Indian study finds 1st evidence on how nanoplastics from single-use PET bottles harm body

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New Delhi, (IANS): Nanoplastics derived from single-use PET bottles can directly disrupt key biological systems that are vital for human health, according to a study led by the Institute of Nano Science and Technology, Mohali (INST), an autonomous institute of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), on Thursday.

Nanoplastics, found in food and water, are a global concern and are increasingly being detected inside the human body. But their exact effects remain poorly understood.

While many studies had focused on how plastics pollute the environment or damage host tissues, almost nothing was known about their direct impact on beneficial gut microbes that are central to human health.

The team led by Prashant Sharma and Sakshi Dagariya from the Chemical Biology Unit at INST found the first clear evidence of profound consequences to human health.

The researchers found that long-term exposure reduced bacterial growth, colonisation, and protective functions, while increasing stress responses and sensitivity to antibiotics.

"Together, the findings explain that nano-plastics from everyday plastics are biologically active particles that can interfere with gut health, blood stability, and cellular function," said the researchers in the paper published in the journal Nanoscale Advances.

The team recreated Nano-plastics from PET bottles in the laboratory and tested them across three key biological models.

A beneficial gut bacterium, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, was used to see how nanoplastics affect the microbiome.

At higher concentrations, nanoplastics were found to disrupt red blood cell membranes and cause premature destruction of the cells.

Further, the team also found that prolonged exposure led to DNA damage, oxidative stress, apoptosis, and inflammatory signalling, alongside shifts in energy and nutrient metabolism.

"The nanoparticles induce DNA damage, oxidative stress, and inflammatory responses in human epithelial cells during prolonged exposure, posing risks to human health that were previously unrecognised," the researchers said.Beyond human health, the insights can extend to agriculture, nutrition, and ecosystem studies, where microbial balance and plastic pollution intersect, they noted. Indian study finds 1st evidence on how nanoplastics from single-use PET bottles harm body | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com
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Indian scientists find genetic clues to tackle oral cancer among women

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New Delhi, (IANS) A team of Indian scientists has discovered oral cancer-causing driver gene mutations in women patients in southern parts of the country.

The team from the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), Bengaluru and the BRIC-National Institute of Biomedical Genomics (NIBMG), Kalyani, in collaboration with clinicians from Sri Devraj Urs Academy of Higher Education and Research (SDUAHER), Kolar, conducted a female-centric study on oral cancer in India with a unique tobacco chewing habit.

This study led by Professor Tapas K Kundu, JNCASR, Bengaluru aimed to understand what makes cancers in women unique, how the disease manifests and progresses in female patients and how we can treat them better.

The team also used artificial intelligence (deep learning) to digitally analyse tumour tissues. This revealed two distinct groups of female patients, each with a different immune response in their tumours.

India carries one of the world’s heaviest burdens of oral cancer with alarmingly high rates witnessed among women in certain regions, especially in southern and northeast India, due to the widespread habit of chewing tobacco-infused betel quid, gutka, and related products.

While the disease is widely studied in men, oral cancer in women has often remained under the radar.

The study was performed on paired tumour and blood samples from female OSCC-GB patients with a unique regional tobacco-chewing habit (Kaddipudi), commonly observed among women in the Kolar district of Karnataka.

Analysis of this women-centric cohort has revealed a unique driver mutation implicated in oral tumorigenesis.

This investigation, published in the Clinical and Translational Medicine Journal, was specifically designed to uncover the biological underpinnings of the disproportionately aggressive, highly recurrent, and life-threatening forms of oral cancer that affect Indian women.

Using cutting-edge whole-exome sequencing, the researchers identified ten key genes with significant mutations in the female oral cancer cohort from Kolar, Karnataka.

Although two of the major genes, CASP8 and TP53, were found to be highly mutated in these patients, uniquely, CASP8 seems to be the driver mutation (cancer-causing), which is quite different compared to previously studied mutations in oral cancer patients (largely men).

