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Sasaki N, Morse G, Jones L, Carpenter DO. Effects of mixtures of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and three organochlorine pesticides on cognitive function differ between older Mohawks at Akwesasne and older adults in NHANES. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 236:116861. [PMID: 37562737 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.116861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Revised: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Akwesasne Mohawks has been exposed to high concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and background levels of organochlorine pesticides, hexachlorobenzene (HCB), dichlorodiphenyl dichloroethylene (DDE), and mirex. We have previously reported relative contributions to the mixture of low- and high-chlorinated PCBs, HCB, and DDE on cognitive decrements in Mohawks of various ages. OBJECTIVE This study examines differences in the mixture effects of PCB congener groups, HCB, DDE, and mirex on cognitive function in older Mohawks and less PCB-exposed older adults from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999-2002 cycles. METHODS We used Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) to evaluate the mixture effects of different PCB congener groups, HCB, DDE, and mirex on cognitive function in both populations. Models were adjusted for age, sex, education levels, and race/ethnicity focusing on individuals 60 years and older. RESULTS Older Mohawks had 3-fold higher mean total PCB concentrations and 1.8-fold higher mirex, but slightly lower mean DDE and HCB levels than NHANES older adults. Higher mixture concentrations were significantly associated with greater cognitive decline. In older Mohawks, low- and high-chlorinated PCBs, HCB, and DDE contributed to the cognitive score decline. In contrast, score decline in older NHANES adults were primarily from high-chlorinated PCBs and DDE with a threshold dose of approximately 2.08-2.27 ng/g and 2.02-2.40 ng/g, respectively. CONCLUSION Mixtures of PCBs and organochlorine pesticides increase the risk of cognitive decline in both older Mohawks and NHANES older adults. However, contributions to these mixture effects show significant differences. In older Mohawks, high- and low-chlorinated PCBs, DDE, and HCB are the primary contributors, while high-chlorinated PCBs and DDE are important contributors in NHANES older adults. Due to chronic heavy exposures to PCBs, older Mohawks had a significantly increased risk of cognitive decline compared to general older adults from NHANES.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nozomi Sasaki
- Institute for Health and the Environment, University at Albany, Rensselaer, NY, 12144, USA.
| | - Gayle Morse
- Institute for Health and the Environment, University at Albany, Rensselaer, NY, 12144, USA; Department of Psychology, School of Health Sciences, Russell Sage College, Troy, NY, 12180, USA
| | - Laura Jones
- Center for Biostatistics, Bassett Research Institute, Bassett Health, Cooperstown, NY, 13326, USA; Epidemiology and Biostatistics, SUNY Albany School of Public Health, Rensselaer, NY 12144, USA
| | - David O Carpenter
- Institute for Health and the Environment, University at Albany, Rensselaer, NY, 12144, USA
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Weitekamp CA, Shaffer RM, Chiang C, Lehmann GM, Christensen K. An evidence map of polychlorinated biphenyl exposure and health outcome studies among residents of the Akwesasne Mohawk Nation. CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 306:135454. [PMID: 35764106 PMCID: PMC9444975 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.135454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Revised: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
From the 1950s to the 1970s, three Superfund sites discharged polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB)-contaminated waste upstream of the Mohawk Nation at Akwesasne, resulting in PCB contamination of groundwater, soil, and sediment in the surrounding area. Given the persistence of PCBs in the environment and in human tissues, there are continued concerns regarding PCB exposures and the potential for adverse health effects in the community. We developed an evidence map of PCB research at Akwesasne in order to characterize the available data and to highlight potential research needs. Human health and exposure biomarker studies were identified from a literature search based on population, exposure, comparator, and outcome (PECO) criteria. Data extracted from references that met the inclusion criteria after full-text review included study characteristics (e.g., sample size, study design, sampling years), details on PCB measurements (e.g., analytical method, number of congeners analyzed, method detection limits), and results (e.g., PCB levels and summary of study conclusions). We identified 33 studies, conducted between 1986 and 2013, that examined PCB exposure characteristics and health effects in residents of the Akwesasne Mohawk Nation. Organizing this literature into an evidence map including information on study cohort, congener groupings, exposure biomarker characteristics, and health effects allowed us to identify research gaps and to suggest future research priorities for the community. We identified current PCB exposure levels and PCB source characterization as major uncertainties, both of which could be addressed by new studies of PCB concentrations in environmental media.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chelsea A Weitekamp
- Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Office of Research and Development, U.S. EPA, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Rachel M Shaffer
- Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Office of Research and Development, U.S. EPA, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Catheryne Chiang
- Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Office of Research and Development, U.S. EPA, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Geniece M Lehmann
- Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Office of Research and Development, U.S. EPA, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA.
