The impact of geological environment on health status
of residents of the Slovak Republic
Geological structure of the Slovak Republic is particularly
varied. it reflects different geochemical background that has various
influences (positive or negative) on human health. Anthropogenic
contamination of geological environment, documented on about
10 % of Slovak territory, plays also an important role. Up-to-date
surveys suggest that human organism reacts with various health
responses on different geological (geochemical) bedrock. Mainly
sedimentary and carbonatic rocks emit from the geological bedrock
a group of chemical elements favourable for human health. On the
other hand, silicate rocks (volcanics, granitoids and crystalline
schists) are characterized by deficit contents of chemical elements
necessary for human health. these facts may have influence on
the occurrence of areas in the territory of the Slovak Republic
(districts, municipalities, group of municipalities) where the average
lifetime of resident population is significantly lower and where the
increased incidence of various diseases (2–5 times), mainly those
cardiovascular and carcinogenic, is observed in comparison with
average values for the Slovak Republic.
Very important task of geological sciences is to find and
derive values of concentration levels of chemical elements
in geological environment that have positive influence on
human health, and to define limit values for the chemical
concentrations that are toxic or necessary to human organism
(minimum necessary and maximum permissible values in
relation to the human health).
this task will be the object of the research within the new project
LIFE 10 ENV/SK/086 – The impact of geological environment on
health status of residents of the Slovak Republic (Geohealth).
An essential basis for the beginning of medical-geochemical
researches in Slovakia was represented by an extensive
environmental-geochemical mapping of the Slovak Republic (vrana,
1992; Rapant et al., 1999), that led to subsequent compilation of
geochemical databases for the main components of the geological
environment (rocks, soils, sediments, natural radioactivity) and for
the forest biomass. Based on national geochemical datasets, an
environmental – geochemical regionalization of the Slovak Republic
(Rapant, 2005) and five basic levels of contamination of geological
environment of the Slovak Republic were defined (Fig. 1).
Within the regional medical-geochemical researches three
contaminated areas of the Slovak Republic were studied (region
of Spiš-Gemer Ore Mts., Horná Nitra and the region of Banská
Štiavnica). in these three regions, entire geochemical pathway
including geological environment, soils, groundwater, locally
grown vegetables and contents of potentially toxic elements in
biological materials of residents. Further, the relationship between
contamination of geological environment and health status of
residents was correlated.
Health status of residents of the Slovak Republic is presented in
the form of health indicators – indicators of demographic evolution
and health status of population.
All data used in our research are taken from the official
datasets of the Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic (or from
the former Czechoslovak Statistical Office). Average values from
the years 1994–2003 were used. in the first step, 100 health
indicators potentially associated with the environment (geological
environment) were elaborated. this dataset of 100 health indicators
was further reduced to the dataset of 30 the most relevant health
indicators (tab. 2) for which the relation to the environment was
documented through mathematical-statistical operations.
The level of health status of Slovak residents can be more
clearly expressed (30 main health indicators) via fuzzy c-cluster
analysis (Fig. 2). this analysis included modelling of the term “put
the districts with the similar status in 30 health indicators in one
cluster”.
Slovakia is clearly divided into the worse South and better
North. this reflects higher level of contamination of geological
environment or more unfavourable composition of chemical
elements in the geological environment in southern part of Slovak
territory.
According to the general declaration of WHO the health status
of population is influenced mainly by the lifestyle (way of life and
occupation) for which 50 % rate is attributed. Further, for three main
factors – environment, level of health care and genetic factors – is
attributed mostly the same rate (10–20 %). However, the rate of the
influence of the environment in the case of contaminated areas
can significantly increase.
All these main factors mutually overlap and interact. in many
areas they negate or interfere. the influence of these main factors
is certainly in various areas of the Slovak Republic different.
However, the aim of our work is only to analyse and identify the
impact of the (geological) environment on human health.
The level of quality of the environment in the Slovak Republic
that can be indirectly assessed according to the contents of
chemical elements/compounds in geological environment (mainly groundwater and soils) is from the regional view very different.
Geochemical background of territory of the Slovak Republic on the
one hand reflects mainly the variability of the geological structure,
on the other hand it is significantly modified by the input of chemical
elements/compounds of secondary origin from anthropogenic
contamination. these two basic facts are probably reflected on
health status of residents. Based on these findings two main tasks
for geology result, including the evaluation of:
1. the impact of anthropogenic contamination of geological
environment on health status of residents of the Slovak Republic,
2. suitability/unsuitability of the geological environment for the
health status of residents of the Slovak Republic.
Based on the results of three regional studies (Spiš-Gemer Ore
Mts., Horná Nitra and region of Banská Štiavnica) we can definitely
state that population living in the contaminated areas features
worse health status (shorter lifetime, more unfavourable values of
health indicators) in comparison with the non-contaminated areas
of the Slovak Republic. Contaminated areas are characterized
mainly by the following issues: contaminated soils, contaminated
groundwater, excess contents (above limit value) of potentially
toxic elements in locally grown vegetables, excess content (above
limit value) of potentially toxic elements in biological materials of
residents, worse levels of health indicators.
Considering the fact that about 10 % of Slovak territory
comprises contaminated areas, half of them are the mountainous
areas without settlement, for overwhelming majority of the
population of the Slovak Republic the basic geological environment
and associated contents of chemical elements has more significant
impact on the health status of residents. the order of the influence
of chemical elements (based on the calculation of neural network)
on health status of residents (Rapant et al., 2010) is in the case of
soil and groundwater following:
Soil:
Be > Na > pHH2O > pHKCl > Mg > v > Se > carbonates > Mn >
K > Ca > Se > F > Co > Mo > Fe > Al > W > P > Cr > Ba > Sr > Bi
> Sn > B > Ni > Zn > Cd > Cu > Pb > As > Sb > Hg.
Groundwater:
SiO2 > pH > Mg > Cl > hardness > Sr > Na > F > Ca > NO3 >
Se > tDS > CODMn > SO4 > Ba > Zn > HCO3 > NO3 > Al > Cu > K
> PO4 > Sb > Fe > Cr > Pb > NH4 > Mn > li > Hg > Cd > As.
From the above list it is evident that potentially toxic elements
such as As, Sb, Cd, Hg and Pb and common anthropogeneous
contaminants of the groundwater including NO3, SO4 and Cl have
much more minor influence as we have supposed up-to-date.
they play a significant role only in highly contaminated areas. in
non-contaminated areas of the Slovak Republic their influence is
suppressed and macro elements as well as common compounds
of chemical composition of the groundwater and soil play the
main role. From the point of view of human health, the contents
of these most significant macro elements are practically not
assessed at all and are not limited in guidelines for drinking water
and for soils. their contents depend mainly on the geological
structure of the area.
this issue – the impact of various geological bedrock on health
status of residents is the objective of the new running project (from
01.09.2011) LIFE 10 ENV/SK/086 – GEOHEALTH
the main activities within the new project liFE 10 ENv/Sk/086
are following: compilation of data set of environmental indicators,
compilation of data set of health indicators, linking of environmental
and health indicators, environmental analysis, elaboration of the
proposal of measures, realization of measures.
the value of human life is incalculable. Nowhere in the
world, European Union even Slovakia, any regulations, methods,
legislative guidelines exist that would allow to financially appreciate
human health. But it is necessary to highlight the fact that financial
resources invested on the environment, environmental-health
education and propagation will be manifold restored in the form of
reduced expenses on health care. the research focused on health
status of residents in the Slovak Republic certainly requires the
engagement of geological sciences..
