Elsevier

Chemosphere

Volume 43, Issues 4–7, May 2001, Pages 951-966
Chemosphere

Dioxin exposure and public health in Chapaevsk, Russia

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0045-6535(00)00456-2Get rights and content

Abstract

One of the largest environmental polluters in Chapaevsk (Samara Region, Russia) is the Middle Volga chemical plant. From 1967 to 1987, it produced hexachlorocyclohexane (lindane) and its derivatives. Currently, it produces crop protection chemicals (liquid chlorine acids, methyl chloroform, vinyl chloride, and some other chemicals). Dioxins were detected in air (0.116pg/m3), in soil (8,9–298 ng/kg), in the town's drinking water (28,4–74,1 pg/liter), and in the cow's milk (the content of 2,3,7,8 – TCDD was 17,32 pg TEQ/g fat). The mean content of dioxins in seven pooled samples of human milk (40 individual trials) was 42,26 pg TEQ/g fat, in four female workers' blood samples – 412,4 pg TEQ/g fat, in six residents'blood samples (those who lived 1–3 km from the chemical plant) – 75,2 pg TEQ/g fat, in four residents' blood samples (5–8 km from the plant) – 24,5 pg TEQ/g fat. To assess cancer risk and reproductive health status, official medical statistical information was used. In general, the male cancer mortality observed rate in Chapaevsk is higher than expected. The SMR is higher for lung cancer 3.1(C.I. 2.6–3.8), urinary organs 2.6(C.I. 1.7–3.6). Chapaevsk women have a higher risk overall due to breast cancer 2.1(C.I. 1.6–2.7) and cervix cancer 1.8(C.I. 1.0–3.1). The incidence rates were higher for lung cancer in males and for female breast cancer in all age groups compared to Russia and Samara Region in 1998. Significant disruptions in reproductive function were detected. The mean frequency of spontaneous abortions in the last seven years was statistically higher 24.4% in Chapaevsk (compared to other of the towns region). The average rate of premature labor was 45.7 per 1000 women in Chapaevsk that is significantly higher than in most Samara Region towns. The frequency of newborns with low birth weight was 7.4%. In Russia and in most of the Samara Region towns, this rate is lower (6.2–5.1%) but not statistically different. For the determination of congenital morphogenetic conditions (CMGC), 369 children born between 1990 and 1995 were examined. The average number of CMGC per child was significantly higher, 4.5 for boys and 4.4 for girls. The first results indicated serious disruptions associated with high dioxin levels in human milk and blood in Chapaevsk. We suggest that Chapaevsk is an incredibly interesting site for further environmental-epidemiological research to assess the impact of dioxins on human health.

Introduction

Published studies of dioxin exposure and its impact on human health are few in number and limited to certain geographical regions. The majority of studies have been concentrated in Italy (after the incident in Seveso), the US, Vietnam (as a result of using Agent Orange), Germany (occupational studies) and other countries. There are two towns in Russia where similar studies are being conducted – Ufa (Bashkiria) and Chapaevsk (Samara Region).

Chapaevsk is located 43 km to the southwest of Samara, on the Chapaevka River, which flows into the Volga River. The population of the town is 83,000. One of the largest environmental polluters in Chapaevsk is the Middle Volga chemical plant. Prior to 1949, the Plant produced chemical blister agents: mustard gas and lewisite. From 1967 to 1987, it produced hexachlorocyclohexane (lindane) and its derivatives. Currently, it produces crop protection chemicals (liquid chlorine, acids, methyl chloroform, vinyl chloride, and some other chemicals). Previously it was considered that hexachlorane production was responsible for dioxin contamination in the city's environment. Tests seemed to confirm it. But after the production was stopped in 1987, a continued output of dioxin was still observed. The study of the present -day chemical production technologies revealed that dioxins and similar compounds can be formed in the production of methyl chloroform, vinyl chloride, dichlorpropionic acid, hexachlorethane, sodium pentachlorphenolate and polychloroform (Environment and public health in Chapaevsk city, 2000).

A large network of industrial plants was created during industrialization in Russia, intended for the production of toxic agents with high chlorine content. One such plant was founded in Chapaevsk, Samara Region. Industrial plants, mainly related to the military-industrial complex, occupied 51% of the total region area. These plants produced 86% of the city's income. They employed approximately half of the city's population.

Beginning in 1989, a stable trend towards reduced production has been observed in the city, as well as in the country as a whole. The greatest reduction of more than 83% took place at the defense plants. The chemical industry reduced production by more than 50%. The reduced volume of production in Chapaevsk is higher than in Samara Oblast and in Russia on the whole.

