Young children who regularly ingest Indian spices and ceremonial powders like vermilion, or sindoor, may be exposed to lead, a dangerous neurotoxin, an American study has claimed.

Animal sentinels of poisonous conditions for people have been used for a long time. From the 19th century and well into the 20th century coal miners sent canaries into mining shafts to check if the air was safe to breathe.

We found staggeringly high levels of lead in virtually all samples we checked

When paint companies were asked about their plans to phase out lead, three responded by doing so in months.

Beijing: Lead pollution from a newly opened and unlicensed manganese smelter has poisoned more than 1,300 children in southeastern China

Most of the popular brands of paints contain high quantities of lead, a toxin especially dangerous for children, says a latest study done by Centre for Science and Environment. While there is no mandatory standard for lead levels in paints in the country, top companies exceed even the voluntary limit specified by the Bureau of Indian Standards.

Major parts of the metropolis are exposed to acute lead pollution, which poses a serious threat to the health of citizens, a research study conducted at the University of Karachi has established.

Lead is found in products like water pipes, printing ink, paints and even Ayurvedic medicines, apart from battery cells posing hazards, says Uma Rajarathnam