| | - Krista Christensen
- Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Office of Research and Development, U.S. EPA, Washington, DC, USA
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Liu M, Nordstrom M, Forand S, Lewis-Michl E, Wattigney WA, Kannan K, Wang W, Irvin-Barnwell E, Hwang SA. Assessing exposures to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in two populations of Great Lakes Basin fish consumers in Western New York State. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2021; 240:113902. [PMID: 34915281 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2021.113902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Revised: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Fish and other seafood are an important dietary source of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exposure in many areas of the world, and PFAS were found to be pervasive in fish from the Great Lakes area. Few studies, however, have examined the associations between Great Lakes Basin fish consumption and PFAS exposure. Many licensed anglers and Burmese refugees and immigrants residing in western New York State consume fish caught from the Great Lakes and surrounding waters, raising their risk of exposure to environmental contaminants including PFAS. The aims of this study were to: 1) present the PFAS exposure profile of the licensed anglers and Burmese refugees and 2) examine the associations between serum PFAS levels and local fish consumption. METHODS Licensed anglers (n = 397) and Burmese participants (n = 199) provided blood samples and completed a detailed questionnaire in 2013. We measured 12 PFAS in serum. Multiple linear regression was used to assess associations between serum PFAS concentrations and self-reported consumption of fish from Great Lakes waters. RESULTS Licensed anglers and Burmese participants reported consuming a median of 16 (IQR: 6-36) and 88 (IQR: 44-132) meals of locally caught fish in the year before sample collection, respectively (data for Burmese group restricted to 10 months of the year). Five PFAS were detected in almost all study participants (PFOS, PFOA, PFHxS, PFNA and PFDA; 97.5-100%). PFOS had the highest median serum concentration in licensed anglers (11.6 ng/mL) and the Burmese (35.6 ng/mL), approximately two and six times that of the U.S. general population, respectively. Serum levels of other PFAS in both groups were generally low and comparable to those in the general U.S. POPULATION Among licensed anglers, Great Lakes Basin fish meals over the past year were positively associated with serum PFOS (P < 0.0001), PFDA (P < 0.0001), PFHxS (P = 0.01), and PFNA (P = 0.02) and the number of years consuming locally caught fish was positively associated with serum PFOS (P = 0.01) and PFDA (P = 0.01) levels. In the Burmese group, consuming Great Lakes Basin fish more than three times a week in the past summer was positively associated with serum PFOS (P = 0.004) and PFDA (P = 0.02) among the Burmese of non-Karen ethnicity, but not among those of Karen ethnicity, suggesting potential ethnic differences in PFAS exposure. CONCLUSIONS Great Lakes Basin fish consumption was associated with an increase in blood concentrations of some PFAS, and especially of PFOS, among licensed anglers and Burmese refugees and immigrants in western New York State. In the Burmese population, there may be other important PFAS exposure routes related to residential history and ethnicity. Continued outreach efforts to increase fish advisory awareness and reduce exposure to contaminants are needed among these populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Liu
- New York State Department of Health, Bureau of Environmental & Occupational Epidemiology, Empire State Plaza-Corning Tower, Room 1203, Albany, NY, 12237, United States.