The findings suggest that co-occurring TP53 and CASP8 mutations confer a markedly aggressive and lethal phenotype in oral cancer.The team is now focused on delineating the molecular mechanisms of oncogenesis driven by this novel driver mutation within the background of TP53 alterations for the next phase of the research. Indian scientists find genetic clues to tackle oral cancer among women | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com
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ICRISAT develops portable technology for testing crops' nutrition level



The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) on Thursday announced that its researchers are leading a transformation in crop testing, combining AI-driven models and pocket-size near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) devices.

These portable sensors allow for quick evaluation of nutrition levels in indigenous food grains right at the farmer's gate or in research fields.

ICRISAT Director General, Dr Jacqueline d'Arros Hughes, championed the integration of this disruptive technology into breeding pipelines and key points of relevant value chains.

Aligned with the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) strategy, she foresees the tool as a catalyst for the production of nutrient-dense crops, both in breeding programmes and in farmers' fields, a crucial element in the global fight against malnutrition.

"This technology is poised to expedite the breeding of nutrient-dense crops while facilitating their integration into the value chain. Our goal with this intervention is to provide quality assurance for the distribution of nutritionally fortified crops, so that they reach those who need them most," she added.

Traditionally, assessing the nutritional quality of grains and feedstock could take a number of weeks, involving manual or partially automated processes and laboratory instruments.

In contrast, mobile NIRS devices are more cost-effective and can assess over 150 samples per day per person, ICRISAT said.

These non-destructive and robust grain quality measuring devices provide timely information on grain composition and can be used to promote quality-based payments in the market—benefiting food producers, grain processing industries, and farmers alike.

"We see the adoption of portable technology for assessing grain quality as an important step in decentralising and democratising market systems, essential to promote the consumption of nutri-cereals. This transition can facilitate quality-driven payments for farmers, while providing quality assurance to health-conscious households moving forward," noted Dr Sean Mayes, Global Research Director of the Accelerated Crop Improvement Program at ICRISAT.

In Anantapur in Andhra Pradesh, ICRISAT recommends its Girnar 4 groundnut variety to ensure premium prices for farmers and to differentiate the crop from lower-value varieties. ICRISAT's Girnar 4 and Girnar 5 groundnut varieties boast oleic acid levels of 75-80 per cent, far surpassing that of the standard variety at 40-50 per cent.

Oleic acid is a heart-healthy monounsaturated fatty acid, which holds considerable importance for the groundnut market, as it provides new end-uses for the crop. Growing consumer awareness of its advantages spurred market demand for high oleic acid content in oils and related products.

This pioneering approach, initially applied in peanut breeding, could be replicated across other crops, offering efficient and cost-effective solutions to address poor nutrition.

ICRISAT's Facility for Exploratory Research on Nutrition (FERN laboratory) is expanding its prediction models to encompass various traits and crops beyond groundnuts."We are currently focusing on developing methods to assess oil, oleic acid, linoleic acid, carotenoids, starch, moisture, and phosphorus in various cereals and legumes, such as finger millet, foxtail millet, pearl millet, sorghum, maize, wheat, chickpea, mungbean, common bean, pigeon pea, cowpea, soybean, groundnut, and mustard," said Dr Jana Kholova, Cluster Leader. Crop Physiology and Modelling, ICRISAT. ICRISAT develops portable technology for testing crops' nutrition level | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com
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Indian researchers develop smart portable device to detect toxic pesticides in water, food

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New Delhi, (IANS): A team of researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras and Panjab University has developed a portable, automated optical device capable of detecting extremely low concentrations of pesticide residues in water, food, and the environment that can pose serious risks to human and environmental health.

Conventional laboratory methods for detecting such residues, particularly the commonly used organophosphate Malathion, are expensive, time-consuming, and require skilled personnel.

The new research, supported by the Department of Science and Technology, under its ‘Technology Development and Transfer’ Programme, addressed the challenge by designing a field-deployable, user-friendly device that offers real-time, ultra-sensitive pesticide detection.

The new ‘Smart MDD (Malathion Detection Device)’ is a colourimetric detection system that employs gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and comes with an aptamer molecule engineered to recognise Malathion specifically.

The interaction causes a visible colour shift -- from red to blue --indicating the presence of the pesticide, a change that the device’s built-in optical system precisely measures. This automated process eliminates manual handling and enables quick, reliable results, said the team. The findings were published in the peer-reviewed journal Review of Scientific Instruments.

