Chronic kidney disease and water quality in Sri Lanka

Unusually high occurrences of chronic kidney disease (CKD) have been detected in specific regions of Sri Lanka. This started work to investigate toxic causes and related environmental factors like contaminated groundwater. In a collaborative study we investigate in collaboration with researchers from Geology, Nephrology and Nephropathology from Erlangen, Germany and Peradeniya or Kandy, Sri Lanka, water quality and health-related parameters. In this context we apply analytical screening approaches to detect pesticides and other organic pollutants in surface and groundwater from regions affected by CKD in comparison to control regions.   

SRI-KID: Exploration of relationships between locally constrained chronic kidney disease (CKD) and water quality in Sri Lanka (BMBF, 2017-2019).

Collaboration partners: Johannes Barth, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg; Kerstin Amann and Christoph Daniel, Klinikum der Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Nephropatholologie; Rohana Chandrajith, Department of Geology, Peradeniya University, Sri Lanka; Nishanta Nanayakkara, Nephrology Unit, General Hospital in Kandy, Sri Lanka.

Publications:

• Balasooriya, S., Munasinghe, H., Herath, A.T., Diyabalanage, S., Ileperuma, O.A., Manthrithilake, H., Daniel, C., Amann, K., Zwiener, C., Barth, J.A.C. and Chandrajith, R. (2019) Possible links between groundwater geochemistry and chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology (CKDu): an investigation from the Ginnoruwa region in Sri Lanka. Exposure and Health.   doi.org/10.1007/s12403-019-00340-w