Environmental Research
Volume 179, 2019

Biomonitoring of populations in Western New York at risk for exposure to Great Lakes contaminants (Article)

Savadatti S.S.* , Liu M. , Caglayan C. , Reuther J. , Lewis-Michl E.L. , Aldous K.M. , Parsons P.J. , Kannan K. , Rej R. , Wang W. , Palmer C.D. , Steuerwald A.J. , Wattigney W.A. , Irvin-Barnwell E. , Hwang S.-A.
  • a Bureau of Environmental and Occupational Epidemiology, New York State Department of Health, Albany, NY 12237, United States, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY 12144, United States
  • b Bureau of Environmental and Occupational Epidemiology, New York State Department of Health, Albany, NY 12237, United States
  • c Bureau of Environmental and Occupational Epidemiology, New York State Department of Health, Albany, NY 12237, United States
  • d Bureau of Environmental and Occupational Epidemiology, New York State Department of Health, Albany, NY 12237, United States
  • e Bureau of Environmental and Occupational Epidemiology, New York State Department of Health, Albany, NY 12237, United States
  • f Division of Environmental Health Sciences, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, NY 12201, United States, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, The University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY 12144, United States
  • g Division of Environmental Health Sciences, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, NY 12201, United States, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, The University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY 12144, United States
  • h Division of Environmental Health Sciences, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, NY 12201, United States, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, The University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY 12144, United States
  • i Division of Translational Medicine, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, NY 12201, United States, Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Public Health, The University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY 12144, United States
  • j Division of Environmental Health Sciences, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, NY 12201, United States
  • k Division of Environmental Health Sciences, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, NY 12201, United States, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, The University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY 12144, United States
  • l Division of Environmental Health Sciences, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, NY 12201, United States
  • m Division of Toxicology and Human Health Sciences, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Atlanta, GA 30341, United States
  • n Division of Toxicology and Human Health Sciences, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Atlanta, GA 30341, United States
  • o Bureau of Environmental and Occupational Epidemiology, New York State Department of Health, Albany, NY 12237, United States, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY 12144, United States

Abstract

The New York State Department of Health conducted the Healthy Fishing Communities Program in collaboration with the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry to assess human exposure to contaminants common to Lake Ontario, Lake Erie and surrounding rivers and waterways among populations in western New York State who eat locally caught fish. The program enrolled licensed anglers and Burmese refugees and immigrants, living near four designated Great Lakes Areas of Concern: Buffalo River, Niagara River, Eighteenmile Creek, and the Rochester Embayment. These target populations were sampled and enrolled independently into the program between February and October of 2013. A core set of contaminants were measured in blood and urine of 409 licensed anglers and 206 Burmese refugees and immigrants which included lead, cadmium, mercury, PCBs, PBDEs, organochlorine pesticides (hexachlorobenzene, mirex, DDT, DDE, and chlordane and its metabolites oxychlordane and trans-Nonachlor), and PFOS and PFOA. Biomonitoring results showed that both groups had higher geometric means for blood lead, total blood mercury, and serum PFOS compared to the 2013–2014 NHANES reference levels. The Burmese refugee group also showed higher geometric means for creatinine-adjusted urine mercury and lipid-adjusted serum DDE compared to national levels. Licensed angler participants reported eating a median of 16 locally caught fish meals in the past year. Burmese participants consumed local fish throughout the year, and most frequently in the summer (median 39 fish meals or 3 times a week). The study results provide valuable information on populations at high risk of exposure to contaminants in the Great Lakes Basin of western New York. The results provide the foundation for developing and implementing public health actions to reduce potential exposures to Great Lakes pollutants. © 2019 Elsevier Inc.

Author Keywords

Human biomonitoring Licensed anglers Great lakes Refugees and immigrants fish consumption

Index Keywords

immigrant refugee health risk human risk assessment Mercury priority journal Cadmium fish water contamination DDE pollution exposure Lake Ontario Great Lakes Basin oxychlordane Great Lakes [North America] hexachlorobenzene chlordane nonachlor polychlorinated biphenyl 1,1 dichloro 2,2 bis(4 chlorophenyl)ethylene Rochester Lake Erie United States malathion New York organochlorine pesticide lake male lead lead blood level female urine level environmental exposure biomonitoring biological monitoring high risk population Article adult chlorphenotane dietary intake New York [United States] public health
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85071520029&doi=10.1016%2fj.envres.2019.108690&partnerID=40&md5=67b62de83fd93d34c4b1f5fb04927360
DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2019.108690
ISSN: 00139351
Original Language: English