“This technology can have a significant real-world impact. It can help farmers, food safety agencies, and environmental regulators rapidly monitor pesticide contamination on-site -- whether in irrigation water, produce, or soil -- thereby ensuring compliance with safety standards and reducing public health risks," Prof. Sujatha Narayanan Unni, Department of Applied Mechanics and Biomedical Engineering, IIT Madras, told IANS.

"It can also aid in tracking pesticide runoff in water bodies, a major environmental concern,” Unni added.

The team demonstrated a detection limit of about 250 picomolar and correlation with lab spectrophotometer results -- metrics that are rarely seen in portable devices.

Currently tested under laboratory conditions, the device will next undergo validation with real-world samples such as fruits, vegetables, and field water sources."We plan to extend the platform to detect a broader range of pesticides, strengthening its role in sustainable agricultural management and environmental monitoring,” Dr. Rohit Kumar Sharma, Department of Chemistry and Centre for Advanced Studies in Chemistry, Panjab University, told IANS. Indian researchers develop smart portable device to detect toxic pesticides in water, food | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com
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Volcanic ash plume from Ethiopia moving over North India will not impact AQI: Experts

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New Delhi, (IANS) A massive ash cloud from the Hayli Gubbi volcanic eruption in northern Ethiopia that drifted across the Arabian Sea and reached India on Monday night is now moving over parts of north India, prompting aviation authorities to issue safety guidelines for airlines. However, it is not expected to impact the air quality as the ash cloud is primarily at mid-levels of the atmosphere, experts said on Tuesday.

The eruption, which occurred on Sunday after the long-dormant volcano suddenly became active, released a thick plume that travelled across the Red Sea toward Yemen and Oman before advancing toward the Indian subcontinent.

By 11 p.m. on Monday, the ash plume had entered Indian airspace and was observed over Delhi, with movement expected towards Punjab and Haryana through the night and well into Tuesday.

The unusual atmospheric event led the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to issue a detailed advisory to airlines, urging them to strictly avoid designated volcanic ash–affected areas and flight levels.

Airlines have been asked to modify flight planning, routing, altitude selection, and fuel calculations in accordance with the latest Volcanic Ash Advisories (VAAs).

The DGCA’s guidance comes amid reports of rerouted and delayed flights as aircraft operators attempt to navigate safely around the affected zones.

Volcanic ash poses a serious risk to aviation, especially jet engines, as ash particles can melt inside engines and cause severe damage.

IndiaMetSky Weather posted an explanation of the phenomenon on X, noting that the plume currently contains sulphur dioxide (SO₂) with low to moderate concentrations of volcanic ash.

In its post, IndiaMetSky Weather wrote: “The Ash plume mostly consists of Sulphur Dioxide with low to moderate concentrations of Volcanic Ash. It’s now stretching from Oman–Arabian Sea region into plains of North & Central India. It will not impact AQI levels but it will impact SO₂ levels at #Hills of #Nepal, #Himalayas and adjoining Terai belt of #UttarPradesh as some of the material will bump into the hills and later move into China."

"Low chances of Ashfall over plains but some places may see something. NO IMPACT ON AQI LEVEL AT SURFACE LEVEL AT ANY PLACE IS EXPECTED," the post mentioned.

"Plume will slowly continue to drift over Delhi, Haryana and Rajasthan region. Once again this is at middle levels of the atmosphere so there will not be any impact on the surface apart from some delays & changes in flight routes and some particles might fall to the surface (low chances),” it added.

Meteorologists emphasise that the ash cloud is primarily at mid-levels of the atmosphere, meaning it is unlikely to affect surface air quality for most regions in India. However, hills across Nepal, the Himalayas, and Uttar Pradesh’s Terai belt may see higher sulphur dioxide levels as the plume interacts with mountainous terrain.The plume is expected to gradually drift westward and weaken, but authorities continue to monitor its movement closely. Passengers have been advised to check with airlines for updated flight schedules as temporary disruptions may continue until the plume disperses. Volcanic ash plume from Ethiopia moving over North India will not impact AQI: Experts | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com
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