Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Increase in accumulation of strontium-90 in the maternal skeleton during pregnancy and lactation: analysis of the Techa River data

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Radiation and Environmental Biophysics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The unique contamination of the Techa River (Southern Urals, Russia) in the 1950s by long-lived 90Sr allows investigation of the accumulation of bone-seeking elements in humans. This study is based on information compiled at the Urals Research Center for Radiation Medicine (Chelyabinsk, Russia) over a long period of time. It includes the results of in vivo measurements of 90Sr-body burden with a whole body counter (WBC), data on personal medical examinations and residence and family histories. Data on 185 women from two Techa riverside villages Muslyumovo and Brodokalmak were selected. The settlements differ in terms of 90Sr diet intake (higher in Muslyumovo than in Brodokalmak) and ethnicity (residents were mainly Slavs in Brodokalmak and Turkic in Muslyumovo). Results of a total of 555 WBC measurements performed in 1974–1997 were available for the women studied; maximum measured values reached 40 kBq/body. The women from each settlement were subdivided into three groups according to their childbearing history: pregnancy and lactation occurred (1) during the period of maximal 90Sr intake (1950–1951); (2) after the period of maximal intake and (3) before this period or women who were childless. An increase was found in accumulation of 90Sr in maternal skeleton during pregnancy and lactation (group 1) by a factor of 1.5–2 in comparison with non-pregnant, non-lactating women. This result was found in both Muslyumovo and Brodokalmak samples. An increase in accumulation of toxic elements in pregnant/lactating women is associated with increased radiation/toxic doses and risk for the women’s health.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Black AJ, Topping J, Durham B, Farquharson RG, Fraser WD (2000) A detailed assessment of alterations in bone turnover, calcium homeostasis, and bone density in normal pregnancy. J Bone Miner Res 15(3):557–563

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cross NA, Hillman LS, Allen SH, Krause GF, Vieira NE (1995) Calcium homeostasis and bone metabolism during pregnancy, lactation and postweaning: a longitudinal study. Am J Clin Nutr 61:514–523

    Google Scholar 

  • Degteva MO, Kozheurov VP (1994) Age-dependent model for strontium retention in human bone. Radiat Prot Dosim 53:229–234

    Google Scholar 

  • Degteva MO, Vorobiova MI, Tolstykh EI, Shagina NB, Shishkina EA, Anspaugh LR, Napier BA, Bougrov NG, Shved VA, Tokareva EE (2006) Development of an improved dose reconstruction system for the Techa River population affected by the operation of the Mayak Production Association. Radiat Res 166:255–270

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Degteva MO, Shagina NB, Vorobiova MI, Anspaugh LR, Napier BA (2012) Re-evaluation of waterborne releases of radioactive materials from the “Mayak” production association into the Techa River in 1949–1951. Health Phys 102(1):25–38

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ershow AG, Brown LM, Cantor KP (1991) Intake of tapwater and total water by pregnant and lactating women. Am J Public Health 81(3):328–334

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fell TP, Harrison JD, Leggett RW (1998) A model for the transfer of calcium and strontium to the fetus. Radiat Prot Dosim 79(1):311–331

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heaney RP, Skillman TG (1971) Calcium metabolism in normal human pregnancy. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 33(4):661–670

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kalhan SC (2000) Protein metabolism in pregnancy. Am J Clin Nutr 71:1249S–1255S

    Google Scholar 

  • Karlsson MK, Ahlborg HG, Karlsson C (2005) Maternity and bone mineral density. Acta Orthop 76(1):2–13

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kolthoff N, Eiken P, Kristensen B, Nielsen SP (1998) Bone mineral changes during pregnancy and lactation: a longitudinal cohort study. Clin Sci 94(4):405–412

    Google Scholar 

  • Kovacs CS (2001) Calcium and bone metabolism in pregnancy and lactation. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 86(6):2344–2348

    Google Scholar 

  • Kovacs CS, Chada E-HF (2006) Calcium and bone disorders during pregnancy and lactation. Endocrinol Metab Clin N Am 35:21–51

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kozheurov VP (1994) SICH-9.1 – A unique whole-body counting system for measuring Sr-90 via bremsstrahlung: the main results from a long-term investigation of the Techa River population. Sci Total Environ 14:37–48

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kozheurov VP, Zalyapin VI, Shagina NB, Tokareva EE, Degteva MO, Tolstykh EI, Anspaugh LR, Napier BA (2002) Evaluation of uncertainties in the 90Sr-body-burdens obtained by whole-body count: application of Bayes’ rule to derive detection limits by analysis of a posteriori data. Appl Radiat Isot 57:525–535

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Krebs NF, Reidinger CJ, Robertson AD, Brenner M (1997) Bone mineral density changes during lactation: maternal dietary, and biochemical correlates. Am J Clin Nutr 65:1738–1746

    Google Scholar 

  • Krestinina L, Preston DL, Ostroumova EV, Degteva MO, Ron E, Vyushkova OV, Startsev NV, Kossenko MM, Akleyev AV (2005) Protracted radiation exposure and cancer mortality in the Techa River Cohort. Radiat Res 164:602–611

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Krestinina L, Preston DL, Davis FG, Epifanova S, Ostroumova E, Ron E, Akleyev A (2010) Leukemia incidence among people exposed to chronic radiation from the contaminated Techa River, 1953–2005. Radiat Environ Biophys 49:195–201

