future generations," said Ashraful.
Associate Professor Hasib Rahman of the burn institute, who treated the Sitakunda patients, said, "We have been able to treat and save two of the patients who were badly burnt in the accident. There is a need for more research on the presence of heavy metals found in their blood."
He added, "The side effects of these heavy metals have caused the patients to suffer from chronic diseases including lung and nerve complications."
Mohammad Moniruzzaman, the principal scientific officer of BCSIR and Qutub Uddin Ahmad, a research pharmacologist of the same organisation assisted in the study.
