The Hindu : National : Contaminated "parad" dangerous to health: Research

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jun 25, 2006

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Contaminated "parad" dangerous to health: Research

Bindu Shajan Perappadan

It's a combination of mercury and silver, used for making beads and idols

NEW DELHI: Ancient Vedas considered it the most pure and auspicious metal. And this combination of mercury and silver called "parad"' is now used for making beads and idols of gods and goddesses as it is considered very sacred.

However, contaminated parad is said to be exposing people to the threat of mercury poisoning even inside homes.

The main culprit is tin which when used with mercury does not bind allowing it to "leach".

Tests conducted by non-government organisation Toxics Links have revealed that contaminated parad is sold openly in Delhi markets and can even be bought online.

Says Prashant Pastore of Toxics Link: "Through our research we found that tin unlike silver (that is traditionally used for making parad) does not have the capacity to bind mercury allowing it to leach.

In the parads that people keep at home and worship in temples we found high amount of tin (74.8 per cent), mercury (24.9 per cent) and trace of metals including iron, silver, nickel, aluminium and antimony.''

"Most claims made by various sellers of providing pure form of mercury with a mixture of silver is found to be wrong. Parads now have a large amount of tin and 25 per cent of it is mercury.

What makes the situation dangerous is the fact that this combination is available easily.

Also, both buyers and the sellers are seemingly unaware of the negative effects of the metal.

There is, however, no paper that confirms that silver completely stops mercury from leaching,'' adds Mr. Pastore. Mercury is a highly toxic metal and can be consumed via food, inhaled or be absorbed through the skin.

Passed on as "prasad"

The research conducted by the organisation tested the leaching behaviour of mercury in parad by keeping it in milk and water for varying duration and found that there was extensive leaching.

This mercury leaches into milk and is passed on to devotees as "prasad".

Speaking about the existing key markets in Delhi where the mercury trade is primarily focused, Mr. Pastore says: "The big markets are Tilak Bazar, Khari Baoli and Chandni Chowk. Waste-pickers and recyclers form a highly unregulated circle of traders in mercury in Delhi. Mercury is collected by waste-pickers from hospitals and other sources and is then passed on to retailers or junk dealers. Those involved in the trade only vaguely know about the hazards involved and do not take any precaution in storing or transporting mercury. Information or the inventory on where exactly it goes and the amount involved is scarce.''

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