Grantee Research Project Results

2010 Progress Report: An Epidemiologic Study of Time Trends and Health Effects of Persistent Organic Pollutants, Mercury and Micronutrients

EPA Grant Number: R833705
Title: An Epidemiologic Study of Time Trends and Health Effects of Persistent Organic Pollutants, Mercury and Micronutrients
Investigators: Berner, James E.
Institution: Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium
EPA Project Officer: Aja, Hayley
Project Period: June 1, 2009 through May 31, 2013 (Extended to May 31, 2015)
Project Period Covered by this Report: June 1, 2009 through May 31,2010
Project Amount: $948,121
RFA: Issues in Tribal Environmental Research and Health Promotion: Novel Approaches for Assessing and Managing Cumulative Risks and Impacts of Global Climate Change (2007) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Environmental Justice , Tribal Environmental Health Research , Human Health , Climate Change

Objective:

Determine current maternal blood levels of persistent organic pollutants (POPs), heavy metals and micronutrients, and compare these levels to previous cohorts of pregnant women in 1999-2002, 2004-2006.
Look for associations between levels of POPs, heavy metals and micronutrients and positive and negative health outcomes in mothers and infants.
Measure blood pressure in children born to mothers recruited in 1999-2004 to determine any relationship of prenatal Hg exposure to childhood blood pressure.
Measure tissue levels of POPs, heavy metals in Pacific salmon caught in the Yukon and Kuskokwim Rivers to look at time trends in the Bering Sea and North Pacific Ocean contaminant levels, by comparison with a study in 2001, possibly influenced by climate induced changes in Asian river flow.

Progress Summary:

Research Objective 1

Approval from the Alaska Area IRB, the Yukon Kuskokwim Human Studies Committee and EPA were obtained by March 2010; recruitment of a new maternal cohort began in April 2010. Levels in these women will not be measured until Year 3.

An analysis of a subset of the 1999-2002 and 2004-2006 cohorts, consisting of primigravida women, compared POPs and mercury blood levels with those of a cohort of primigravida women from Mexico, and one from Canada, and an NHANES cohort of women of child-bearing age. The results will be presented to the Project Office and the medical staff at the Yukon-Kuskokwim Regional Hospital on October 25, 2011.

A preliminary data analysis of the entire 1999-2002 and 2004-2006 blood data has been completed, and will be presented at the same time as the primigravida data set. These data will be incorporated into the paper that currently is in preparation that will describe the MOM study, and the findings of the first 7 years.

Research Objective 2

Data analysis and additional data extraction from prior cohorts has begun, utilizing collaboration developed with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH). Results of this effort include:

Creation of series of datasets covering the first two cohorts, 350 women. A master dataset in an Access spreadsheet will be developed.
To simplify the search for relationships between POPs and health effects, especially gestational diabetes mellitus, multiple analyses were completed, and proxy compounds have been selected.
To facilitate further progress in the data analysis, a collaborative relationship within the Health Studies Branch of CDC's NCEH has been developed and an EIS Officer is going to assist in this process.

Research Objective 3

Salmon tissue for this objective was obtained by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) scientists this year. They were unable to process these specimens due to the emergency workload of the Gulf Oil Spill so a new contract was executed. The specimens will be sent to the laboratory this fall.

Future Activities:

Year 3 will concentrate on cohort recruitment, data analysis, completing the paper and submitting it for publication, and analysis of salmon tissue. In June 2011, an additional intermittent RN recruiter, and an intermittent laboratory assistant were hired to increase the rate of recruitment, and make handling of specimens more efficient.

In addition, the first group of maternal charts will be abstracted, as will all the infant charts of infants who reach 12 months of age.

Journal Articles:

No journal articles submitted with this report: View all 54 publications for this project

Supplemental Keywords:

micronutrients, salmon, gestational diabetes mellitus, persistent organic pollutants, heavy metals

Relevant Websites:

Community Environment and Safety: http://www.anthc.org/chs/ces/index.cfm Exit

Progress and Final Reports:

Original Abstract

The 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.