International Union for Circumpolar Health Ministry of Public Health and Social Development of RF Russian Academy of Medical Sciences Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Medical Sciences Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences Medical Polar Fund “Science” The Northern Forum

Abstracts

Plenary session

There are well known a number of health risk factors related to high latitude locations such as include large fluctuations of geomagnetic field intensity and atmospheric pressure, cold and dryness, abnormal solar irradiation, high wind velocity etc. An increase in prevalence of some cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive and communicable diseases as well as disorders of nervous, immune, and endocrine systems were reported from numerous health studies conducted in the Arctic.

Although the presence and the latitude-dependent increase of POP levels in the Arctic regions are confirmed by many international studies, the ecotoxicological consequences still remain largely unknown. High levels of persistent contaminants in the Arctic have already caused serious concern of health conditions of indigenous populations. Human reproduction appears to be especially vulnerable to the exposure to certain contaminants such as PCBs. It has been recently reported that indigenous women residents of the Arctic experienced the relatively low exposure to PCBs (as measured in serum at concentrations over 2.0 µg/L) are at increased risk of adverse outcomes of pregnancy (AMAP, 2004). Taking into consideration that the currently recommended level of concern for total PCB serum concentrations is up to 10 times higher, one may suggest that this phenomenon is resulted from either increased susceptibility of indigenous people to the PCB exposure or from combined effect of environmental contaminations and geophysical and climatic stressors specific to the Arctic or both.

The harsh arctic climatic factors, in particular cold, are capable of acerbating and modifying the health effect induced by some inorganic toxicants, vibration and physical strain /4 /. In the meantime, next to nothing known about the interaction between cold stress and exposures of toxic organic contaminants, of which POPs are of special concern. From a public health perspective, one of the main issues is the possibility of unusual toxicity due to interaction of a multitude of contaminants and environmental stressors at exposure levels that are generally considered harmless for individuals.

In order to clarify the interaction between health risk factors specific to the Arctic and to develop scientifically sound, economically feasible and ethically acceptable recommendations, a joint SDWG/AMAP project has been initiated. It involves inter-disciplinary activities that comprise systemic interactions between researchers, health care professionals and environmentalists from academic and medical institutions, hospitals, public health and ecological agencies.

Note. Abstracts are published in author's edition

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Last update: 06-Jul-2012 (11:52:05)