Moscow University
Anthropology
Bulletin
Anthropology
Bulletin
Lomonosov Moscow State University, Anuchin Research Institute and Museum of Anthropology, Mokhovaya st., 11, Moscow, 125009, Russia
Zorina D.Y., e-mail: zorinadaria.1.3@gmail.com; Batsevich Valery A., Ph.D., ORCID ID: 0000-0003-3833-1588, e-mail: batsevich53@mail.ru
Introduction. Extreme conditions of the North place greater demands on the organism. Adaptation to northern conditions is accompanied by a significant rearrangement in metabolism. In particular, there ¬ occur significant changes in trace element homeostasis of human organism. The aim of our work was to study the trace element composition of Chukchi and Eskimos hair. Those populations live in the environment where a person is exposed to adverse effect of the complex of climatic factors, including the imbalance of the chemical elements in the environment, leading to the eventual emergence of diseases of the biogeochemical nature. Materials and Methods. This paper uses data on the composition of hair of Eskimos (n=86), Chukchi from Chukchi Peninsula (n=123) and Chukchi from Bering region (n=69). The age of observed persons is from 18 to 60 years. We applied the method of instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) to determine the trace element composition of hair. The work includes data on 11 trace elements content in hair (range of variation, mean, standard deviation, median concentrations of the studied elements). Results and discussion. This paper presents data on concentrations in Chukchi and Eskimos hair of several essential elements (zinc, iron, selenium, copper, chromium, cobalt, manganese) and toxic elements (mercury, antimony), and elements, which biological role is not revealed yet (scandium, gold). For the studied groups identified several features of trace element composition of hair. In our material revealed a high content of highly toxic element for the human body such as mercury. The median concentration in the hair of Chukchi were 0.6 mg/kg for males, 0.54 mg/kg in females, for Eskimos were higher and amounted to 0, 74 mg/kg for males and 0.77 mg/kg in females. Also found relatively high levels of selenium, a vital element in hair Chukchi (0.78 mg/kg for males and 0.73 mg/kg in females) and Eskimos (0.93 mg/kg for males and 0.82 mg/kg women). Distribution of the concentrations of these two elements in the studied area corresponds to groups of geochemical anomalies. This fact is related to dietary patterns studied groups and the active consumption of fish and meat of sea animals. The level of iron content in the hair of the investigated groups no evidence of deficiency of this element there. Also been shown lower the manganese content in hair of inhabitants of Chukotka. Our data levels for the studied elements in the hair for other elements are consistent with the results cited by other researchers for groups living in different environmental conditions. Conclusion. This study illustrates the peculiar antropogeohimicheskih bonds in the arctic groups (Chukchi and Eskimos). These features range of essential content (selenium, iron, etc.) and toxic (mercury) items in the hair Chukchi and Eskimos are in close communication with their lifestyle and type of food. Our results allow us to ascertain the need to study trace element status of populations living in extreme environmental conditions.
anthropoecology, trace elements, trace elements in hair, Chukchi, Eskimos
Цит.: Zorina D.Y., Batsevich V.A. The trace element status of indigenous population of Arctic regions (the Chukchi and Eskimos) based on analysis of hair // Moscow University Anthropology Bulletin (Vestnik Moskovskogo Universiteta. Seria XXIII. Antropologia), 2011; 4/2011; с. 105-111
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