Protecting the Health of Future Generations: Assessing and Preventing Exposures

描述(申请人提供)：这项基于社区的参与性研究项目调查了北极阿拉斯加圣劳伦斯岛的尤皮克人对两类新兴内分泌干扰物(EDCs)的暴露情况。北极是一个“冷陷阱”，是持久性有机污染物(POP)的半球汇，这些持久性有机污染物通过全球蒸馏这一有据可查的过程，通过来自较温暖地区的盛行大气和洋流进行输送。北极作为遗留化学品以及受关注的新兴化学品远距离运输的指示区意义重大--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。北极野生动物和人类也暴露在当地来源的高水平持久性有机污染物中，如军事毒物、固体废物倾倒场和家庭粉尘。在北极，暴露于远地和本地来源的持久性有机污染物是一种趋势，由于全球使用和生产的持久性有机污染物的增加以及气候变暖，这种趋势可能会增加。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)的多种暴露途径。该项目将通过分析三刺鱼的污染物水平和外来化学物质的生物标志物，评估地表水中多溴二苯醚和全氟氯烃的暴露情况。研究小组还将分析家庭粉尘中的多溴二苯醚和全氟化碳。由于SLI的尤皮克人依赖野生食物的收获来维持他们和他们的生活方式，研究小组将分析传统食物中多溴二苯醚和全氟碳化合物的水平，这可能是主要的接触途径，因为海洋哺乳动物和鱼类中POPs的生物放大是尤皮克人饮食的关键成分。这项研究将包括一个人体生物监测部分，以评估人体血清中多溴二苯醚和全氟碳化合物的水平与甲状腺健康指标的关系。这项暴露评估的目的是为SLI的人们提供信息、数据所有权和培训，以便他们能够计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、长辈和年轻人合作，通过社区教育计划和公共政策行动，包括以社区为基础的研究机构获得大学学分、为所有社区成员举办健康博览会和为医疗保健提供者举办研讨会，制定预防和减轻环境暴露的措施。

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.