The Impact of a Nickel-Copper Smelter on Concentrations of Toxic Elements in Local Wild Food from the Norwegian, Finnish, and Russian Border Regions

Martine D. Hansen, Therese H. Nøst, Eldbjørg S. Heimstad, Anita Evenset, Alexey A. Dudarev, Arja Rautio, Päivi Myllynen, Eugenia V. Dushkina, Marta Jagodic, Guttorm N. Christensen, Erik E. Anda, Magritt Brustad and Torkjel M. Sandanger
Additional contact information
Martine D. Hansen: Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT—The Arctic University of Norway, NO-9037 Tromsø, Norway
Therese H. Nøst: Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT—The Arctic University of Norway, NO-9037 Tromsø, Norway
Eldbjørg S. Heimstad: NILU—Norwegian Institute for Air Research, The Fram Centre, NO-9296 Tromsø, Norway
Anita Evenset: Akvaplan-niva, The Fram Centre, NO-9296 Tromsø, Norway
Alexey A. Dudarev: Hygiene Department, Northwest Public Health Research Centre (NWPHRC), St. Petersburg 191036, Russia
Arja Rautio: Arctic Health, Faculty of Medicine and Thule Institute, University of Oulu, FI-90014 Oulu, Finland
Päivi Myllynen: Northern Laboratory Centre NordLab, FI-90220 Oulu, Finland
Eugenia V. Dushkina: Hygiene Department, Northwest Public Health Research Centre (NWPHRC), St. Petersburg 191036, Russia
Marta Jagodic: Department of Environmental Sciences, Jožef Stefan Institute, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Guttorm N. Christensen: Akvaplan-niva, The Fram Centre, NO-9296 Tromsø, Norway
Erik E. Anda: Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT—The Arctic University of Norway, NO-9037 Tromsø, Norway
Magritt Brustad: Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT—The Arctic University of Norway, NO-9037 Tromsø, Norway
Torkjel M. Sandanger: Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT—The Arctic University of Norway, NO-9037 Tromsø, Norway

IJERPH, 2017, vol. 14, issue 7, 1-16

Abstract: Toxic elements emitted from the Pechenganickel complex on the Kola Peninsula have caused concern about potential effects on local wild food in the border regions between Norway, Finland and Russia. The aim of this study was to assess Ni, Cu, Co, As, Pb, Cd, and Hg concentrations in local wild foods from these border regions. During 2013–2014, we collected samples of different berry, mushroom, fish, and game species from sites at varying distances from the Ni-Cu smelter in all three border regions. Our results indicate that the Ni-Cu smelter is the main source of Ni, Co, and As in local wild foods, whereas the sources of Pb and Cd are more complex. We observed no consistent trends for Cu, one of the main toxic elements emitted by the Ni-Cu smelter; nor did we find any trend for Hg in wild food. Concentrations of all investigated toxic elements were highest in mushrooms, except for Hg, which was highest in fish. EU maximum levels of Pb, Cd, and Hg were exceeded in some samples, but most had levels considered safe for human consumption. No international thresholds exist for the other elements under study.

Keywords: toxic elements; nickel smelter; metallurgic industry; local food; berries; mushrooms; environmental pollution; Kola Peninsula; Arctic (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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