The mercury content in the blood of inhabitants of the Yamalo-Nenets autonomous district

There are presented results of a study of the mercury content in the blood of 151 residents residing in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous district (YaNAO). Mercury is a toxic chemical of concern on a global scale. YaNAO is characterized by the presence of numerous sources of emissions of mercury — the enterprises of oil and gas production, develop the mineral deposits of the Polar Urals, housing and communal complex, gold mining, mercury ore occurrence. The study shows high levels of mercury in the blood of 41.7% of the surveyed residents of the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous district, of which 35.6% are in the Taz district, 51.9% — in village Harsani, 60% — in the village Kutop’yugan. There were revealed high levels of mercury in the blood of the indigenous population of Yamal. The excessive accumulation of mercury was seen in 27.8% of indigenous males, in 18.2% of indigenous women (Tazovskiy district), in newly arriving men and women elevated levels of mercury in blood was not detected (Tazovskiy district). The absolute average values of mercury in blood from indigenous men (0.0112 ± 0.0049 mg/ml) was almost five times higher than in migrant men (0.0023 ± 0.0009 mg/ml); in indigenous women (0.0096 ± 0.0063 mg/ml) the difference was almost three times in comparison with the migrant women (0.0038 ± 0.0023 mg/ml). There is identified the possible damage to health from exposure to elevated concentrations of mercury for every third of the surveyed resident of Harshim settlement, village Kutop’yugan and 14.6% of the surveyed residents of the village Tazovskiy (the concentration of mercury in blood above 0.015 mg/ml). Elevated concentrations of mercury in the blood of residents of Nakhodka and Kutop tundra dictate the urgent necessity of the strengthening of control over the mercury contents in natural environments. It is necessary to conduct a surface gas-mercury survey on the territory of the Yamal and Gydan Peninsulas to identify a hidden source of mercury pollution. Research must be continued.