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U.S. EPA’s RARE Program and One Health Assessment of Mercury, Persistent Organic Compounds and PFAS for Consumption of Restored Anadromous Fish
Citation:
Lazorchak, Jim, D. Kusnierz, L. Melnyk, J. Lin, M. Stover, G. Perlman, AND K. Pugh. U.S. EPA’s RARE Program and One Health Assessment of Mercury, Persistent Organic Compounds and PFAS for Consumption of Restored Anadromous Fish. UC Davis Colloquium, Virtual, February 18, 2021.
Impact/Purpose:
This presentation is an overview of EPA's RARE program and a RARE project that was a collaboration with the Penobscot Indian Nation and CDC/ATDSR to assess one health of consumption of anadromous fish in the Penobscot river.
Description:
Rivers in the Northeast are home to spawning anadromous and non-migratory fish that are caught and consumed by subsistence fisherman. Fish have been barred from entering some rivers by dams constructed during an industrial boon that occurred over 200 years ago. With dam removal as an effort to restore ecological health of the river system, anadromous fish are again entering some rivers and are available for consumption. U.S. EPA conducted a Regional Applied Research Effort (RARE) project, in collaboration with the Penobscot Indian Nation’s Department of Natural Resources (PINDNR) and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), to assess the safety of human and wildlife consumption of six species of anadromous fish: Alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus), American Shad (Alosa sapidissima fillet & roe), Blueback Herring (Alosa aestivalis), Rainbow Smelt (Osmerus mordax), Striped Bass (Morone saxatilis), and Sea Lamprey (Petromyzon marinus). In 2017 and 2018 PINDNR collected, filleted, froze, and shipped fish to U.S. EPA’s Cincinnati Office of Research and Development analytical lab. Fillets and roe were analyzed for total mercury , PCBs, PBDEs, dioxins/furans, and PFAS compounds. An assessment of the mercury and organic contaminant levels in these fish (all based on wet weight) was compared to reference doses (where possible) as established in the US Integrated Risk Information System and wildlife values. The total mercury concentrations ranged from around 10 µg/kg in roe samples to around 650 µg/kg in Sea Lamprey. An average person of 80 kg body weight could safely consume fish at the current advisory level, except for Sea Lamprey. Using a mercury consumption wildlife value of 70 mg/kg for mink and 100 mg/kg for otters, Alewife, Striped Bass and Sea Lamprey pose a risk to mink. Consumption of Rainbow Smelt, Striped Bass and Sea Lamprey posed a risk to otters. The concentrations of the organic compounds for both years combined for PCBs ranged between 6.38 µg/kg (Shad roe) to 100 µg/kg (Striped Bass). PBDEs ranged between 0.855 µg/kg (Shad roe) to 5.54 µg/kg (Rainbow Smelt). Dioxins/furans ranged between 0.044 µg/kg (Shad roe) to 0.22 µg/kg (Striped Bass) for all species. PFAS concentrations varied by the specific compound for each species. The range of concentrations of the different PFAS congeners fell between 1.18 µg/kg for PFOSA in Striped Bass to 8.59 µg/kg for PFOS in Sea Lamprey. Dioxin/furan levels were elevated enough to cause concern at the current fish advisory. Appropriate actions were taken to ensure safe practices were in place to protect the community. The wildlife value for mink for total PCBs of 72 ng/g was exceeded in 2017 and 2018 Striped Bass; for PBDEs Kestrel wildlife value of 8.7 ng/g was exceeded in 2018 large Rainbow Smelt. Mammalian wildlife consuming Blueback Herring, Striped Bass, and Sea Lamprey may be at risk based on PFOS wildlife values from Canada, 4.6 ng/g. The presentation will present the one health assessment for both humans and wildlife. This collaborative effort, including the exchange of sound, scientific and technical expertise, has resulted in a partnership that has enhanced our government-to-government relationship with the Penobscot Nation and improved public health policies for the community directly impacted.