The article examines the relationship between geology and human health from antiquity to today. The doctrine that man is a reflection of the universe was widespread in antiquity. In the Renaissance, the Swiss alchemist, physician and philosopher Paracelsus proclaimed the principle: “Everything is poison, everything is medicine; both depend on the dose”. Until the twentieth century, the role of microelements was identified in the development of only two diseases—hypoferric anemia and endemic goiter. The development of atomic-emission spectroscopy in the 1920s permitted the analysis of elements with exceedingly low concentrations in the environments being studied. Application of this analytical technique made it possible to measure the microelemental composition of soils, plants, animal tissues, and other matter, resulting in important scientific discoveries. Then information was collected on the vital necessity of microelements that previously had been considered as toxic to living organisms. The explanation of different diseases caused by deficiency or excess of different elements was made—‘Bush disease’ among New Zealand cattle by the low content of cobalt in rocks, ataxia of lambs in some regions of Western Australia caused by copper deficiency, osteomalacia in a region of Norway caused by phosphorus deficiency in rocks, ‘white muscle disease’—cardiac muscle dystrophy caused by selenium deficiency, Keshan disease or endemic cardiomyopathy caused by selenium deficiency in soils and other. With the increasing interest in medico-geological research there was a need to unite scientists from different countries. In 2004 the International Medical Geology Association (IMGA) was established. Its aim is to promote awareness concerning this issue among geoscientists, medical specialists, and the public at large. Medical geology is a relatively new scientific field that studies the influence of geological factors on health. The obtained results testify to the prospects of scientific research at the junction of medicine, geology, ecology, and the expediency of further in-depth study of the biological role of geological factors.

The mineral and geochemical features of soils with increased natural radioactivity in the southern China province of Guangdong have been studied. The distribution patterns of uranium (U),...

The relevance of the research is caused by the need to explain the high morbidity in the areas of radioactive rocks and soils. The study was carried out in the framework of a new scientific field – Medical Geology. The main aim is to define the volume of radon emission in the area of high-radioactive granite outcrops and evaluate their radiological hazard and medical-biological consequences. Objects: geochemical and mineralogical composition of granite, weathering crusts and soils, the volume of radon emission and incidence in various regions of the world (Zhuhai city in Guangdong Province, China; the town of Échassières in Auvergne region, France; the town of Belokurikha in Altai Krai, Russia; and urban-type settlement Kolyvan, Novosibirsk Oblast, Russia). Methods: a wide range of methods including instrumental neutron activation, x-ray phase analysis, gamma spectrometry, fragmentation radiography, electron microscopy, express measurement of radon volume activity, calculation of radon density flux, equivalent effective dose and the frequency of newly detected diseases (incident) were used in the research. Results. The current article provides the summarized data on the effects of ionizing radiation on the human body. According to the results of geochemical, mineralogical, radioecological and medical-statistical studies the authors have revealed that the radionuclides are released from the structural lattices of accessory minerals and sobbed on clay minerals at soil formation. This process contributes to the increase of radon emission and background radiation. The high activity of radon (Rn) and the elevated concentrations of radioactive elements in the underlying rocks and soils lead to the increase in disease rates including some types of cancer, anemias, and congenital defects. The territories of «risk» in the incidence of lung cancer include Belokurikha in the Altai Krai and Kolyvan in the Novosibirsk Oblast; nasopharyngeal cancer – Guangdong province; hematopoietic tissue cancer – Kolyvan; anemia – Guangdong; congenital malformations – Kolyvan. Актуальность исследования обусловлена необходимостью объяснения высокой заболеваемости населения в районах распространения радиоактивных пород и почв. Исследование выполнено в рамках нового научного направления – медицинской геологии. Целью работы является изучение масштабов радоновыделений в районах выхода на поверхность высокорадиоактивных гранитов, оценка их радиоэкологической опасности и медико-биологических последствий. Объекты: геохимический и минералогический состав образцов гранитов, кор выветривания и почв, масштабы радоновыделений и частота заболеваемости в различных областях мира (г. Чжухай в китайской провинции Гуандун; г. Эшасьер во французском регионе Овернь) и Сибирского региона (г. Белокуриха Алтайского края; пгт. Колывань Новосибирской области). Методы. В рамках исследования применялся широкий комплекс методов, включающий инструментальный нейтронно-активационный, рентгенофазовый анализы, гамма-спектрометрию, осколочную радиографию, электронную микроскопию, экспрессное измерение объёмной активности радона, расчет потока плотности радона, эквивалентной эффективной дозы и частоты вновь выявленных заболеваний (incidence). Результаты. Проведено обобщение данных по воздействию ионизирующего излучения на организм человека. По результатам геохимических, минералогических, радиоэкологических и медико- статистических исследований выявлено, что в процессах коро- и почвообразования радионуклиды высвобождаются из структурных решеток акцессорных минералов и сорбируются на глинистых минералах. Данный процесс способствует повышению радоновыделений и радиационного фона. Дано объяснение возможных связей повышенных концентраций радионуклидов в подстилающих породах, почвах и высокой активности газа радона с показателями заболеваемости населения. При сопоставлении первичных показателей онкозаболеваемости у всех групп населения с общероссийскими и мировыми показателями отмечаются превышения уровня во всех исследуемых районах. К территориям «риска» по частоте заболеваемости раком легкого можно отнести Белокуриху в Алтайском крае и Колывань в Новосибирской...