| | - Monica Nordstrom
- New York State Department of Health, Bureau of Environmental & Occupational Epidemiology, Empire State Plaza-Corning Tower, Room 1203, Albany, NY, 12237, United States
| | - Steven Forand
- New York State Department of Health, Bureau of Environmental & Occupational Epidemiology, Empire State Plaza-Corning Tower, Room 1203, Albany, NY, 12237, United States
| | - Elizabeth Lewis-Michl
- New York State Department of Health, Bureau of Environmental & Occupational Epidemiology, Empire State Plaza-Corning Tower, Room 1203, Albany, NY, 12237, United States
| | - Wendy A Wattigney
- Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Division of Toxicology and Human Health Science, 4770 Buford Highway, Atlanta, GA, 30341, United States
| | - Kurunthachalam Kannan
- New York State Department of Health, Wadsworth Center, Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY, 12201, United States; New York University School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics and Department of Environmental Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, United States
| | - Wei Wang
- New York State Department of Health, Wadsworth Center, Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY, 12201, United States
| | - Elizabeth Irvin-Barnwell
- Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Division of Toxicology and Human Health Science, 4770 Buford Highway, Atlanta, GA, 30341, United States
| | - Syni-An Hwang
- New York State Department of Health, Bureau of Environmental & Occupational Epidemiology, Empire State Plaza-Corning Tower, Room 1203, Albany, NY, 12237, United States; University at Albany, School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, One University Place, Rensselaer, NY, 12144, United States
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Abstract
Hydrosocial spatio-temporalities—aspects of water belonging to space, time, or space-time—are central to water governance, providing a framework upon which overall hydrosocial relations are constructed, and are fundamental to the establishment of values and central to socio-cultural-political relationships. Moreover, spatio-temporal conceptions may differ among diverse governing entities and across scales, creating “variability” through ontological pluralism, as well as power asymmetries embedded in cultural bias. This paper explores spatio-temporal conceptions related to water quality governance, an aspect of water governance often biased toward technical and scientific space-time conceptions. We offer examples of different aspects of spatio-temporality in water quality issues among Tribes in the United States, highlighting several themes, including spatiotemporal cycles, technological mediation, and interrelationship and fluidity. Finally, we suggest that because water is part of a dynamic network of space-times, water quality may be best governed through more holistic practices that recognize tribal sovereignty and hydrosocial variability.
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Wattigney WA, Irvin-Barnwell E, Li Z, Davis SI, Manente S, Maqsood J, Scher D, Messing R, Schuldt N, Hwang SA, Aldous KM, Lewis-Michl EL, Ragin-Wilson A. Biomonitoring programs in Michigan, Minnesota and New York to assess human exposure to Great Lakes contaminants. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2019; 222:125-135. [PMID: 30153973 PMCID: PMC6376966 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2018.08.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2018] [Revised: 08/14/2018] [Accepted: 08/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Over the past century, industrialization and urban practices have resulted in the contamination of the Great Lakes ecosystem-the world's largest surface freshwater system-that provides drinking water and recreation to more than 40 million residents. In 2010, the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative was launched to accelerate efforts to protect and restore the Great Lakes and surrounding areas. Funded by GLRI, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry initiated the Biomonitoring of Great Lakes Populations (BGLP) program. The objective of the program is to assess human exposure to legacy and emerging contaminants in the Great Lakes by measuring the body burden of contaminants in potentially susceptible populations. The BGLP program consists of a series of cross-sectional studies carried out collaboratively with states that are funded through ATSDR. The first BGLP Program (BGLP-I) began in 2010 and was completed in September 2015 through cooperative agreements with state health departments in Michigan, Minnesota, and New York. The three state programs targeted susceptible adult populations living in designated areas of contamination. Contaminants measured in all populations include mercury, lead, mirex, hexachlorobenzene, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, and selected polychlorinated biphenyl congeners. In addition, some chemicals of emerging concern, such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, were measured in several populations. The biomonitoring results helped guide public health actions to mitigate chemical exposures in these vulnerable Great Lakes populations. We provide an overview of the BGLP-I program's study populations, designs, and general methods. This overview provides a lead-in for subsequent manuscripts that present human biomonitoring data for legacy and emerging contaminants in culturally diverse susceptible populations-i.e., shoreline anglers, sport anglers, American Indians, and Burmese immigrants-residing in seven areas of concern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wendy A Wattigney
- Division of Toxicology and Human Health Science, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, 4770 Buford Highway, Atlanta, 30341, GE, United States.
