EXPOSURE LEVELS OF PERSISTENT ORGANIC POLLUTANTS (POPS) AMONG POPULATION OF THE PECHENGA DISTRICT IN THE MURMANSK REGION

Within the framework of the international project Kolarctic «Food safety and health in the border areas of Russia, Finland and Norway» in the Pechenga district of the Murmansk Region, 100 blood samples were selected from men, women and gravidae in autumn 2013. In blood plasma of 40 persons analyzed in the laboratory of the Northwest branch of the Research and Production Enterprise «Typhoon”the following POPs were detectable: HCB, HCH Group, DDT and PCBs groups. In the HCH group, beta-isomer prevailed; alpha-HCH was detected in 28% of female blood samples; gamma-HCH –in 50% of women and in 22% of pregnant women. The presence of HCH isomers in the blood of examined individuals was uniquely associated with other nutrition sources (unlike local food) as HCH is not present in the local food. In DDT group, 4-4’-DDE and 4,4’-DDT dominated; other metabolites are rarely encountered. At the same time, 4’-4DDE was detected in 22% of pregnant women which gives evidence of a DDT probable domestic «fresh» source at the maternity ward in Nickel settlement. Mean levels of HCB, beta-HCH, 4,4’-DDE, 4,4’-DDT among examined individuals are ranged between 0.13 and 1.4mg /l in blood plasma. Of fifteen PCB congeners analyzed in the blood of examined persons from three population groups, the highest «contribution» to the total PCB is made by the following congeners:: # 118 (17-25%), # 138 and # 153 ( 11-17% each), # 52 (10-14%) and # 101 (8-9% ). In whole, share parts of PCB congeners in blood of the population examined correspond to those in local foodstuff. Average levels of total PCB in the population groups examined are not high – about 1mg /l in plasma of pregnant women and 1.5 mg /l in male and female plasma . None of individuals examined (including gravidae) showed an excess over international recommended levels of total PCB in blood. The content of HCB, PCBs 4,4’-DDE and PCB # 153 in the population blood in the Pechenga district is the lowest in comparison with other regions of the Russian Arctic areas (from the Murmansk region to Chukotka), and among the gravidae it is similar to that in neighboring northern Norway.

persistent organic pollutants (POPs), HCB, HCH, DDT, PCB congeners, exposure, blood plasma, pregnant women, recommended levels, level of concern, exposure level, Murmansk Region, Russian Arctic