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Characterization of dioxin exposure in residents of Chapaevsk, Russia

Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology volume 12, pages 409–417 (2002)Cite this article

Abstract

Since 1967, a chemical plant in the town of Chapaevsk (Samara province, Russia) has produced large amounts of chlorinated compounds and is suspected to be a major source of local environmental dioxin contamination. Dioxins have been detected in the local air, soil, drinking water, vegetables, and cow's milk. Human exposure to dioxins is suspected as a factor in the deteriorating local public health. In an effort to characterize nonoccupational dioxin exposure among local residents, during the summer of 1998, 24 volunteers were recruited to donate blood and to provide information about their residence, employment, demographics, medical history, and dietary habits. Selected polychlorinated dibenzodioxins, dibenzofurans, and coplanar biphenyls were measured in blood serum samples. The mean concentration of total dioxin World Health Organization toxic equivalents (WHO-TEQ98) based on polychlorinated dibenzo-para-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), and coplanar polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) was 61.2 (range 16.4–168.1) pg/g lipid. Subjects living in close proximity to the plant (less than 5 km) had significantly higher dioxin levels (mean WHO-TEQ98, 75.7 pg/g lipid), as compared to subjects living more than 5 km from the plant (mean WHO-TEQ98, 44.1 pg/g lipid) (P<0.04). Comparisons of the study results with available published data indicate that average blood dioxin levels were substantially higher in Chapaevsk residents than in nonoccupationally exposed populations of other parts of Russia, Europe, and North America. Chronic exposures of such magnitude may have appreciable adverse effects on public health.

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Abbreviations

ANOVA:

analysis of variance

BMI:

body mass index

CDC:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

IARC:

International Agency for Research on Cancer

NTP:

National Toxicology Program

PCB:

polychlorinated biphenyl

PCDD:

polychlorinated dibenzo-para-dioxin

PCDF:

polychlorinated dibenzofuran

ppt:

parts per trillion

SD:

standard deviation

TEF:

toxic equivalency factor

TEQ:

toxic equivalent

WHO:

World Health Organization

2,3,7,8-TCDD:

2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin

1,2,3,7,8-PeCDD:

1,2,3,7,8-pentachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin

1,2,3,4,7,8-HxCDD:

1,2,3,4,7,8-hexachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin

1,2,3,6,7,8-HxCDD:

1,2,3,6,7,8-hexachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin

1,2,3,7,8,9-HxCDD:

1,2,3,7,8,9-hexachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin

1,2,3,4,6,7,8-HpCDD:

1,2,3,4,6,7,8-heptachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin

1,2,3,4,6,7,9-HpCDD:

1,2,3,4,6,7,9-heptachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin

OCDD:

octachloro dibenzo-p-dioxin

2,3,7,8-TCDF:

2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzofuran

1,2,3,7,8-PeCDF:

1,2,3,7,8-pentachlorodibenzofuran

2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF:

2,3,4,7,8-pentachlorodibenzofuran

1,2,3,4,7,8-HxCDF:

1,2,3,4,7,8-hexachlorodibenzofuran

1,2,3,6,7,8-HxCDF:

1,2,3,6,7,8-hexachlorodibenzofuran

1,2,3,7,8,9-HxCDF:

1,2,3,7,8,9-hexachlorodibenzofuran

2,3,4,6,7,8-HxCDF:

2,3,4,6,7,8-hexachlorodibenzofuran

1,2,3,4,6,7,8-HpCDF:

1,2,3,4,6,7,8-heptachlorodibenzofuran

1,2,3,4,7,8,9-HpCDF:

1,2,3,4,7,8,9-heptachlorodibenzofuran

OCDF:

octachlorodibenzofuran

3,3′,4,4′-TCB 77:

3,3′,4,4′-tetrachlorinated biphenyl (PCB-77)

3,4,4′,5-TCB 81:

3,4,4′,5-tetrachlorinated biphenyl (PCB-81)

3,3′,4,4′,5-PCB 126:

3,3′,4,4′,5-pentachlorinated biphenyl (PCB-126)

3,3′,4,4′,5,5′-HCB 169:

3,3′,4,4′,5,5′-hexachlorinated biphenyl (PCB-169)

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Acknowledgements

Collection and analysis of human samples were supported through an agreement with the Environmental Toxicology Program of the US National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and by Public Health Service Grants ES00260 and CA16087. Dioxin analyses were supported by interagency agreement Y1-ES-8062-02 between the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and the National Center for Environmental Health. This work was undertaken during the tenure of Dr. Paolo Toniolo from a Senior Visiting Scientist Award from the IARC (Lyon, France). The authors are grateful to the administration of the City of Chapaevsk for logistical support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. New York University School of Medicine, 550 First Avenue, NBV-9E2, New York, New York, 10016, USA

    ARSLAN AKHMEDKHANOV & PAOLO TONIOLO

  2. Center for Demography and Human Ecology of Institute for Forecasting, Russian Academy of Sciences, Nakhimov's Prospect 47, Moscow, 117418, Russia

    BORIS REVICH

  3. Columbia University School of Public Health, 60 Haven Avenue, B-1, New York, 10032, New York, USA

    JENNIFER J ADIBI

  4. Chapaevsk Central City Hospital, Meditsinskaya ul. 4, Chapaevsk, 446100, Samara Oblast, Russia

    VLADIMIR ZEILERT

  5. Environmental Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, 27709, USA

    SCOTT A MASTEN

  6. National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, 30333, Georgia, USA

    DONALD G PATTERSON Jr & LARRY L NEEDHAM

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  1. ARSLAN AKHMEDKHANOV
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Correspondence to ARSLAN AKHMEDKHANOV.

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AKHMEDKHANOV, A., REVICH, B., ADIBI, J. et al. Characterization of dioxin exposure in residents of Chapaevsk, Russia. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol 12, 409–417 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jea.7500243

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