| | - Elizabeth Irvin-Barnwell
- Division of Toxicology and Human Health Science, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, 4770 Buford Highway, Atlanta, 30341, GE, United States
| | - Zheng Li
- Division of Toxicology and Human Health Science, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, 4770 Buford Highway, Atlanta, 30341, GE, United States
| | - Stephanie I Davis
- Office of Science, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway, Atlanta, 30341, GE, United States
| | - Susan Manente
- Division of Environmental Health, Michigan Department of Human Health Services, 333 S. Grand Ave., Lansing, MI 48909, United States
| | - Junaid Maqsood
- Division of Environmental Health, Michigan Department of Human Health Services, 333 S. Grand Ave., Lansing, MI 48909, United States
| | - Deanna Scher
- Division of Environmental Health, Minnesota Department of Health, 625 N. Robert St., St. Paul, Minnesota, 55164-0975, United States
| | - Rita Messing
- Division of Environmental Health, Minnesota Department of Health, 625 N. Robert St., St. Paul, Minnesota, 55164-0975, United States; Retired from Division of Environmental Health, Minnesota Department of Health, United States
| | - Nancy Schuldt
- Fond du Lac Environmental Program, Division of Resource Management, 28 University Road, Cloquet, MN, 55720, United States
| | - Syni-An Hwang
- Bureau of Environmental & Occupational Epidemiology, New York State Department of Health, Empire State Plaza, Corning Tower Room 1203, Albany, NY, 12237, United States
| | - Kenneth M Aldous
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Empire State Plaza, PO Box 509, Albany, NY, 12201, United States
| | - Elizabeth L Lewis-Michl
- Bureau of Environmental & Occupational Epidemiology, New York State Department of Health, Empire State Plaza, Corning Tower Room 1203, Albany, NY, 12237, United States
| | - Angela Ragin-Wilson
- Division of Toxicology and Human Health Science, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, 4770 Buford Highway, Atlanta, 30341, GE, United States
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Zhong Y, Guo P, Wang X, An J. Aroclor 1254 inhibits cell viability and induces apoptosis of human A549 lung cancer cells by modulating the intracellular Ca(2+) level and ROS production through the mitochondrial pathway. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND HEALTH. PART A, TOXIC/HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING 2015; 50:806-813. [PMID: 26030686 DOI: 10.1080/10934529.2015.1019797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
To study the acute toxic effects of PCBs on airway exposure, the cell viability, apoptosis and mitochondrial functions of human lung cancer cell line A549 were measured and compared after Aroclor 1254 exposure for different time. The results showed that Aroclor 1254 could inhibit cell viability and increase cell apoptosis in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. The mitochondrial apoptosis pathway was confirmed playing an important role. ROS elevation was an early response within 1h treatment of Aroclor 1254. Then after 4 h of Aroclor 1254 exposure, the intracellular calcium level increased and mitochondrial transmembrane potential (ΔΨm) collapsed, accompanying with Cytochrome c (Cyt-c) leakage, boosting expression of Bax, Apaf-1 and miRNA155, which were involved in the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway. After 24 h of Aroclor 1254 exposure, ROS returned to normal level, but cell apoptosis rate was higher than that at 4 h with ΔΨm continued collapsing and intracellular calcium increased. In conclusion, Aroclor 1254 could suppress cell viability and induce apoptosis in A549 cells, which was associated with ROS over-production and elevated cellular Ca(2+) level, which may result in mitochondrial dysfunction, inducing expression of Bax/Cyt-c/Apaf-1 and miRNA155.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yufang Zhong
- a Institute of Environmental Pollution and Health , School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering , Shanghai University , Shanghai , P. R. China
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Pavuk M, Olson JR, Wattigney WA, Dutton ND, Sjödin A, Shelton C, Turner WE, Bartell SM. Predictors of serum polychlorinated biphenyl concentrations in Anniston residents. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2014; 496:624-634. [PMID: 25115605 PMCID: PMC4617205 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2014.06.113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2014] [Revised: 05/30/2014] [Accepted: 06/25/2014] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
The Anniston Community Health Survey was a community-based cross-sectional study of Anniston, Alabama, residents who live in close proximity to a former PCB production facility to identify factors associated with serum PCB levels. The survey comprises 765 Anniston residents who completed a questionnaire interview and provided a blood sample for analysis in 2005-2007. Several reports based on data from the Anniston survey have been previously published, including associations between PCB exposure and diabetes and blood pressure. In this study we examine demographic, behavioral, dietary, and occupational characteristics of Anniston survey participants as predictors of serum PCB concentrations. Of the 765 participants, 54% were White and 45% were African-American; the sample was predominantly female (70%), with a mean age of 55 years. Serum PCB concentrations varied widely between participants (range for sum of 35 PCBs: 0.11-170.4 ng/g wet weight). Linear regression models with stepwise selection were employed to examine factors associated with serum PCBs. Statistically significant positive associations were observed between serum PCB concentrations and age, race, residential variables, current smoking, and local fish consumption, as was a negative association with education level. Age and race were the most influential predictors of serum PCB levels. A small age by sex interaction was noted, indicating that the increase in PCB levels with age was steeper for women than for men. Significant interaction terms indicated that the associations between PCB levels and having ever eaten locally raised livestock and local clay were much stronger among African-Americans than among White participants. In summary, demographic variables and past consumption of locally produced foods were found to be the most important predictors of PCB concentrations in residents living in the vicinity of a former PCB manufacturing facility.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Pavuk
- Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Atlanta, GA, USA.
