Protecting the Health of Future Generations: Assessing and Preventing Exposures to Endocrine-Disrupting Flame Retardant Chemicals & PCBs in Two Alaska Native Arctic Communities on St. Lawrence Island

项目摘要/摘要 这个以社区为基础的参与性研究(CBPR)项目的目标是调查暴露， 内分泌效应，以及与遗留污染物和 阿拉斯加州圣劳伦斯岛(SLI)两个尤皮克社区出现的阻燃化学物质。 北极受到全球蒸馏的持久性有机污染物(POPs)大气沉积的影响， 作为从较低纬度输送的持久性有机污染物的半球汇。因此，北极作为一个 指示区域，并包含一些世界上受污染最严重的动物和人类。这 这项研究通过关注SLI患者的水平和影响，解决了SLI患者的主要公共卫生问题 遗留和新出现的污染物对北极土著人口儿童发育的影响 易受伤害、得不到充分服务，并经历着严重的健康差距。其他研究表明，年轻的 儿童比成年人更容易受到感染。利用创新和微创技术，我们将 评估儿童对多氯联苯、多溴联苯醚、 以及新兴的卤化和非卤化有机磷阻燃剂。我们将对多氯联苯进行量化 以及家庭粉尘中的阻燃化学物质，已知是一种重要的接触途径。我们将评估 污染物水平和通过转录和转录的健康破坏证据之间的关系 内分泌学。我们将使用家庭灰尘中的化学浓度和自给自足饮食的利用率作为 由稳定同位素分析确定，以评估这些化合物的暴露途径。为了 了解发育中断的机制基础，并对解释 人类数据，我们将监测我们的常驻鱼类的基因表达模式、内分泌学和组织学。 模型，刺鱼，来自受污染和参考地点。集体地，我们将增加我们的 了解暴露途径、内分泌干扰以及对尤皮克儿童转录组的影响 暴露在高水平的多氯联苯和阻燃化学品中。这项研究提供了一个机会 调查指甲和血液中多溴二苯醚和新型阻燃剂的水平与健康的关系 北极土著儿童的第一次结果。我们的CBPR项目还将增强SLI社区的能力 利用他们需要的知识和工具来解决其社区中重要的健康差距。我们的 结果将为公共卫生干预措施提供信息，并广泛改善北极儿童的健康状况。 此外，发现与早期发现发育障碍相关的生物指标将使早期 采取干预措施，改善健康状况。重要的是，我们将通过我们的CBPR方法建设能力， 公共卫生干预和政策推广，这将减少SLI儿童未来对有毒物质的暴露 化学制品。

Project Summary/Abstract The objectives of this community-based participatory research (CBPR) project are to investigate exposures, endocrine effects, and mechanisms of developmental disruption associated with legacy contaminants and emerging flame retardant chemicals in two Yupik communities on St. Lawrence Island (SLI) in arctic Alaska. The Arctic is subject to atmospheric deposition of globally-distilled persistent organic pollutants (POPs), acting as a hemispheric sink for POPs that are transported from lower latitudes. Thus, the Arctic is significant as an indicator region and contains some of the most highly contaminated animals and people in the world. This study addresses a primary public health concern of the people of SLI by focusing on the levels and effects of legacy and emerging contaminants on the development of children in an arctic indigenous population that is vulnerable, underserved, and experiences significant health disparities. Other studies have shown that young children are more highly exposed than adults. Using innovative and minimally invasive techniques, we will assess exposures of children to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), and emerging halogenated and non-halogenated organophosphate flame retardants. We will quantify PCBs and flame retardant chemicals in household dust, known to be an important exposure route. We will assess relationships among contaminant levels and evidence of health disruption via transcriptomics and endocrinology. We will use chemical concentrations in household dust and utilization of a subsistence diet as determined by stable isotope analysis to assess exposure pathways of these compounds. In order to understand the mechanistic basis of developmental disruption, and to have a reference for interpretation of human data, we will monitor patterns of gene expression, endocrinology, and histology of our resident fish model, the stickleback, from both contaminated and reference sites. Collectively, we will increase our understanding of routes of exposure, endocrine disruption, and effects on the transcriptome of Yupik children exposed to high levels of PCBs and flame retardant chemicals. This study provides an opportunity to investigate the levels of PBDEs and emerging flame retardants in nails and blood in relation to health outcomes of arctic indigenous children for the first time. Our CBPR project will also empower SLI communities with the knowledge and tools they need to address important health disparities in their communities. Our results will inform public health interventions and improve health outcomes of arctic children broadly. Furthermore, discovery of bioindicators relevant to early detection of developmental disruption will enable early intervention and improve health outcomes. Importantly, we will build capacity through our CBPR approach, public health interventions, and policy outreach, which will mitigate future exposure of SLI children to toxic chemicals.