FIELD: applied ecology; measurement.
SUBSTANCE: invention relates to applied ecology, namely to problems of environmental pollution assessment, in particular, it can be used for initial assessment by methods of biomonitoring of carcinogenic potential of territories contaminated with dioxins. Method for initial assessment of carcinogenic potential of low doses of dioxins, which contaminate environment outside of sanitary zones of solid industrial and domestic wastes, is carried out by catching bank voles from functional grouping of summer season of population living on territories contaminated with dioxins; determining the age of the captured animals and forming a sample consisting of a homogeneous material at an age taken equal to 180 days of life; preparation of at least 3-4 bioassays from their carcasses, each of which contains at least two individuals; measurements in biological samples by method of isomer-specific analysis on a chromatography-mass-spectrometric system of high-resolution congeners of dioxins, reflecting levels of their current content in tissues of animals. Then, the recorded levels of dioxin congeners in animal tissues are converted to values of the expected level of the content of these substances in the tissues of a hypothetical person by converting units of measurement of content of congeners in animal tissues (pg/g of dry weight) into values of milligrams of content of congeners in 1 kilogram of weight of a hypothetical person (mg/kg), then, for each dioxin congener, average daily doses are calculated that could be absorbed by a hypothetical person from the environment on the territory of residence for a period of life comparable to that of animals (LADD) by dividing the average content of this substance by the life expectancy of animals ≈180 days. Probability of developing cancer in a hypothetical person (CR) is calculated by formula: CR = LADD × SF0, where SF0 is the value of the carcinogenic potential factor for oral intake into the body (mg/(kg × day))-1. Initial assessment of the carcinogenic potential of low doses of dioxins is carried out by comparing the probability of developing cancer in a hypothetical individual summed up for all identified congeners with respect to the following probability values: less than 1×10-6 – negligible probability corresponding to one additional case of cancer per 1 million exposed persons; equal to or more than 1×10-6, but less than 1×10-4 is maximum permissible probability subject to constant monitoring; equal to or more than 1×10-4, but less than 1×10-3 is an acceptable probability for occupational groups, but unacceptable for the population; equal to or more than 1×10-3 is unacceptable probability neither for population, nor for its professional groups.
EFFECT: creation of an objective method for initial assessment of carcinogenic potential of low doses of dioxins with reference to real conditions of exposure to highly toxic chemical substances.
1 cl, 5 tbl