| | - J R Olson
- School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - W A Wattigney
- Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - N D Dutton
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) Research Participant, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - A Sjödin
- National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - C Shelton
- College of Nursing, Jacksonville State University, Jacksonville, AL, USA
| | - W E Turner
- National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - S M Bartell
- Program in Public Health and Department of Statistics, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
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Pavuk M, Olson JR, Sjödin A, Wolff P, Turner WE, Shelton C, Dutton ND, Bartell S. Serum concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in participants of the Anniston Community Health Survey. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2014; 473-474:286-97. [PMID: 24374590 PMCID: PMC4617226 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2013.12.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2013] [Revised: 11/26/2013] [Accepted: 12/09/2013] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Serum concentrations of 35 ortho-substituted polychlorinated biphenyl congeners (PCBs) were measured in 765 adults from Anniston, Alabama, where PCBs were manufactured between 1929 and 1971. As part of the Anniston Community Health Survey (ACHS), demographic data, questionnaire information, and blood samples were collected from participants in 2005-2007. Forty-six percent of study participants were African-American, 70% were female, and the median age was 56 years. The median concentration of the sum of 35 PCB congeners (ΣPCBs) was 528 ng/g lipid, with a 90th percentile of 2,600 ng/g lipid, minimum of 17.0 ng/g lipid, and maximum of 27,337 ng/g lipid. The least square geometric mean ΣPCBs was more than 2.5 times higher for African-American participants than for White participants (866 ng/g lipid vs. 331 ng/g lipid); this difference did not change materially after adjustment for age, sex, body mass index (BMI) and current smoking. In spite of large differences in absolute PCB levels, relative contributions of individual congeners to ΣPCBs were quite similar between race groups. Nevertheless, while percent contributions to ΣPCBs for most of the most abundant penta- to heptachlorobiphenyls were higher among African-Americans, the percentages were higher in Whites for the lower-chlorinated PCBs 28 and 74 and for octa- to decachlorinated PCBs. No major differences were observed in geometric mean ΣPCBs between women and men when adjusted for age, race, BMI and current smoking (516 ng/g lipid vs. 526 ng/g lipid). Principal component analysis revealed groups of co-varying congeners that appear to be determined by chlorine substitution patterns. These congener groupings were similar between ACHS participants and the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2003-04 sample of the general United States population, despite ACHS participants having serum concentrations of ΣPCBs two to three times higher than those in comparable age and race groups from NHANES.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Pavuk
- Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Atlanta, GA, USA.
| | - J R Olson
- State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - A Sjödin
- National Center for Environmental Health, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - P Wolff
- University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - W E Turner
- National Center for Environmental Health, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - C Shelton
- Jacksonville State University, AL, USA
| | - N D Dutton
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) Research Participation Program, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - S Bartell
- University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
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Hoover E. Cultural and health implications of fish advisories in a Native American community. ECOLOGICAL PROCESSES 2013; 2:10.1186/2192-1709-2-4. [PMID: 25243106 PMCID: PMC4166540 DOI: 10.1186/2192-1709-2-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Fish advisories are issued in an effort to protect human health from exposure to contaminants, but Native American communities may suffer unintended health, social, and cultural consequences as a result of warnings against eating local fish. This paper focuses on the Mohawk community of Akwesasne, which lies downstream from a Superfund site, and explores how fish advisories have impacted fish consumption and health. METHODS 65 Akwesasne community members were interviewed between March 2008 and April 2009. Interviews were semi-structured, lasted from 30-90 minutes and consisted of open-ended questions about the impacts of environmental contamination on the community. Detailed field notes were also maintained during extensive visits between 2007-2011. Interviews were transcribed, and these transcripts as well as the field notes were analyzed in NVivo 8.0. This research received approval from the Akwesasne Task Force on the Environment Research Advisory Committee, as well as the Brown University Institutional Review Board. RESULTS Three-quarters of the 50 Akwesasne Mohawks interviewed have ceased or significantly curtailed their local fish consumption due to the issuance of fish advisories or witnessing or hearing about deformities on fish. Many of these respondents have turned to outside sources of fish, from other communities or from grocery stores. This change in fish consumption concerns many residents because cultural and social connections developed around fishing are being lost and because fish has been replaced with high-fat high-carb processed foods, which has led to other health complications. One-quarter of the 50 interviewees still eat local fish, but these are generally middle-aged or older residents; fish consumption no longer occurs in the multi-generational social context it once did. CONCLUSIONS Human health in Native American communities such as Akwesasne is intimately tied to the health of the environment. Fish advisories should not be used as an institutional control to protect humans from exposure to contaminants; if Akwesasne are to achieve optimal health, the contaminated environment has to be remediated to a level that supports clean, edible fish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Hoover
