Urinary iodine concentrations in urban and rural areas around chernobyl nuclear power plant

Abstract

In 2007, we screened urinary iodine (UI) concentrations in urban (Gomel city) and in rural areas (Hoiniki city) of the Gomel Region, Republic of Belarus, which was heavily contaminated by the accident at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, in order to evaluate the current state of iodine supplementation in these areas. Median levels of UI were 220.5 μg/L (151.5-358.5) μg/L in Gomel city, and 228.0 μg/L (130.0-337.5) μg/L in Hoiniki city. Urinary concentrations in Gomel city were significantly improved, as compared to our previous results in 2000 (p<0.001). There were no differences of UI concentrations between Gomel city and Hoiniki city (p = 0.39), and none of the samples showed moderate (<50 μg/L) or severe (<20 μg/L) iodine deficiency in either city. These results suggest that the state of iodine supplementation has improved in rural areas, as well as in urban areas in the Republic of Belarus, probably due to appropriate fortification of iodized salt in this region.