[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.

[Evaluating health risk caused by exposure to metals in local foods and drinkable water in Pechenga district of Murmansk region].

Total average daily intake of metals with local food by natives equalled: Cu 2%, Pb 6%, Cd 22%, Hg 40%, Ni 66%, As 157%--in comparison with allowable daily intake. Mushrooms are responsible for total intake of 35% Pb, 55% Cu, 61% Ni and 91% Cd; fish gives 83% Hg and 75% As. The natives' exposure to Ni is caused by mushrooms, wild and cultivated berries and vegetables, exposure to Cd--by mushrooms, that to Hg--by freshwater fish, exposure to As--by salmon and cod. Drinkable water contribution into exposure to metals is negligibly small for Hg, Cd, Pb and Cu, mild for As and considerable for Ni (23%). Total carcinogenous risk with Cu and Pb are negligible, with Cd is 0.22, with Hg 0.39, with Ni 0.81, with As 1.62, with totality of metals for total foods and water--3.1. Total carcinogenous risks with Pb are minimal (less than 10(-6)), with Cd--allowable (less than 10(-5)), with As--average (less than 10(-3)), with Ni--high (10(-2)), with totality of metals for total foods and water--1.25 x 10(-2). Increased health risks revealed necessitate recommendations on reduction/exclusion of some local foods intake by the natives and measures on drinkable water purification from nickel, or usage of other sources of clear water.