[Level of selenium supply for inhabitants of the Northern economic area of Russia].

Human selenium levels were estimated in 28 towns and settlements of the Murmansk, Vologda, Arkhangelsk regions and Karelia. These were found to be 90-102 micrograms/l in these areas, the lowest ones being detected in Petrozavodsk. Kondopoga, Suoyarvi, and Kovdor, the highest in Kola. The findings suggest that the higher selenium levels in the population in the north and south of the regions (the Murmansk and Vologda regions) is provided by the imported wheat flour with high selenium levels. They show it necessary to transport foodstuffs containing selenium into the areas where there may be this compound deficiency.