- American Studies and Ethnic Studies, Brown University, Box 1886, Providence RI 02860, USA
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Seegal RF, Fitzgerald EF, Hills EA, Wolff MS, Haase RF, Todd AC, Parsons P, Molho ES, Higgins DS, Factor SA, Marek KL, Seibyl JP, Jennings DL, McCaffrey RJ. Estimating the half-lives of PCB congeners in former capacitor workers measured over a 28-year interval. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2011; 21:234-46. [PMID: 20216575 DOI: 10.1038/jes.2010.3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
To date, most estimates of the half-life of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in humans have been based on relatively short follow-up periods. To address this issue, we determined the half-lives of PCB congeners of occupational origin in the serum of former capacitor workers as part of a study conducted in 2003-2006--approximately 28 years after their last occupational exposure. A total of 241 persons from a source population of 6798 former capacitor workers were interviewed and asked to donate a blood sample for serum PCB congener analysis. A subgroup of 45 participants also had serum archived from 1976 and reanalyzed for the same 27 PCB congeners by the same laboratory. Our estimates of the half-lives of the congeners among these 45 persons were longer than those reported by Wolff et al. (1992), due primarily to the much longer interval between exposure and determination of serum PCB concentrations. Half-lives were significantly greater for the heavy versus light occupational congeners, for women versus men and for those with low versus high initial exposure. Current serum total PCB concentrations, expressed as the geometric mean of wet weight data, averaged 6.7 ng/g for the entire 241-person cohort, which represents a 10-fold decrease from values reported in the late 1970s, but is still nearly twice the average for persons of similar age residing in the same area, but without occupational exposure. In addition, current serum PCB concentrations remained significantly and positively associated with earlier occupational exposure, but were not associated with fresh water fish consumption. In general, the results support a consistent and long-duration trend of increased PCB body burden in this cohort of former capacitor workers compared with non-occupationally exposed individuals. The results may aid in further understanding the toxicological/epidemiological consequences of exposure to PCBs in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard F Seegal
- Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, NY 12201-0509, USA.
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Goncharov A, Rej R, Negoita S, Schymura M, Santiago-Rivera A, Morse G, Carpenter DO. Lower serum testosterone associated with elevated polychlorinated biphenyl concentrations in Native American men. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2009; 117:1454-60. [PMID: 19750113 PMCID: PMC2737025 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.0800134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2008] [Accepted: 05/19/2009] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and chlorinated pesticides are endocrine disruptors, altering both thyroid and estrogen hormonal systems. Less is known of action on androgenic systems. OBJECTIVE We studied the relationship between serum concentrations of testosterone in relation to levels of PCBs and three chlorinated pesticides in an adult Native American (Mohawk) population. METHODS We collected fasting serum samples from 703 adult Mohawks (257 men and 436 women) and analyzed samples for 101 PCB congeners, hexachlorobenzene (HCB), dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE), and mirex, as well as testosterone, cholesterol, and triglycerides. The associations between testosterone and tertiles of serum organochlorine levels (both wet weight and lipid adjusted) were assessed using a logistic regression model while controlling for age, body mass index (BMI), and other analytes, with the lowest tertile being considered the referent. Males and females were considered separately. RESULTS Testosterone concentrations in males were inversely correlated with total PCB concentration, whether using wet-weight or lipid-adjusted values. The odds ratio (OR) of having a testosterone concentration above the median was 0.17 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.05-0.69] for total wet-weight PCBs (highest vs. lowest tertile) after adjustment for age, BMI, total serum lipids, and three pesticides. The OR for lipid-adjusted total PCB concentration was 0.23 (95% CI, 0.06-0.78) after adjustment for other analytes. Testosterone levels were significantly and inversely related to concentrations of PCBs 74, 99, 153, and 206, but not PCBs 52, 105, 118, 138, 170, 180, 201, or 203. Testosterone concentrations in females are much lower than in males, and not significantly related to serum PCBs. HCB, DDE, and mirex were not associated with testosterone concentration in either men or women. CONCLUSIONS Elevation in serum PCB levels is associated with a lower concentration of serum testosterone in Native American men.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Robert Rej
