Another environmental toxin consequence is the destroying of men’s sperm quality, which makes them less fertile. Studies show that western men’s sperm quality has been reduced by some 50 percent over the past 40 years. According to Norwegian broadcaster NRK, 16 percent of Norwegian men have so poor sperm quality that they are not likely to be able to conceive with their partner without fertility treatment.

This is not a beneficial development, the professor states.

Formula 1 research

The environmental toxins lab is a collaboration between Troms University Hospital, the University of Tromsø and Helse Nord (the regional public owner of hospitals). It is no coincidence that this research takes place in the Arctic.

- Environmental toxins are transported with air and ocean streams. And when these meet a cooler climate, which we have in the Arctic, they fall down. That is why we see more frequent occurrences of environmental toxins in the Arctic population compared to elsewhere in the world, Brox says.

It is very difficult to measure the occurrence of environmental toxins in humans. That is why it was crucially necessary to have a separate lab and competent researchers on the job. Brox and his colleague Jon Øyvind Odland started working on the realization of this lab more than ten years ago. They have gradually got it up and running.

Over the past few years, the researchers at the Tromsø lab have conducted large population survey investigations amongst the population in Norway as well as from other parts of the world, amongst them Russia and Africa, with materials from other parts of the world being sent to the lab.

- This kind of research is necessary, but also costly and difficult. We use mass spectrometry, which is often referred to as the Formula 1 analysis equipment of research. However, we are also beginning to have results, results confirming our hypotheses, Brox says.

Scary findings

Amongst the confirmed results is higher blood pressure and cholesterol as a result of environmental toxins – amongst teenagers in Tromsø. Environmental toxins also affect humans’ immunology system and DNA. That may lead to young people developing cancer. Whether or not it may lead to inheritable DNA changes is not known yet, though there is a theoretical possibility that it does.

- This is scary. We see environmental toxins having direct consequences in humans, in young people, Brox says. He is, nevertheless, happy that the results have led to increased attention to the problem.

- There is growing recognition of this being a serious problem and an important phenomenon about which to raise awareness.

- But what can be done?

- There are a series of measures to take that may limit the extent. The most important thing is to get information about sources of environmental toxin influence out there, so that people can learn to avoid them. Good, old-fashioned public information service, in other words. However, the industry that produces for instance clothes containing environmental toxins has strong economic interests. We are talking big business. That is why one either needs a full ban, or consumers must take responsibility and stop buying products containing these toxins. Researchers at the Institute of Social Medicine in Tromsø have concluded that the levels of banned environmental toxins in humans decrease over time. This goes to show that a ban helps. However, research and knowledge about the extent, sources and consequences is crucial.

Kills 1,000 every year

Amongst those who have become aware of the environmental toxins problem is the Nordic Council of Ministers. A box fresh report from the Council tries to find the social economic cost of pollution of fluorides across all of Europe. The survey is based on human lives lost due to people’s being exposed to perfluorinated substances (PFAS). And according to the report, the list of transgressions is long. PFAS substances kill as many as 750 to 1,250 Nordic citizens ever year. In addition, PFAS poisoning leads to 130 Nordic babies being born underweight.