The paper presents the results of analyzing uranium content in man-made carbonates (scale crusts) on the territory of Ufa based on examination of 42 samples. The median uranium content in the investigated samples stands at 1.44 mg/kg, which is significantly lower than the background values (scales from the Lake Baikal water, a clarke of sedimentary carbonate rocks) and data on other settlements of the Republic of Bashkortostan. Low values of uranium content are probably associated with the effects of the three leading factors, i.e. specific subsurface geology of the territory (gypsum, limestone); types of water supply; water treatment processes for the centralized type of water supply. Spatial distribution of uranium in man-made carbonates is characterized with uniformity, which is disturbed in two cases, i.e. a change of the water supply type (from centralized to individual); and material of the vessels used for boiling the water. No significant differences were detected when comparing samples of man-made carbonates associated with different sources of water supply (the bucket and infiltration types of water intake) and the types of household filters.

The relevance of the research is caused by the need to study the sources of natural radioactive elements entering drinking water and their areal distribution, as well as the possibility of using carbonate sediments of drinking water (scale) in geochemical and environmental studies. In the Republic of Bashkortostan (Russia), these studies are favoured by different geological structures within the area (mountainous area, foredeep and platform) and variety of rocks of different age and composition (volcanic, igneous, sedimentary, metamorphic), which determines the diversity of the microelement profile of the area. The aim of the research is to assess the radioactive elements content and spatial distribution in anthropogenic carbonate sediments (drinking water scale). Object of the research. The data on U and Thcontent in 467 samples of carbonate deposits(scale) from 267 settlements of the Republic of Bashkortostan was analysed. Samples were taken from various utensils (enamelled and electric kettles, pots, boilers), which is used for boiling water from centralized and individual (wells, streams) water sources. Methods. The method of instrumental neutron activation analysis based on the research nuclear reactor IRT-T TPU was used to analyse the uranium and thorium content. Data processing was carried out using software packages Statistica 8.0 and Microsoft Excel. The spatial distribution of natural radioactive elements was mapped using ArcGIS 10.2 in the Geostatistical Analyst module using the inverse distance method. Result. The data obtained allow speaking about uneven distribution of natural radioactive elements (U, Th) in anthropogenic carbonate deposits on the territory of the Republic of Bashkortostan. The average level of the studied chemical elements is characterized by low values of both uranium and thorium. Variations of their content in the studied formations are determined by the combined impact of natural and anthropogenic factors. The regularities of U distribution in scale samples correspond to the geological structure of the territory. Within the platform part, uranium distribution is more uniform than in the mountainous part of the Republic, which reflects the comparative homogeneity of geological and tectonic conditions. According to the results of mapping, four zones of high uranium content in samples of anthropogenic carbonate deposits were identified: Trans-Uralian, Uralian, Western and Southern.In Thspatial distribution there was no clear correlation with the features of the geological structure and metallogeny of the territory. There are three zones: Northern, Central and South-Eastern. Negative anomalies of Th content geographically coinciding with large mining centers are noted.Th/U ratio is characterized by a low value for the whole territory of Bashkortostan – 0,002. At the same time, positive anomalies of this indicator were recorded in the Northern and South-Eastern parts of the Republic, where they are mainly determined by geological component. Актуальность исследования обусловлена необходимостью выявления источников поступления естественных радиоактивных элементов в питьевую воду,а также возможностью использования солевых отложений питьевых вод (накипи) в геохимических и экологических исследованиях. Наличие на территории Башкортостана различных геологических структур (горная область, предгорный прогиб, платформа), а также большое разнообразие горных пород различного возраста и состава (вулканогенные, интрузивные, осадочные, метаморфические) благоприятствует данным исследованиям и обуславливает большое разнообразие микроэлементного профиля местности. Цель:оценка содержания и пространственного распределения радиоактивных элементов в солевых отложениях питьевых вод (накипи) на территории Республики Башкортостан. Объекты. Проанализированы данные по содержанию U и Th в 467 пробах солевых отложений питьевых вод (накипи) из 267 населенных пунктов Республики Башкортостан. Пробы отобраны из различной посуды (эмалированные и электрические чайники, кастрюли, котлы, самовары), которая используется для кипячения воды из централизованных и индивидуальных (скважины, колодцы, ручьи) источников водоснабжения. Методы. Для анализа содержания Uи Thиспользовался метод инструментального нейтронно-активационного анализана базе исследовательского ядерного реактора ИРТ-Т ТПУ. Обработка данных проводилась с использованием программных пакетов Statistica 8.0 и MicrosoftExcel 2013. Построение карт пространственного распределения естественных радиоактивных элементов в солевых отложениях питьевых вод проведено с помощью программы ArcGIS 10.2 в модуле...