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University at Albany, Rensselaer, New York, USA
- Wadsworth Center for Laboratories and Research, New York State Department of Health, Albany, New York, USA
| | - Serban Negoita
- New York State Department of Health, Albany, New York, USA
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and
| | - Maria Schymura
- New York State Department of Health, Albany, New York, USA
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and
| | - Azara Santiago-Rivera
- Department of Education and Counseling Psychology, University at Albany, Albany, New York, USA
| | - Gayle Morse
- Department of Education and Counseling Psychology, University at Albany, Albany, New York, USA
| | | | - David O. Carpenter
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences and
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University at Albany, Rensselaer, New York, USA
- Institute for Health and the Environment, University at Albany, Rensselaer, New York, USA
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Spliethoff HM, Bloom MS, Vena J, Sorce J, Aldous KM, Eadon G. Exploratory assessment of sportfish consumption and polybrominated diphenyl ether exposure in New York State anglers. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2008; 108:340-347. [PMID: 18762292 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2008.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2007] [Revised: 06/04/2008] [Accepted: 07/22/2008] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
A cross-sectional study was conducted to examine the influence of sportfish consumption on body burden of nine polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) congeners in 36 New York State (NYS) anglers. Participating anglers who had previously reported consuming sportfish from Lake Ontario and its tributaries were found to have significantly higher blood plasma levels of BDE-28, BDE-47, BDE-99, BDE-100, and the sum of measured PBDE congeners (SigmaPBDE), than anglers who had previously reported no consumption of sportfish from these waters. Bivariate analysis was used to evaluate potential dietary predictors of PBDE plasma levels, including indicators of consumption of sportfish, as well as commercial fish, wild waterfowl, dairy products, and beef. The number of years of reported consumption of Lake Ontario sportfish between 1980 and 1990 was found to be correlated with plasma levels of BDE-47, BDE-85, BDE-99, BDE-100, BDE-153, BDE-154, and SigmaPBDE. The number of meals, eaten in the year prior to study participation, of Lake Ontario sportfish species known to have high levels of other persistent organic pollutants (POPs) was correlated with plasma levels of BDE-28, BDE-47, BDE-85, BDE-99, BDE-100, BDE-154, and SigmaPBDE. Multiple linear regression revealed that the number of years consuming Lake Ontario sportfish between 1980 and 1990, after adjusting for plasma lipids, was a weak, but statistically significant, predictor of SigmaPBDE plasma levels (beta=0.130, 95% CI: 0.007-0.254). These results suggest that sportfish consumption can contribute measurably to PBDE body burden in NYS anglers, although there are likely to be additional, more significant, sources of exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henry M Spliethoff
- Division of Environmental Disease Prevention, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Empire State Plaza, PO Box 509, Albany, NY 12201, USA.
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Carpenter DO. Environmental contaminants as risk factors for developing diabetes. REVIEWS ON ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH 2008; 23:59-74. [PMID: 18557598 DOI: 10.1515/reveh.2008.23.1.59] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
The contribution of exposure to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) to the incidence of diabetes has received little attention until recently. A number of reports have emerged, however, concerning elevated diabetes in persons occupationally exposed to dioxin. United States (US) Air Force personnel in Vietnam who sprayed Agent Orange containing dioxin as a contaminant had elevated rates of diabetes, leading to US government compensation for diabetes in these veterans. Recent studies in populations exposed to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and chlorinated pesticides found a dose-dependent elevated risk of diabetes. An elevation in risk of diabetes in relation to levels of several POPs has been demonstrated by two different groups using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), a random sampling of US citizens. The strong associations seen in quite different studies suggest the possibility that exposure to POPs could cause diabetes. One striking observation is that obese persons that do not have elevated POPs are not at elevated risk of diabetes, suggesting that the POPs rather than the obesity per se is responsible for the association. Although a specific mechanism is not known, most POPs induce a great number and variety of genes, including several that alter insulin action. Because diabetes is a dangerous disease that is increasing in frequency throughout the world, further study of the possibility that exposure to POPs contributes to the etiology of diabetes is critical.
