Unveiling the Link between Fairness Creams and Nephrotic Syndrome

Why in the news?

Researchers from Kerala reported 15 cases of Membranous Nephropathy (MN) linked to the regular application of fairness creams.
These creams contained high levels of mercury, sometimes exceeding the safe limit by 10,000 times.

Mercury Contamination in Hair Cream

Blood and urine screenings of affected individuals unveiled alarmingly high levels of mercury, a well-known toxic element.
The fairness creams contained mercury levels up to 10,000 times above the permissible limit of 1 ppm under Minamata Convention (2013).
Most cases were PLA2R (phospholipase A2 receptor) negative, indicating a different cause.
Cases of MN linked to Neural epidermal growth factor-like protein 1 (NELL-1) have been identified.
NELL-1 has been associated with MN caused by traditional medicines containing high mercury levels.

Understanding Membranous Nephropathy

Membranous Nephropathy (MN) is a nephrotic syndrome, characterized by excessive protein leakage into urine, eventually leading to kidney failure. Symptoms such as fatigue, edema, and proteinuria were found to have a history of regular fairness cream usage.

Impact of Mercury:

Mercury in fairness creams inhibits melanin formation, resulting in lighter skin. Consumers perceive higher mercury levels as more effective for skin whitening.
Mercury, a potent heavy metal found in these creams, penetrates the body through various channels, including sweat glands and hair follicles, causing systemic toxicity.
Chronic exposure to mercury can result in kidney damage, neurological disorders, and a myriad of other health complications.

Back2Basics: Minamata Convention on Mercury

The Minamata Convention on Mercury is devised to safeguard human health and the environment from the detrimental impacts of mercury and its derivatives.
Its name derives from the Japanese bay where, during the mid-20th century, industrial wastewater tainted with mercury inflicted severe health damage upon thousands of individuals, leading to what is now recognized as “Minamata disease.”
Signed in 2013 and enforced in 2017, it operates as a United Nations treaty under the purview of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
Countries ratifying the Convention are legally obliged under international law to implement these regulations.
128 countries are signatories, with 119 of them having ratified it; India became a party by ratifying it in 2018.

Activities covered by the Convention:

The Convention encompasses all phases of the mercury life cycle, aiming to regulate and diminish mercury usage across various products, processes, and industries.
This encompasses regulations about:
- Mercury mining involves bans on new mines and the gradual phase-out of existing ones.
- Gradual reduction and elimination of mercury utilization in numerous products and procedures.
- Control measures address emissions into the atmosphere and release into soil and water bodies.
- Oversight of the informal artisanal and small-scale gold mining sector.
- Management of interim mercury storage and its disposal once classified as waste, as well as remediation of mercury-contaminated sites and associated health issues.

PYQ:

[2010] Indiscriminate disposal of used fluorescent electric lamps causes mercury pollution in the environment. Why is mercury used in the manufacture of these lamps?

(a) A mercury coating on the inside of the lamp makes the light bright white

(b) When the lamp is switched on, the mercury in the lamp causes the emission of ultra-violet radiations

(d) None of the statement given above is correct about the use of mercury in the manufacture of fluorescent lamps