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地区圣劳伦斯岛（SLI）尤皮克人暴露于两类新兴内分泌干扰化学物质（EDCs）的情况。北极充当着“冷阱”的作用，是持久性有机污染物（POPs）的半球汇，这些污染物通过一个众所周知的全球蒸馏过程从较温暖地区通过盛行的大气和海洋洋流输送。北极作为传统化学物质（指那些已被禁止或限制的持久性有机污染物）和新兴的令人担忧的化学物质的远程运输的指示区，具有重要意义。北极野生动物和人类也暴露于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。由于全球EDCs的使用和生产增加以及气候变暖，接触来自遥远和本地来源的持久性有机污染物是北极的一种趋势，这种趋势可能会增加。这个项目的目的是建立研究伙伴关系，与SLI的两个尤皮克村合作，评估两种新出现的edcs -多溴联苯醚和全氟化合物-的多种接触途径。该项目将通过分析三刺棘鱼体内的污染物水平和外源化学物质的生物标志物，评估地表水中多溴二苯醚和全氟化合物的暴露情况。研究小组还将分析家庭灰尘中的多溴二苯醚和全氟化合物。由于SLI的尤皮克人依靠野生食物的收获来维持他们的生活方式，研究小组将分析传统食物中多溴二苯醚和全氟化合物的水平，由于海洋哺乳动物和鱼类中持久性有机污染物的生物放大，这可能是一个主要的暴露途径，而海洋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，以评估人类血清中多溴二苯醚和全氟化合物的水平与甲状腺健康指标的关系。这一接触评估的目的是为特殊语言残疾者提供信息、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，研究小组与SLI的领导、长者和青年合作，通过社区教育计划和公共政策行动制定预防和减轻环境暴露的措施，包括以社区为基础的大学学分研究机构，为所有社区成员举办的健康博览会，以及为卫生保健提供者举办的讲习班。

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.