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Krestinina LY, Epifanova S, Silkin S, Mikryukova L, Degteva M, Shagina N, Akleyev A (2013) Chronic low-dose exposure in the Techa River Cohort: risk of mortality from circulatory diseases. Radiat Environ Biophys 52(1):47–57

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Naylor KE, Iqbal P, Fledelius C, Fraser RB, Eastell R (2000) The effect of pregnancy on bone density and bone turnover. J Bone Miner Res 15(1):129–137

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pitkin RM (1985) Calcium metabolism in pregnancy and the perinatal period: a review. Am J Obstet Gynecol 151(1):99–109

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ritchie LD, Fung EB, Halloran BP, Turnlund JR, Van Loan MD, Cann CE, King JC (1998) A longitudinal study of calcium homeostasis during human pregnancy and lactation and after resumption of menses. Am J Clin Nutr 67(4):693–701

    Google Scholar 

  • Schonfeld SJ, Krestinina LY, Epifanova S, Degteva MO, Akleyev AV, Preston DL (2013) Solid cancer mortality in the Techa River Cohort (1950–2007). Radiat Res 179(2):183–189

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shagina NB, Tolstykh EI, Zalyapin VI, Kozheurov VP, Tokareva EE, Anspaugh LR, Napier BA (2003a) Evaluation of age and gender dependences of the rate of strontium elimination 25–45 years after intake: analysis of data from residents living along the Techa River. Radiat Res 159:239–246

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shagina NB, Tolstykh EI, Degteva MO (2003b) Improvements in the biokinetic model for strontium with allowance for age and gender differences in bone mineral metabolism. Radiat Prot Dosim 105(1–4):619–622

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shagina NB, Tolstykh EI, Fell TP, Harrison JD, Phipps AW, Degteva MO (2007) In utero and postnatal haemopoietic tissue doses resulting from maternal ingestion of strontium isotopes from the Techa River. Radiat Prot Dosim 127:497–501

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shagina NB, Tolstykh EI, Degteva MO, Anspaugh LR, Napier BA (2012) Cortical bone resorption rate in elderly persons: estimates from long-term in vivo measurements of 90Sr in the skeleton. Arch Gerontol Geriatr 54(3):e411–e418

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sowers M, Corton G, Shapiro B, Jannausch ML, Crutchfield M, Smith ML, Randolph JF, Hollis B (1993) Changes in bone density with lactation. J Am Med Assoc 269(24):3130–3135

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tolstykh EI, Kozheurov VP, Vyushkova OV, Degteva MO (1997) Analysis of strontium metabolism in humans on the basis of the Techa River data. Radiat Environ Biophys 36:25–29

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tolstykh EI, Kozheurov VP, Degteva MO, Burmistrov DS (1998) Strontium transfer from maternal skeleton to the fetus estimated on the basis of the Techa River data. Rad Prot Dosim 79(1–4):307–310

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tolstykh EI, Degteva MO, Shishkina EA, Zalyapin VI, Krivoschapov VA (2007) Possibilities of using human teeth for retrospective dosimetry: analysis of the Techa River data. Radiat Prot Dosim 127(1–4):511–515

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tolstykh EI, Shagina NB, Peremyslova LM, Degteva MO, Phipps AW, Harrison JD, Fell TP (2008) Reconstruction of 90Sr intake for breast-fed infants in the Techa riverside settlements. Radiat Environ Biophys 47(3):349–357

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tolstykh EI, Degteva MO, Peremyslova LM, Shagina NB, Shishkina EA, Krivoshchapov VA, Anspaugh LR, Napier BA (2011a) Reconstruction of long-lived radionuclide intakes for Techa riverside residents: strontium-90. Health Phys 101(1):28–47

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tolstykh EI, Shagina NB, Degteva MO, Anspaugh LR, Napier BA (2011b) Does the rate of cortical bone resorption change due to 90Sr-radiation exposure? Analysis of data from Techa riverside residents. Radiat Environ Biophys 50(3):417–430

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tolstykh EI, Bougrov NG, Krivoshchapov VA, Shishkina EA, Shagina NB, Degteva MO, Anspaugh LA, Napier BA (2013) Results of in vivo measurements of strontium-90 body-burden in Urals residents: analyses of data obtained in 2006–2012. Radiat Hyg 6(1):5–11 (in Russian)

    Google Scholar 

  • Ulrich U, Miller PB, Eyre DR, Chesnut CH 3rd, Schlebusch H, Soules MR (2003) Bone remodeling and bone mineral density during pregnancy. Arch Gynecol Obstet 268:309–316

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wasserman RH (1998) Strontium as a tracer for calcium in biological and clinical research. Clin Chem 44(3):437–439

    MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This study has received funding from the European Community’s Sixth Framework Programme [Grant No 516478 (SOUL)], from the European Community’s Seventh Framework Programme [Grant No 249674 (SOLO)] and from the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (Grant 10-04-96082).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Urals Research Center for Radiation Medicine, 68-A, Vorovsky Street, Chelyabinsk, 454076, Russia

    Evgenia I. Tolstykh, Natalia B. Shagina & Marina O. Degteva

Authors
  1. Evgenia I. Tolstykh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Natalia B. Shagina
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Marina O. Degteva
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Evgenia I. Tolstykh.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Tolstykh, E.I., Shagina, N.B. & Degteva, M.O. Increase in accumulation of strontium-90 in the maternal skeleton during pregnancy and lactation: analysis of the Techa River data. Radiat Environ Biophys 53, 551–557 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00411-014-0548-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00411-014-0548-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation