Assessment of Health Impact of Heavy Metals Contained in Wild Berries of Shrubs for the Population of the Murmansk Region

Background: Studies of wild berries of local shrubs carried out in the Murmansk Region showed an increased accumulation of heavy metals in them, especially near the Severonickel plant. High concentrations of industrial pollutants were measured in blueberries, lingonberries and crowberries.
Objective: To assess health effects of population exposure to nickel and copper in wild berries of small shrubs in the Murmansk Region.
Materials and methods: We tested metal contents in blueberries, lingonberries and crowberries gathered in August–September of 2016–2018 at ten stationary monitoring plots located along the industrial pollution gradient in the meridional (south) direction on the leeward side of the Severonickel plant. Health risk assessment was conducted in accordance with Guidelines R 2.1.10.1920-04, Health Risk Assessment from Environmental Chemicals.
Results: Values of carcinogenic risk from oral exposure to nickel contained in the berries were unacceptably high (> 1.0E-03) at all monitoring plots. Estimates of chronic non-carcinogenic risk from nickel exposure were also high while those from copper exposure were unacceptable only for crowberry. Hazard index values for the unidirectional effect of copper and nickel on the digestive tract and liver were unacceptably high (> 1.0) at most monitoring plots for all the berries studied.
Discussion: High risk values for the local population necessitate the development of recommendations for exposure reduction, such as limiting the annual consumption of berries to 6 kg, avoiding berry picking at a distance of up to 15 km from the Severonickel plant, etc.
Conclusions: The predicted levels of carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks associated with exposure to nickel and copper were estimated as unacceptably high, thus indicating a pronounced industrial impact on boreal ecosystems in the zone of influence of the enterprise, extending more than 15 km from its industrial site. It is critical to develop appropriate recommendations for the population consuming wild-growing blueberries, cowberries and crowberries picked in this industrially contaminated area.

1. Kizeev AN, Ushamova SF, Zhirov VK, Ivkova NV. Assessment of properties of bilberry-bush growing around Kola nuclear power plant. Ekologiya Cheloveka [Human Ecology]. 2012;(6):37-42. (In Russ.)

2. Kotov V, Nikitina E. Norilsk Nickel: Russia wrestles with an old polluter. Environment: Science and Policy for Sustainable Development. 1996;38(9):6-37. doi: 10.1080/00139157.1996.9930998

3. Barkan VSh. [Problems of environmental pollution.] Nauka i Biznes na Murmane. Seriya Ekologiya i Chelovek. 2000;2(5(20)):31-34. (In Russ.)

4. Steinnes E, Lukina N, Nikonov V, Aamlid D, Røyset O. A gradient study of 34 elements in the vicinity of a copper-nickel smelter in the Kola Peninsula. Environ Monit Assess. 2000;60(1):71-88. doi: 10.1023/A:1006165031985

5. Kizeev AN. [Mining environmental geosystems in the North-West of the East European Platform (Murmansk region).] In: Kizeev AN, Zhirov VK, Ushamova SF, et al. [Environmental Geology of Large Mining Areas of Northern Eurasia (Theory and Practice).] Voronezh: JSC Voronezh Regional Printing House – E.A. Bolkhovitinov Publishing House; 2015:282-326. (In Russ.)

6. Lukina NV, Nikonov VV. [Nutritional Regime of Northern Taiga Forests: Natural and Technogenic Aspects.] Apatity: RAS Kola Research Center Publ.; 1998. (In Russ.)

7. Chernenkova TV. [Response of Forest Vegetation to Industrial Pollution.] Moscow: Nauka Publ.; 2002. (In Russ.)

8. Korotkov VN, Koptsik GN, Smirnova IE, Koptsik SV. Restoration of vegetation on mine lands near Monchegorsk (Murmansk Region, Russia). Russian Journal of Ecosystem Ecology. 2019;4(1):1-18. (In Russ.) doi: 10.21685/2500-0578-2019-1-4

9. Barkan VSh, Pankratova RP, Silina AV. [Accumulation of nickel and copper by forest berries and mushrooms growing in the vicinity of the Severonikel plant (Monchegorsk).] Rastitel’nye Resursy. 1990;(4):507-508. (In Russ.) Accessed March 2, 2022. http://www.lapland-nature.info/ru/17.html

10. Isaeva LG, Sukhareva TA. Elemental composition of wild small shrubs in the area of influence of “Severonikel” combine: Data of long-term monitoring. Tsvetnye Metally. 2013;(10(850)):87-92. (In Russ.)

11. Lukina NV, Nikonov VV [Absorption of airborne industrial pollutants by pine forest plants in the north-west of the Kola Peninsula]. Lesovedenie. 1993;(6):34-41. (In Russ.)

12. Paatero J, Dauvalter VA, Derome JR, et al. Effects of Kola Air Pollution on the Environment in the Western Part of the Kola Peninsula and Finnish Lapland: Final Report; 2008. Accessed March 2, 2022. http://www.pasvikmonitoring.org/pdf/effects%20of%20kola%20air%20pollution.pdf

13. Barcan VSh, Kovnatsky EF, Smetannikova MS. Absorption of heavy metals in wild berries and edible mushrooms in area affected by smelter emissions. Water Air Soil Pollut. 1998;103:173-195.

14. Nikonov VV, Lukina NV, Bezel’ VS, et al. [Dispersed Elements in Boreal Forests.] Moscow: Nauka Publ.; 2004. (In Russ.)

15. Brazhnaya IE, Bykova AE, Sudak SN, Semenov BN. [Investigation of safety and mineral composition of wild raw materials of the Kola Peninsula.] Vestnik MGTU. Trudy Murmanskogo Gosudarstvennogo Tekhnicheskogo Universiteta. 2012;15(1):11-14. (In Russ.)

16. Sukhareva TA. Assessment the pine forests state in zone of copper-nickel enterprises influence at emission loading reduction. Izvestiya Samarskogo Nauchnogo Tsentra Rossiyskoy Akademii Nauk. 2013;15(3-3):1072-1076. (In Russ.)

17. Dudarev AA, Dushkina EV, Chupahin VS, et al. Metal content of local foods in Pechenga district of Murmansk region. Meditsina Truda i Promyshlennaya Ekologiya. 2015;(2):35-40. (In Russ.)

18. Chernykh NA, Sidorenko SN. [Ecological Monitoring of Toxicants in the Biosphere.] Moscow: RUDN Publ.; 2003. (In Russ.)

19. Integrated Risk Information System. Nickel, soluble salts. Accessed March 2, 2022. https://iris.epa.gov/ChemicalLanding/&substance_nmbr=271

20. Integrated Risk Information System. Nickel refinery dust. Accessed March 2, 2022. https://iris.epa.gov/ChemicalLanding/&substance_nmbr=272