Content of radionuclides and public health of environmentally disadvantaged region

Abstract

Relevance. The main source of radionuclide contamination in Kazakhstan is the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site (SNTS), where more than 460 nuclear explosions were made. There are still people living in some areas of the SNTS. The source of radionuclides entering the human body is animal food. The aim of the study was to study the content of 137Cs and 90Sr radionuclides in cattle meat and their impact on public health in areas close to the SNTS. Materials and methods. The data on the content of radionuclides were obtained at the Semipalatinsk Regional Veterinary Laboratory of the East Kazakhstan Region. The object of the study was meat of cattle (cattle) (67 samples) obtained in Abai, Borodulikhinsky, Zharminsky, Beskaragaysky districts and the city of Semipalatinsk, East Kazakhstan region, adjacent to the SNTS. The retrospective of the analyzed indicators was 10 years (1991-2000). The sources of information on the incidence of the entire population in the regions of East Kazakhstan region were data obtained from the Republican Center for Electronic Health for the period 2000-2015. Mathematical and statistical processing of the results was carried out using the applied statistical program Statistica-10. Results. The average content of 137Cs in cattle meat was 0.15 Bq/kg, and 90Sr - 0.11 Bq/kg. The dynamics revealed a 1.9-fold decrease in the level of 137Cs and a 2-fold decrease in the level of 90Sr. The consumption of cattle meat by residents was 14.7%. The average morbidity level of diseases of the musculoskeletal system was 3305 ppm. The morbidity of endocrine system diseases increased 1.4 times in dynamics. The morbidity level of diseases of the digestive system was 3358.9 ppm and decreased by 24.6% in dynamics. A correlation was found between the consumption of cattle meat and the morbidity level of diseases of the musculoskeletal system r=0.78. Conclusions. The study showed a positive trend of reducing the level of radionuclides in cattle meat among the studied regions. There was an increase in the average morbidity level of diseases of the musculoskeletal system by 1.2 times, and the endocrine system by 1.4 times. There is a trend to reduce the morbidity of diseases of the digestive system in the population of the studied regions. The revealed relationship between the consumption of cattle meat and the incidence of the musculoskeletal system diseases requires further study and monitoring.