Indicators which are applied when assessing effects on a body exerted by nitrates and n-nitrosodimethylamine introduced with drinking water

The authors comparatively assessed N-Nitrosodimethylamine (N-NDMA) contents in blood samples taken from children who consumed drinking water with increased nitrates and N-NDMA concentrations and in blood samples taken from children who consumed drinking water which fully corresponded to the existing hygienic standards; the article dwells on the results of this comparative assessment. We detected authentic discrepancies (р<0.005) in N-NDMA contents between blood samples taken from children from the focus group (0.0045 ± 0.0009 mg/dm3) and the reference one (0.003 ± 0.0006 mg/dm3). We revealed that free-radical oxidation mechanisms were activated in children from the focus group who were exposed to N-NDMA. Lipids hydroperoxidation content in blood serum was proved to be 1.6 times higher in children from the focus group than in those from the reference one. When N-NDMA was detected in blood of children from the focus group, they ran 1.73 times higher risks of damages to their cells membranes. Our assessment of antioxidant protection revealed that glutathione-S-transferase became less active, B12 vitamin content went down, and glutathione peroxidase increased in children from the focus group against those from the reference group; all these parameters were 1.2–1.7 times different between the groups (р = 0.000–0.030). The children from the focus group also ran 2.91 times higher risks of an increase in glutathione peroxidase content. We detected an authentic cause-and effect relation between an increase in IgG to N-NDMA and growing N-NDMA concentrations in blood (R2 = 0.958, at p = 0.001). Risk of changes occurring in this parameter of humoral immunity was 1.3 times higher in the focus group. The results of the experimental research allowed us to reveal an increase in fetal proteins (S-CEA and CA 199) contents detected in blood serum of children from the focus group against those from the reference one; the contents were 2.7 and 3.9 times higher correspondingly (р = 0.010–0.023). This increase could be a sign of ongoing processes which characterized tissue proliferation; it could also become a mechanism of uncontrolled cellular proliferation. The performed research allowed us to substantiate and fix the following biological markers of the effects: an increase in IgG to N-NDMA and in glutathione peroxidase, ASAT activity, and total bilirubin level which can be applied in risk assessment and in giving grounds for permissible concentrations of these toxic compounds in blood