[Metallic content of water sources and drinkable water in industrial cities of Murmansk region].

Performed in 2013, sampling of centralized and noncentralized water-supply and analysis of engineering technology materials on household water use in 6 cities of Murmansk region (Nikel, Zapolyarny, Olenegorsk, Montchegorsk, Apatity, Kirovsk), subjected to industrial emissions, enabled to evaluate and compare levels of 15 metals in water sources (lakes and springs) and the cities' drinkable waters. Findings are that some cities lack sanitary protection zones for water sources, most cities require preliminary water processing, water desinfection involves only chlorination. Concentrations of most metals in water samples from all the cities at the points of water intake, water preparation and water supply are within the hygienic norms. But values significantly (2-5 times) exceeding MACs (both in water sources and in drinkable waters of the cities) were seen for aluminium in Kirovsk city and for nickel in Zapolarny and Nikel cities. To decrease effects of aluminium, nickel and their compounds in the three cities' residents (and preserve health of the population and offsprings), the authors necessitate specification and adaptation of measures to purify the drinkable waters from the pollutants. In all the cities studied, significantly increased concentrations of iron and other metals were seen during water transportation from the source to the city supply--that necessitates replacement of depreciated water supply systems by modern ones. Water taken from Petchenga region springs demonstrated relatively low levels of metals, except from strontium and barium.

[Metal content of local foods in Pechenga district of Murmansk region].

Within international project KolArctic "Food safety and health in frontier area of Russia, Finland and Norway", the study covered local food sampling in Pechenga district of Murmansk region during autumn of 2013, including fish (from 6 lakes), game, mushrooms, wild and cultivated berries, vegetables from private gardens situated at various distances from Nickel and Zapolarnyi settlements, also polling among 400 residents. Levels of 13 metals in the foods were assessed in "Taifun" laboratory. MACs for cadmium was 1.5-2 times exceeded in mushrooms (lamellate and tubular), that for mercury was up to 3 times exceeded in aspen mushrooms. Fresh-water fish appeared to contain the highest levels of mercury, close to MAC. Assessing levels of other metals that were previously normalized in USSR, the findings are 1.5 times exceeded MAC for copper in milk mushrooms, MAC for nickel was 4.5 times exceeded in wild berries, 2.5 times exceeded in cultivated berries, 2 times exceeded in potatoes and 2.5 to 30 times exceeded in mushrooms. Mushrooms have to be considered as major sorbents of total complex of the metals under study. Fresh-water fish is foodstuff mostly contaminated with mercury. Highly toxic nickel has to be considered as a major factor of exposure (and health risk) among the population under study. The data obtained help to specify recommendations on restricting some food items and reducing health risk for the residents subjected to industrial releases from "Pechenganickel" enterprise.

[Influence of nonindustrial risk factors on congenital abnormalities formation].

Congenital abnormalities could result from exposure to occupational hazards. Epidemiologic study of nickel compounds influence on reproductive health in females engaged into nickel purification in Murmansk region enterprises did not reveal increased risk of the anomalies. The study was aimed to define influence of various risk factors connected not to work conditions, but to mother's health, bad habits, age, on congenital abnormalities in newborns.

[Kolsky register of births as an instrument of epidemiologic studies of female reproductive health].

The authors evaluate possible use of Monchegorsk retrospective birth database for demographic and epidemiologic studies of various female reproductive health parameters, newborn health parameters, as well as their connections with occupational and other environmental factors.

[Neoplasm mortality in population residing near extracting and processing apatite ore facilities]. / Smertnost' ot zlokachestvennykh novoobrazovanii naseleniia, prozhivaiushchego vblizi predpriiatiia po dobyche i pererabotke apatitovykh rud.

Increased mortality with malignancies in population who reside near enterprises processing Kolsky apatite-nepheline ores is determined mostly by mortality among an "occupational group" engaged into this production.

[Analysis of cause of death of workers of non-ferrous metal industry in the Far North]. / Analiz prichin smertnosti lits, rabotavshikh v proizvodstve tsvetnykh metallov na Krainem Severe.

Mortality parameters among able-bodied individuals engaged into nonferrous metallurgy due to cardiovascular, respiratory diseases and malignancies several times exceed the analogous parameters among general population residing in the same climate (5.4, 4.9 and 3.6 times respectively). High mortality due to malignancies among the workers exposed to nonferrous metals does not match the data by official statistics declaring the occupational malignancies rate over 400 times lower than the mortality parameter. Such gap between actual and official statistics could result from inadequate occupational medical service for these workers.