FOOD SAFETY ON HEAVY METALS OF VEGETATION SAMPLES FROM A ROUTE OF THE NORTHERN FLEET’S COMPLEXED EXPIDITION «NOVAYA ZEMLYA-2018»»

Introduction. In publications devoted to survival under conditions of autonomous existence, there is no information available on the contamination of natural food raw materials with heavy metals (HM). The prevalence of HM in the Arctic and the ability of some plants to their bioaccumulation necessitates studying the content of hazardous elements in samples of local flora.

Purpose of the work: assessment of the potential hazard, based on the content of HM, the consumption of objects of the Arctic flora that grow at military training places and places of probable disembarkation of crews of ships being in distress in areas of the northern seas of the Russian Federation.

Tasks: assessment of the content of HM in plants growing in the Arctic and comparison of the obtained data with the maximum permissible levels (MPE) established by current regulatory documents. Vegetation samples were collected on the territory of the Northern Island of Novaya Zemlya Archipelago, their species affiliation was determined and they were dried in the herbar press. The analysis was performed by means of atomic spectrometer MGA-915M. Statistical processing of the results was carried out using the software Statistica for Windows 7.0. It was found that the content of cadmium (Cd) in willow leaves exceeds manifold the maximum permissible concentration. In plants of other species, small excess of MPE by selected elements were found. The data obtained are discussed in the context of the exceptional ability of willow plants to accumulate HM, especially Cd. It is proposed to exclude arctic species of willow from the list of objects recommended for eating in conditions of autonomous existence. The other objects are not advisable to exclude. However, taking into account some excesses of MPC in a number of plants, the prevention of monophagy as well as the maximum possible diversity and alternation of plant species when used for food is strongly recommended for consummation of plants.