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Affiliation(s)
- David O Carpenter
- Institute for Health and the Environment, University at Albany, Rensselaer, NY 12144, USA.
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Ma J, Kouznetsova M, Lessner L, Carpenter DO. Asthma and infectious respiratory disease in children--correlation to residence near hazardous waste sites. Paediatr Respir Rev 2007; 8:292-8. [PMID: 18005897 DOI: 10.1016/j.prrv.2007.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Rates of hospitalization for asthma and respiratory infectious disease in children were modeled as a function of residence: (1) in a zip code containing a hazardous waste site with persistent organic pollutants ('POPs'); (2) in a zip code with a waste site that did not contain POPs ('other'); or (3) in a zip code without any identified waste site ('clean'), as well as other demographic covariates. After adjustment, living in a zip code containing a POPs waste site significantly increased the frequency of hospitalization for asthma and infectious respiratory disease. Living in a zip code with an 'other' waste site also increased hospitalization frequencies for both diseases. The association was strongest for zip codes whose residents were in the lowest quartile of medium family income. This evidence supports the hypothesis that living near a hazardous waste site increases risk of respiratory disease in children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Ma
- Institute for Health and the Environment, University at Albany, Rensselaer, NY 12144, USA
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Codru N, Schymura MJ, Negoita S, Rej R, Carpenter DO. Diabetes in relation to serum levels of polychlorinated biphenyls and chlorinated pesticides in adult Native Americans. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2007; 115:1442-7. [PMID: 17938733 PMCID: PMC2022671 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.10315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2007] [Accepted: 07/17/2007] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recent research suggests that diabetes, a condition whose incidence is increasing, is associated with exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and chlorinated pesticides. OBJECTIVES We investigated the potential association between diabetes and serum levels of PCBs, dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE), hexachlorobenzene (HCB), and mirex in a cross-sectional study of an adult Native-American (Mohawk) population. METHODS Through a standardized questionnaire we collected demographic, medical, and lifestyle information from 352 adults, > or =30 years of age. We collected fasting serum samples that were analyzed for 101 PCB congeners, DDE, HCB, and mirex along with fasting glucose, triglycerides, and cholesterol. Participants who had fasting-glucose values > 125 mg/dL and/or who were taking antidiabetic medication were defined as persons with diabetes. We conducted logistic regression to assess the potential association between organochlorine serum levels and diabetes, while controlling for the potential confounding variables of age, body mass index (BMI), smoking, sex, and serum lipid levels. Organochlorine serum levels were categorized in tertiles, and the lowest tertile was used as the reference category. RESULTS The prevalence of diabetes was 20.2%. The odds ratio (OR) of having diabetes for participants in the highest tertile of total PCB concentration compared with the lowest tertile was 3.9 (95% confidence interval, 1.5-10.6). The corresponding ORs for DDE and HCB were even higher. Elevated serum mirex was not associated with diabetes. After adjustment for other analytes, the OR for HCB remained significant, whereas ORs for PCBs and DDE remained elevated but not statistically significant. In contrast, after adjustment for other analytes, the OR for mirex became statistically significant and indicated an inverse association. CONCLUSIONS In this study of adult Native Americans, elevated serum PCBs, DDE, and HCB were positively associated with diabetes after controlling for potential confounders, whereas a negative association was observed for mirex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neculai Codru
- Department of Epidemiology and Statistics, School of Public Health, University at Albany, Rensselaer, New York, USA
| | - Maria J. Schymura
- Department of Epidemiology and Statistics, School of Public Health, University at Albany, Rensselaer, New York, USA
- New York State Department of Health, Albany, New York, USA
| | - Serban Negoita
- Department of Epidemiology and Statistics, School of Public Health, University at Albany, Rensselaer, New York, USA
- New York State Department of Health, Albany, New York, USA
| | - Robert Rej
- Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, New York, USA
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Public Health, University at Albany, Albany, New York, USA
| | - David O. Carpenter
- Institute for Health and the Environment, University at Albany, Rensselaer, New York, USA
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