Critical evaluation of medical, statistical, and occupational data sources in the Kola Peninsula of Russia pertinent to reproductive health studies.

BACKGROUND: The feasibility study described herein was prompted by a report in 1992 of possible reproductive and developmental health concerns among female workers in a Russian nickel refinery. OBJECTIVE: The primary goal was to ascertain whether medical, statistical, and occupational data bases could be accessed for information about the pregnancy histories, occupational histories, and life-style factors of the women affected. METHODS: The project was facilitated by construction of a registry of all births in three towns with a nickel refinery and verification of its contents against patients' records obtained from hospital delivery and gynecology departments and community polyclinics. Municipal Registration Board, Regional Health Statistics Board, and nickel company records were also reviewed. RESULTS: Reproductive/developmental outcome information and workplace histories were acceptable. Sample-size calculations indicated that a cohort or cross-sectional study would be amenable and suitable for the detection of an excess risk for spontaneous abortion with adequate statistical significance and power. Such investigations would need to be supplemented by workplace environmental/biological monitoring assessments for evaluation of exposure to occupational hazardous factors and a worker's questionnaire to obtain information about life-style factors. A case-control design is recommended for the study of congenital defects. CONCLUSIONS: A well-designed, comprehensive epidemiology study is technically feasible because of the availability of a favorable pool of study subjects, reproductive/developmental outcome data, information to control for major confounders, and suitable occupational records.

Characterisation of workers' exposure in a Russian nickel refinery.

In support of a feasibility study of reproductive and developmental health among females employed in the Monchegorsk (Russia) nickel refinery, personal exposure and biological monitoring assessments were conducted. The inhalable aerosol fraction was measured and characterised by chemical speciation and particle-size distribution measurements. Unexpected findings were that: (i), pyrometallurgical working environments had significant levels of water-soluble nickel; (ii), significant exposure to cobalt occurred for the nickel workers; (iii), particles of size corresponding to the thoracic and respirable fractions appeared to be virtually absent in most of the areas surveyed. The water-soluble fraction is judged to be primarily responsible for the observed urinary nickel and cobalt concentrations. It is concluded relative to current international occupational-exposure limits for nickel in air, and because of the high nickel concentrations observed in urine, that the Monchegorsk nickel workers are heavily exposed. The implication of this finding for follow-up epidemiological work is alluded to.

A study of exposure standards in Russia and the role of occupational hygiene.

This paper is the result of an investigation carried out in February 1997, which set out to learn about the development and application of occupational health standards, and in turn approaches to occupational environmental monitoring, in Russia, and to see how these were similar to, or different from, what takes place in other countries. The enquiry involved face-to-face meetings with senior Russian occupational health scientists and officials. It was confirmed that Russian occupational exposure standards are very stringent and provide a very high level of protection of workers. However, they are difficult to enforce, and it is suggested that the development of a strong and distinctive occupational hygiene discipline and profession in Russia would provide a "bridge" to enable more effective implementation and interpretation of those standards.