VULNERABILITIES LINKED TO CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE OF UNKNOWN ETIOLOGY (CKDu) IN GAONDONGREM, CANACONA, INDIA: A PRELIMINARY SOCIO-ENVIRONMENTAL AND TOXICOLOGICAL STUDY

In South Goa, Canacona taluka has been identified as a region with potential risks for Chronic Kidney Disease of Unknown Etiology (CKDu). Within this taluka, Gaondongrem is a rural hilly village panchayat where the community predominantly engages in agricultural farming. Gaondongrem’s terrain, traditional practices, environmental factors like water and lifestyle, notably different from the coastal and urban areas of Canacona, offer a locally grounded setting to investigate CKDu vulnerabilities and exposures in a region where site-specific studies are limited.

A qualitative explorative assessment was employed in Gaondongrem using semi-structured interviews and field observations. The study documented participants’ narratives on water consumption, kidney health awareness, lifestyle practices, work, and healthcare practices. The observations were recorded in the field notes, and recurring patterns during semi structured interviews were evaluated for analysis. Complementary to this, preliminary water sampling was carried out at eight stations of Gaondongrem to evaluate physicochemical parameters using an on-site multiparameter tester and elemental concentration analysis using Microwave Plasma–Atomic Emission Spectroscopy (MP-AES).

Field observations and interviews indicated that the community of Gaondongrem relies on water sources like springs, borewells, and seasonal waterfalls for household and agricultural purposes, with Chapoli Dam serving as a primary supplier for the surrounding region. Many households consume boiled water as a precautionary measure. The community largely engages in paddy cultivation twice a year, along with the small-scale cultivation of local vegetables. Farming activities involve men and women of all age groups in labor-intensive fieldwork. Traditional practices, such as consuming chuna (lime powder) made of mussel shells among field workers and older individuals as a non-tobacco chewable substance, were commonly noted. Participants indicated minimal awareness regarding kidney health, implied insufficient follow-up from previous kidney studies, and constrained healthcare access, with the nearest dialysis center situated nearly two hours away from the more isolated hilly residences. Preliminary analysis of eight water samples reported moderate hardness (180–340 mg/L), conductivity (320–670 µS/cm), and near-neutral pH (6.9–7.4).  MP-AES elemental assessment detected selenium (2.7–3.4 ppm, essential trace element), potassium (0.05–2.01 ppm, macro element), and arsenic (0.10–0.42 ppm, heavy metal). Other elements, including zinc, cadmium, strontium, barium, copper, nickel, cobalt, lead, molybdenum, and manganese, were below detection limits or negligible. Although concentrations were within permissible standards, the detection of some elements indicates possible chronic low-level exposure that could underlie CKDu vulnerability in Gaondongrem.

The study highlights community-focused observations and preliminary toxicological evaluation in Canacona taluka, indicating evidence of underlying vulnerabilities associated with CKDu occurrence. By focusing on Gaondongrem as a region-specific context, this study highlights local practices and environmental conditions, emphasizing their distinctiveness while providing new directions for understanding CKDu risks in an area where the disease remains underexplored despite being a globally recognized kidney health concern. The findings suggest that Gaondongrem’s population experiences overlapping socio-environmental vulnerabilities. The traditional practices of the community, such as the use of chuna (lime powder) for non-tobacco consumption, labor-intensive agriculture, reliance on untreated water sources, and restricted access to healthcare, may all contribute to increased vulnerability in this local context. Early toxicological detection of some elements suggests potential chronic low-level exposures that call for monitoring even though the concentrations were at permissible levels. The results highlight the necessity of long-term environmental monitoring, awareness campaigns, and community-based preventive strategies, given the limitations of sustained research in Canacona. The study advocates the essentiality of integrating social, environmental, and toxicological data to understand and mitigate CKDu risk in rural tropical regions such as Gaondongrem.