Grantee Research Project Results
2009 Progress Report: Modeling Dietary Contributions to Arsenic Dose and Methylation: Elucidating Predictive Linkages
EPA Grant Number: R833992Title: Modeling Dietary Contributions to Arsenic Dose and Methylation: Elucidating Predictive Linkages
Investigators: Burgess, Jefferey L. , Harris, Robin B. , Martinez, M. Elena , O’Rourke, Mary Kay , Hsu, Paul
Institution: Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health , University of Arizona
Current Institution: Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health
EPA Project Officer: Hahn, Intaek
Project Period: October 1, 2008 through September 30, 2010 (Extended to September 30, 2011)
Project Period Covered by this Report: November 15, 2008 through December 30,2009
Project Amount: $499,999
RFA: Development of Environmental Health Outcome Indicators (2007) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Human Health
Objective:
The objectives of this research are to utilize existing and archived population-based questionnaire and biological data that describe food and water consumption histories in order to construct predictive indicator models for urinary arsenic biomarkers. For Aim 1, dietary recall data from three local population studies (NHEXAS-AZ, the Arizona Border Survey, and the Binational Arsenic Exposure Study (BAsES)) will be used to model total arsenic, the sum of inorganic arsenic and metabolites, and percent MMA in the urine collected (subsequently). Models will be tested with and without personal water consumption data and micronutrient data. Aim 2 will involve testing these models on a regional bases (NHEXAS-Region 5) and assessing the impact of differences in regional drinking water arsenic levels and differences in ethnicity. Aim 3 entails conducting an independent validation using a national database (NHANES 2003-04) of the predictive models constructed in Aim 1 based on the Arizona study populations.
Progress Summary:
In the past year, quality assurance protocols have been established, data have been obtained and cleaned, and development of databases of arsenic and nutrient content of dietary diaries has been completed for four of the five study populations. Our preliminary analyses used questionnaire and laboratory data from the Arizona Border Survey to compare different sources of data on arsenic concentrations in specific food items. Total dietary arsenic concentrations measured using ICP/MS analysis of duplicate diet samples from the ABS during 1997-98 were compared to 1) mean total dietary arsenic concentrations from the US FDA Total Diet Study (TDS) Market Baskets (1991-2005) and 2) mean total arsenic concentrations published by Schoof (1999) from specific dietary items thought to comprise 90% of dietary arsenic intake. Based on the TDS dietary arsenic database, approximately half of the population consumed undetectable amounts of total arsenic. There was no correlation between laboratory measures and modeled values calculated using either Schoof or TDS, however, the TDS and Schoof calculated values were highly correlated with each other.
Future Activities:
Now that analysis of dietary arsenic and micronutrient content are complete for the local databases, we are beginning to develop our more complex models. Because arsenic in drinking water was not measured in NHANES 2003-04, we are trying to obtain water arsenic data for specific geographic localities that can be used to assign estimates of arsenic in drinking water for the subjects in NHANES. We are continuing to make inquiries regarding obtaining datasets that we believe EPA developed that include arsenic concentration in municipal water sources from compliance testing. An NRDC (2000) database, "List of Public Water Systems in Which Arsenic was Found in 25 States Reporting Data," with values for almost 9000 water systems serving anywhere from 0-3.6 million people is online. The NRDC database was derived from data that the EPA collected from the states. The NHEXAS-Region 5 diet diaries were not available online. We obtained files from Dr. James Quackenboss at EPA without documentation (they were never archived) that we are using to create a database for dietary analysis. This will be needed for modeling on a regional scale. We will need to submit a proposal to the CDC National Center for Health Statistics Research Data Center to obtain a dataset in which the NHANES geocodes are matched to water arsenic values to work from for Aim 3.
Journal Articles:
No journal articles submitted with this report: View all 8 publications for this projectSupplemental Keywords:
metalloid, modeling, exposure and risk assessment, metabolism, health effects, carcinogen, sensitive populations, public policyProgress and Final Reports:
Original AbstractThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.