Tragedy in the Aral Sea basin

Glantz, Michael H.; Rubinstein, Alvin Z.; Zonn, Igor S.

doi:10.1016/0959-3780(93)90005-6

Cited by 59 publications

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“…Since the 1960s heavy application of insecticides, pesticides such as dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethan e (DDT), aldrin, dieldrin and lindane, herbicides and defoliants has created a hazardous situation for the health of approximately 3.5 million people. The irrigation of cotton elds using water from the two supplying rivers, the Amu-Darya and the Syr-Darya, contributed subsequently to a decline in the area of the Aral Sea bed from 64 500 to 30 000 km 2 . Over 3 million ha of salty contaminated sediments of the desiccated former seabed became exposed (1,2).…”

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“…The irrigation of cotton elds using water from the two supplying rivers, the Amu-Darya and the Syr-Darya, contributed subsequently to a decline in the area of the Aral Sea bed from 64 500 to 30 000 km 2 . Over 3 million ha of salty contaminated sediments of the desiccated former seabed became exposed (1,2). These sediments have been disseminated by strong winds as a white powder over the region, exposing the whole ecosystem to the toxic components (3,4).…”

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Levels of certain metals, organochlorine pesticides and dioxins in cord blood, maternal blood, human milk and some commonly used nutrients in the surroundings of the Aral Sea (Karakalpakstan, Republic of Uzbekistan)

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Levels of certain metals, organochlorine pesticides and dioxins in cord blood, maternal blood, human milk and some commonly used nutrients in the surroundings of the Aral Sea (Karakalpakstan, Republic of Uzbekistan)

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Levels of certain metals, organochlorine pesticides and dioxins in cord blood, maternal blood, human milk and some commonly used nutrients in the surroundings of the Aral Sea (Karakalpakstan, Republic of Uzbekistan)

et al. 2001

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Since the 1960s a massive decline in the volume of the Aral Sea has occurred as a result of the diversion of the supplying rivers to cotton irrigation schemes. The contaminated sediment of the former seabed has been disseminated over the surrounding area by strong winds. This deterioration of the ecosystem has created a hazardous situation for the health of approximately 3.5 million people. This pilot study was undertaken to assist Karakalpak health workers in investigating the degree of exposure to metals, persistent organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and dioxins during the most vulnerable prenatal and postnatal period and to provide guidelines for future research. All subjects came from areas located within 200 km of the southern border of the Aral Sea. Blood was obtained from 18 pregnant women and 28 newborns (cord blood) to determine the levels of metals, lead, cadmium, zinc and selenium and the OCPs a‐, b‐ and g‐hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH; lindane is the product name of g‐hexachlorocyclohexane), hexachlorobenzene (HCB), and isomers and metabolites of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethan e (DDT), i.e. op‐DDT, pp‐DDT, pp‐DDE and pp‐TDE. Levels of metals were also determined in blood from 28 non‐pregnant women. In addition, levels of 17 dioxins were determined in 41 human milk samples and 1 batch of formula. Information about possible dietary sources of the fat‐soluble OCPs and dioxins was obtained from a pooled sample of butter and from seven cottonseed oil samples. A mass‐selective detector coupled to a gas chromatograph equipped with a large volume injector was used to analyse the selected OCPs, whereas the dioxins were determined by gas chromatography with high‐resolution mass spectrometry. The levels of metals in cord and maternal blood were consistent with concentrations observed in European countries. Only three women (7%) had lead levels greater than 100 ppb. The most notable pollutants in maternal and cord blood were the OCPs, notably HCB, β‐HCH, pp‐DDE and the most toxic dioxin, 2,3,7,8‐TCDD, when calculated as TEQs. A similar pattern was observed in human milk: β‐HCH and pp‐DDE levels of more than 1000 ng g−1 fat were found in 68 and 43% of the subjects, respectively. Levels of 2,3,7,8‐TCDD were six times higher than those observed in Western Europe. Traces of pp‐DDE were detected in the batch of formula milk. Contaminated animal fat, but not cottonseed oil, is the most likely dietary source of OCPs and dioxins. Conclusion: Further epidemiological research is needed to elucidate the health implications of these pollutants on perinatal and maternal health, including lactation. More importantly, an investigation should be initiated to identify the emission sources of persistent organic pollutants in Karakalpakstan and adjacent regions.

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“…The Aral Sea Basin crisis has gradually emerged over the past three to four decades; it now represents one of the world's major environmental problem areas. The Basin is largely delineated by the Aral Sea and the area between and around its two tributaries Ð the main rivers of Former Soviet Central Asia, the Amu Darya and the Syr Darya (Glantz et al, 1993;Martin, 1994;Micklin, 1992;Precoda, 1991). The dimensions of this environmental crisis are as follows.…”

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The Aral Sea Basin Crisis: Transition and Environment in Former Soviet Central Asia

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1998

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The haunting picture of a disappearing Aral Sea is just part of an overall environmental crisis in the Aral Sea Basin, where millions of people are dependent on agricultural production around the¯ows of two main rivers, the Amu Darya and Syr Darya. Forced cotton cultivation in the former Soviet Union, in the context of inecient agricultural organization and production, caused water mismanagement, salinization, water and soil contamination, erosion and the desiccation of the Aral Sea. In the post-Soviet era of`transition', the governments of the Central Asian states and international donors have tried to mitigate the impact of the crisis and contain its scope. Resourcebased tensions in the region re¯ect national (and sometimes ethnic) interests vested in the crucial agricultural sectors that provide foreign exchange and food. Although the Central Asian governments are gradually formulating regional water, land and salt management strategies, the room for manoeuvre that exists to implement policies which would immediately improve the environment, such as ecient water management and sustainable land use, is not being suciently utilized.

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Tragedy in the Aral Sea basin

Cited by 59 publications

References 14 publications

Levels of certain metals, organochlorine pesticides and dioxins in cord blood, maternal blood, human milk and some commonly used nutrients in the surroundings of the Aral Sea (Karakalpakstan, Republic of Uzbekistan)

Levels of certain metals, organochlorine pesticides and dioxins in cord blood, maternal blood, human milk and some commonly used nutrients in the surroundings of the Aral Sea (Karakalpakstan, Republic of Uzbekistan)

Levels of certain metals, organochlorine pesticides and dioxins in cord blood, maternal blood, human milk and some commonly used nutrients in the surroundings of the Aral Sea (Karakalpakstan, Republic of Uzbekistan)

The Aral Sea Basin Crisis: Transition and Environment in Former Soviet Central Asia

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