Dioxin in Yushchenko’s blood nearly 6,000 times higher than normal level

NEW tests reveal the level of dioxin in the blood of Ukrainian presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko is more than 6,000 times higher than normal.

The concentration, about 100,000 units per gram of blood fat, is the second highest ever recorded, said Abraham Brouwer, professor of environmental toxicology at the Free University in Amsterdam. A normal level of dioxin is between 15 and 45 units.

Almost everyone has some level of dioxins because the chemical is widespread in the environment - mainly from its industrial usages - and builds up in the food chain.

In the case of Mr Yushchenko, Prof Brouwer’s team has narrowed the search from more than 400 dioxins to about 29 and is confident they will identify the poison by week’s end. That, in turn, could provide clues for the investigation of the alleged poisoning.

“From a (chemical) fingerprint, at least you can deduce what kind of sources might have been involved,” said Prof Brouwer.

“The labs will try to find out whether it matches any of the batches of dioxins that are around, so that maybe you can trace it back to where it was ordered or where it came from.”

Experts say Mr Yushchenko should gradually recover, with no impairment to his working ability.

The reformist candidate first fell ill after having dinner with Ukrainian Security Service chief Ihor Smeshko and his deputy Volodymyr Satsyuk on September 5. He had a headache about three hours after the dinner, and by the next day had an acute stomach ache.