Toxics Monitoring of Human Populations in Alaska Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry

June 26, 2001 What Is ATSDR? A federal (DHHS) public health agency that investigates and strives to prevent human health problems caused by exposure to toxic chemicals in the environment.

June 26, 2001 Why Monitor? From the public health perspective we need to answer the question: “What does this mean to my health?”

June 26, 2001 The Arctic Dilemma Risk from chemicals in subsistence foods vs. nutritional & cultural benefits of subsistence lifestyle Benefits of subsistence foods vs. risk of switching to store- bought foods

June 26, 2001 Sources of Contaminants Local -Military sites -Industry -Mining Global -Air deposition

June 26, 2001

What’s Happening in Alaska? There is no comprehensive human monitoring in Alaska Studies are fragmented, isolated, focused on one region, issue, or limited number of contaminants

June 26, 2001 Examples Maternal cord blood study- CDC -North Slope, Aleutians, other areas -Enrolling pregnant women -Get fetal and maternal blood -Plan to follow infants through life -Look at environmental contaminants & essential vitamins/elements

June 26, 2001 Examples – cont. Evaluating mercury levels in mummies. Human monitoring in Aleutian/ Pribilof Islands NCEH Breast cancer pilot study -NA serum banked since 1980’s -Test serum for contaminants

June 26, 2001 What the Future Holds Alaska Traditional Diet Project -Dietary surveys to identify important exposures Alaska Wild and Traditional Food Safety Program -Tracking human exposure

June 26, 2001 Learn from International Experiences Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program - Northern Contaminants Program -