Toxics Monitoring of Human Populations

in Alaska

Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry

June 26, 2001

What Is ATSDR?

• A federal (DHHS) public health agency that investigates and strives to prevent human health problems caused by exposure to toxic chemicals in the environment.

June 26, 2001

Why Monitor?

• From the public health perspective we need to answer the question: “What does this mean to my health?”

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The Arctic Dilemma

• Risk from chemicals in subsistence foods vs. nutritional & cultural benefits of subsistence lifestyle

• Benefits of subsistence foods vs. risk of switching to store-bought foods

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Sources of Contaminants

• Local- Military sites

- Industry

- Mining

• Global- Air deposition

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June 26, 2001

What’s Happening in Alaska?

• There is no comprehensive human monitoring in Alaska

• Studies are fragmented, isolated, focused on one region, issue, or limited number of contaminants

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Examples

• Maternal cord blood study- CDC- North Slope, Aleutians, other areas- Enrolling pregnant women- Get fetal and maternal blood- Plan to follow infants through life- Look at environmental contaminants &

essential vitamins/elements

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Examples – cont.

• Evaluating mercury levels in mummies.

• Human monitoring in Aleutian/ Pribilof Islands

• NCEH Breast cancer pilot study- NA serum banked since 1980’s- Test serum for contaminants

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What the Future Holds

• Alaska Traditional Diet Project- Dietary surveys to identify

important exposures

• Alaska Wild and Traditional Food Safety Program- Tracking human exposure

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Learn from International Experiences

• Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program- www.amap.no

• Northern Contaminants Program- www.ainc-inac.gc.ca/NCP