The first results of dioxin analysis in soil samples indicated high concentrations. High levels of dioxin were registered in soils at the city center, in the soils of gardens and agricultural fields. This led the Chapaevsk City Administration to begin studies to assess the impact of dioxin on human health with the following aims:

  • 1.

    to estimate environmental exposure to dioxin;

  • 2.

    to estimate blood and milk levels of dioxin;

  • 3.

    to estimate incidence and mortality rates, and specifically describe reproductive health in the population according to official statistical data;

  • 4.

    to assess the impact on genetic characteristics;

  • 5.

    to assess male sexual maturation and abnormalities in the male reproductive system based on case-control studies.

An article by Revazova et al. (2000) about the cytogenic effects of dioxins in residents of Chapaevsk has been published in this issue of Chemosphere.

Section snippets

Sampling human milk

Sampling of human milk was carried out in December 1997–June 1998 according to the World Health Organization (WHO) criteria. Forty samples of human milk were pooled into seven samples. The average age of mothers was 22.0 years. All surveyed mothers classified their diet as mixed. Ninety percent of women eat fish once a week or rarely, 80% of women eat meat more than two times a week, and dairy products every day. All respondents never smoked, as they self-reported in the interview.

Blood

Blood samples

Results

In 1994 the average concentration of dioxins in air was 0.116pg/m3. The calculations were made when the plant worked at 20% capacity, so one can extrapolate that dioxin air emissions had been higher previously. Moving away from the plant one can see a decrease in the dioxin levels – down to 36.8 ng/kg in downtown (2.7 km from the plant); down to 3.9 ng/kg in the southern part of the city; down to 0.9 ng/kg at 10–15 km from the plant (Table 1). Private home owners (18,000 in Chapaevsk) grow

The chemical fertilizer plant workers

The group most exposed to dioxin are the workers at the chemical fertilizer plant. The plant produced toxic compounds during World War II. There is little published information on the working conditions in those years. The newspaper “Chapaevsk Worker” reported mustard gas concentrations in the air of the working area as being 500 times or higher than the Russian threshold limit value. More than 30 workers died of chemical poisoning by mustard, lewisite and their mixture.

In 1969, the Gorky

Acknowledgements

We assume that Chapaevsk is an incredibly interesting site for further environmental-epidemiological research. Recently, our group has begun joint work with the Harvard School of Public Health and physicians from Chapaevsk to assess sexual maturation of boys. There is also the potential to apply case-control study methods for an investigation of endometriosis, diabetes and other disruptions of the endocrine system.

This work was initiated by the mayor of Chapaevsk, Yuri Lipchenko and his Deputy,

References (47)

  • C. Bernes

    Persistent organic pollutants: a Swedish view of an international problem

    Monitor

    (1998)
  • Bertazzi, P.A., Ilaria Bernucci, I., 1998. The Seveso studies on early and long-term effects of dioxin exposure: a...
  • N.P. Bochkov et al.

    Study of in-born morpho-genetic variants of development in children

    Gig. Sanit.

    (1994)
  • D. Davis

    Rethinking breast cancer risk and the environment: the case for the precautionary principe

    Envirnm. Health Perspect.

    (1998)
  • Environment and public health in Chapaevsk city, 2000. Moscow, Russia, p. 105 in...
  • Gonzalez, C.A., et al., 1999. Biomonitoring study of people living near or working at a municipal solid waste...
  • K. Hooper

    Analysis of breast milk to assess exposure to chlorinated contaminants in Kazakhstan: sources of 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) exposures in an agricultural region of southern Kazakhstan

    Environ. Health Perspect.

    (1999)
  • D.J. Hunter et al.

    Plasma organochlorine levels and the risk of breast cancer

    N. Engl. J. Med.

    (1997)
  • Iida, T., et al., 1999. Concentrations of PCDDs, PCDFs, CoPCBs and organochlorine pesticides in the blood and breast...
  • J.L. Kelsey et al.

    Epidemiology and prevention of breast cancer

    Annu. Rev. Public Health

    (1996)
  • Klyuyev, N., et al., 1998. The dioxinsxenobotics and PAU pollution in Vladimir Region. In: Dioxins superoxidants of XXI...
  • F. Laden et al.

    Environmental risk factors and female breast cancer

    Annu. Rev. Public Health

    (1998)
  • M.T. Landi et al.

    TCDD blood levels, population characteristics, and individual accident experience

    Dioxin'96: Organohalogen Compounds

    (1996)
  • Cited by (0)

    View full text