New Delhi, Oct 24 (PTI) The burning of sugarcane and rice husks may be releasing a toxic substance which is causing a mysterious kidney disease among agricultural workers in India, Sri Lanka, the US and many other countries, according to a study.

An ongoing epidemic of chronic kidney disease has been observed among manual labourers in hot agricultural communities throughout the world, the researchers said.

While heat stress and climate change have contributed to this epidemic, researchers have identified tiny silica particles released from sugarcane ash that can be inhaled or ingested through contaminated drinking water that cause chronic kidney damage.