GLOBAL CONTAMINATION FROM URANIUM: INSIGHTS INTO PROBLEM BASED ON THE URANIUM CONTENT IN THE HUMAN PROSTATE GLAND

The problem of global contamination from uranium (U) is a difficult task. The present investigation was aimed to study the possibilities of using prostate tissue as a biological material for global environmental monitoring of U. The U content in non-hypertrophic prostate of apparently healthy 64 residents of uncontaminated territory was measured by instrumental neutron activation analysis and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Mean values (M ï?± SΕΜ) for the mass fraction of U in prostate of all subjects taken together was 0.0049 ± 0.0014 mg/kg of dry tissue. In order to estimate the effect of age on the investigated parameter we used three age groups: 13-20 years, 21-40 years, and 41-60 year. Mean values (M ï?± SΕΜ) for the mass fraction of U (mg/kg of dry tissue) in age groups were as follows: 0.0023 ± 0.0007, 0.0021 ± 0.0005, and 0.0077 ± 0.0026, respectively. For the first time statistically significant (p ï?£ 0.05, t- test) and exponential increase of the U content in prostate tissue with age was observed. It was shown also that the U content in the human prostate is higher than a level of element content in the bone, skeletal muscle, liver, and whole blood. No significant inverse correlation between the U content and contents of other trace element in prostate was observed. Finally, it was concluded that the prostate is a target organ for U in human body and can be used as a biological material for global environmental monitoring of U.