Protecting the Health of Future Generations: Assessing and Preventing Exposures

描述（由申请人提供）：这个以社区为基础的参与性研究项目调查了阿拉斯加北极圣劳伦斯岛（SLI）Yupik人对两类新出现的内分泌干扰化学品（EDCs）的暴露情况。北极是一个“冷阱”，是持久性有机污染物的半球汇，这些污染物通过一个有充分记录的过程-全球蒸馏-从较温暖的地区通过盛行的大气和洋流转移。北极是一个重要的指示区域，用于指示遗留化学品的远距离迁移-这一术语适用于那些已被禁止或限制的持久性有机污染物-以及新出现的令人关切的化学品。北极野生动物和人类也暴露于来自当地来源的高水平持久性有机污染物，如军事毒物、固体废物倾倒和家庭灰尘。在北极地区，接触来自远方和当地来源的持久性有机污染物是一种趋势，由于全球内分泌干扰物的使用和生产增加以及气候变暖，这种接触可能会增加。该项目的目的是启动研究伙伴关系，与SLI的两个Yupik村庄合作，评估两种新出现的EDCs-多溴联苯醚（PBDEs）和全氟化合物（PFCs）的多种接触途径。该项目将通过分析三刺鱼体内的污染物水平和生物标志物来评估表层沃茨中多溴二苯醚和全氟化学品的暴露情况。研究小组还将分析家庭灰尘中的多溴联苯醚和全氟化碳。由于SLI的尤皮克人依赖收获野生食物来维持他们的生活方式，研究小组将分析传统食物中多溴联苯醚和全氟碳化物的水平，由于持久性有机污染物在海洋中的生物放大作用，这些食物可能是主要的接触途径哺乳动物和鱼类是尤皮克饮食的重要组成部分。这项研究将包括人体生物监测部分，以评估人体血清中多溴二苯醚和全氟化学品的含量与甲状腺健康的关系。该暴露评估的目的是为SLI的人员提供信息、数据所有权和培训，以便他们能够规划和参与公共卫生行动，以减少环境健康风险。最后，研究团队与SLI的领导层，老年人和青年合作，制定措施，通过社区教育计划和公共政策行动，包括基于社区的研究机构的大学信贷，健康博览会为所有社区成员，并为医疗保健提供者研讨会，预防和减轻环境暴露。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This community-based participatory research project investigates exposures to two classes of emerging endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) with the Yupik people of St. Lawrence Island (SLI) in the Alaskan Arctic. The Arctic acts as a "cold trap" and is a hemispheric sink for persistent organic pollutants (POPs) that are transported through a well-documented process known as global distillation via prevailing atmospheric and oceanic currents from warmer regions. The Arctic is significant as an indicator region for long-range transport of legacy chemicals-a term applied to those POPs that have been banned or restricted-as well as emerging chemicals of concern. Arctic wildlife and people are also exposed to high levels of POPs from local sources, such as military toxics, solid waste dumps, and household dust. Exposure to POPs from both distant and local sources is a trend in the Arctic that is likely to increase due to increased global use and production of EDCs and climate warming. The purpose of this project is to initiate research partnerships that work in collaboration with the two Yupik villages of SLI to assess multiple exposure routes of two emerging EDCs-polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and perfluorinated compounds (PFCs). The project will assess exposures to PBDEs and PFCs in surface waters through analyses of contaminant levels and biomarkers for xenobiotic chemicals in the threespine stickleback fish. The research team will also analyze household dust for PBDEs and PFCs. Because the Yupik people of SLI depend on the harvest of wild foods to sustain them and their way of life, the research team will analyze levels of PBDEs and PFCs in traditional foods which are likely a major exposure pathway due to the biomagnification of POPs in marine mammals and fish that are critical components of the Yupik diet. This study will include a human biomonitoring component in order to assess levels of PBDEs and PFCs in human blood serum in relation to measures of thyroid health. The aim of this exposure assessment is to provide information, ownership of data, and training for the people of SLI so that they can plan and participate in public health actions to reduce environmental health risks. Finally, the research team collaborates with the leadership, elders, and youth of SLI to develop measures to prevent and mitigate environmental exposures through community educational programs and public policy actions, including community-based research institutes for college credit, health fairs for all community members, and workshops for health care providers.