Researchers investigate the presence of environmental chemicals in the bodies of Estonian people

University of Tartu researchers will study how many harmful substances have entered the bodies of people from various regions of Estonia from their surrounding environment. Starting in July, the study will involve 1,000 people, half of whom are from Ida-Viru County and the other half from other regions of Estonia. The results will help develop measures to prevent and mitigate the health effects related to the harmful substances.

Harmful substances that have entered the environment reach the human body through contaminated air and water or food consumption. The amount of such substances can be particularly large in industrial areas and sectors where workers are directly exposed to hazardous chemicals. To provide evidence-based relief for the situation, researchers will investigate over the next few years which substances and in what quantities have accumulated in people’s bodies and what the potential consequences are.

According to Hans Orru, Professor of Environmental Health at the University of Tartu and the principal investigator of the study, special attention will be paid to health impacts associated with the oil shale industry in Ida-Viru County. In addition, the study will focus on the accumulation of pesticide residues used in agriculture. The sample will include 500 people from Ida-Viru County and a control group of 500 people from other regions: Tallinn, Tartu, and southern, western and central Estonia. Half of the participants are children aged 6–11, and the other half are working-age people.

Industrial and everyday chemicals

Blood, urine and hair samples are collected from participants to examine which harmful substances from the environment and food have accumulated in their bodies. The study will analyse the presence of heavy metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and pesticide residues, as well as substances released from the chemical industry (such as benzene, ethylbenzene, and xylene). Besides that, data will be collected for a Europe-wide comparative study, which focuses on hazardous substances released from plastic products, food packaging, children’s toys, and other everyday items; i.e. substances used to increase heat, water, and stain resistance.

“The latter substances are associated with many health issues, while no definitive confirmation has been found yet. For example, hormonal system disorders have increased in recent decades, and, according to one hypothesis, the increased level of these chemicals in the environment plays a significant role,” Orru explained.

Basis for evidence-based prevention and mitigation measures

Before providing the samples, the participants are asked to complete a questionnaire collecting data on their living and working environments, lifestyle, diet, and general health indicators. They are also asked for consent to be contacted for possible follow-up studies in the future.

A similar study was conducted in Estonia in the 1990s, and now researchers plan to compare the new data with those from the last one. The study will also provide an overview of the current situation in Ida-Viru County, where other industries, such as the timber industry and circular economy (for example, textile waste recycling), are gradually growing alongside the previously dominant oil shale industry. Similar data will be collected in 26 European countries in the framework of the Partnership for the Assessment of Risks from Chemicals. Based on the obtained data, recommendations for preventing and mitigating harmful health effects will be made.

The project “Implementation of biomonitoring among population exposed to the oil shale sector (workers and residents)” was commissioned by the Ministry of Social Affairs and the Ministry of Regional Affairs and Agriculture and will be completed in cooperation with the Health Board within the framework of the EU Partnership for the Assessment of Risks from Chemicals. The research will continue until July 2027 and is co-funded by the EU Just Transition Fund project “Addressing environmental problems and reducing health damages related to oil shale mining and processing”.