Anne Kousa

Calcium:Magnesium Ratio in Local Groundwater and Incidence of Acute Myocardial Infarction among Males in Rural Finland

Several epidemiologic studies have shown an association between calcium and magnesium and coronary heart disease mortality and morbidity. In this small-area study, we examined the relationship between acute myocardial infarction (AMI) risk and content of Ca, Mg, and chromium in local groundwater in Finnish rural areas using Bayesian modeling and geospatial data aggregated into 10 km × 10 km grid cells. Data on 14,495 men 35–74 years of age with their first AMI in the years 1983, 1988, or 1993 were pooled. Geochemical data consisted of 4,300 measurements of each element in local groundwater. The median concentrations of Mg, Ca, and Cr and the Ca:Mg ratio in well water were 2.61 mg/L, 12.23 mg/L, 0.27 μg/L, and 5.39, respectively. Each 1 mg/L increment in Mg level decreased the AMI risk by 4.9%, whereas a one unit increment in the Ca:Mg ratio increased the risk by 3.1%. Ca and Cr did not show any statistically significant effect on the incidence and spatial variation of AMI. Results of this study with specific Bayesian statistical analysis support earlier findings of a protective role of Mg and low Ca:Mg ratio against coronary heart disease but do not support the earlier hypothesis of a protective role of Ca.

Zinc and nitrate in the ground water and the incidence of Type 1 diabetes in Finland.

Aims  In Finland, the risk of childhood Type 1 diabetes varies geographically. Therefore we investigated the association between spatial variation of Type 1 diabetes and its putative environmental risk factors, zinc and nitrates.

Regional Inequality in the Risk of Acute Myocardial Infarction in Finland: A Case Study of 35- to 74-Year-Old Men

In this paper, the spatial distribution of the first event of acute myocardial infarction among 35- to 74-year-old men in Finland was examined for the cross-section years 1983, 1988 and 1993. The analysis was performed using a Bayesian hierarchical spatial approach to the geographically referenced data. The population data and case data received from nationwide registries were aggregated into 10 × 10 km cells. The estimated maps show that along with the overall decreasing incidence, the high-risk area withdrew deeper into the northeast, with an incidence 7–12% higher in rural than in urban areas. It could be concluded that eastern Finland is likely to remain a high-risk area in the future due to the concentration of certain risk factors.

The regional association of rising type 2 diabetes incidence with magnesium in drinking water among young adults.

The incidence of type 2 diabetes is increasing among Finnish young adults. A slightly increased risk in men was found in the north-east and western part of the country. The higher risk areas in women were found in the western coastal area and in eastern Finland. The present register-based study aimed to evaluate the regional association of the incidence of type 2 diabetes among young adults with the concentration of magnesium in local ground water. The association was evaluated using Bayesian modeling of geo-referenced data aggregated into a regular 10 km × 10 km grid cells. No marked association was found, although suggestive findings were detected for magnesium in well water and diabetes in young adult women. The results of this register-based study did not completely rule out the association of well water magnesium with the geographical variation of type 2 diabetes. The incidence of type 2 diabetes was much higher among individuals aged 40 or over. These suggestive findings indicate that the association between magnesium and type 2 diabetes would also be worth examining among individuals over 40 years of age.

Environmental Legislation and Best Practice in the Emerging European Rare Earth Element Industry

Rare earth element (REE) mining and processing are large-scale industries that generate significant quantities of waste. In addition, the ores contain variable amounts of nontarget toxic metals, fluorine, and radionuclides. Past REE mining and processing therefore have led to significant environmental impacts in several countries. Several viable REE resources have been identified and investigated in the European Union (EU), and it is likely that one or more of these will be exploited in the near future. This raises the question of whether the EUs existing environmental and radiation protection legislation is adequate to support sustainable REE exploitation. This chapter therefore explores the environmental hazards associated with the REE industry and the EUs existing environmental and radiation protection legislation and best practice documentation and then compares key aspects of the regulations with those from selected countries with existing REE mining industries.