Blood Mineral Composition in Residents of the Arctic Region With Low Water Mineralization Rates in Centralized Tap Water Supply Systems

Abstract

Introduction: Mineral content of tap water vary significantly between settings and may affect blood mineral composition in humans. The evidence from Arctic Russian settings is scarce. Aim: To assess blood mineral composition among residents of areas with low mineralization of water from underground sources distributed by centralized water supply systems in Arctic Russia. Methods: The study was performed in the town of Kirovsk, Murmansk region. Only permanent residents of the town aged 18-23 years participated. Concentrations of Ag, Al, As, B, Ba, Be, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, Pb, Sb, Se, Si, Sn, Sr, Ti, Tl, V, Zn, Y in tap water and whole blood were determined by atomic emission spectrometry. Results: Tap water in Kirovsk has an increased pH value, with a total mineralization of 65.0 mg/l with the legal limit of 1000 mg/l). Magnesium and calcium concentrations were 1 000-1 500 and 150-300 times below maximum permissible (MPC) concentrations, re spectively. The concentration of aluminum exceeded MPC by 30-50 % while concentrations of other elements were tens to hundreds times below MPC. In blood, calcium concentration was slightly below the average value for healthy individuals while and the magnesium content corresponded to normal values. An increased concentration of boron (2.45 ± 0.11 mg/l) was revealed. Conclusions: Contrary to expectations, residents of the area with low mineral content of tap water did not have a significant decrease in concentrations of calcium and magnesium in whole blood. No signs of increased concentration of heavy metals in blood of the residents were observed. Despite the high concentration of aluminum in water, its concentration in whole blood is within the physiological limits. At the same time, an increased blood concentration of boron was revealed warranting further research.

Determination of the macro- and microelement composition of the saliva of СHPP workers

“…В 2020 г. на территории Омской области были зарегистрированы случаи высокого загрязнения соединениями марганца (превышение в 5 раз) [32]. Общепризнанно, что обязательным условием нормальной жизнедеятельности человека является стабильность химического состава его организма [4]. При этом для нормального функционирования всех органов и систем человека крайне необходимо не только регулярное поступление в организм макро-и микроэлементов, но и правильное их соотношение.…”

“…В качестве маркеров экологического неблагополучия при решении задач биомониторинга, а также для выявления нарушения химического гомеостаза могут выступать биологические жидкости (кровь, моча, слюна и др. ), а также волосы и ногти, поскольку они аккумулируют макро-и микроэлементы, поступающие в организм с питьевой водой, пищей, воздухом [2][3][4][5]. Наиболее часто изучают содержание тяжелых металлов, таких как свинец, хром, никель, марганец, ванадий, кадмий.…”