Puerto Rico Testsite for Exploring Contamination Threats (PROTECT)

项目总结 有证据表明，接触超级基金化学品会导致不良妊娠结局(APO)， 包括早产(PTB)。波多黎各的肺结核和婴儿死亡率是下列国家中最高的之一 美国所有的州和地区。在PR有18个超级基金站点，有证据表明饮酒受到污染 水很大。此外，极端天气事件(飓风、洪水)可能导致暴露量增加。 为化学制品提供超级基金。保护中心汇集了来自东北地区的研究人员 大学、波多黎各大学、乔治亚大学和密歇根大学提供了许多 需要了解接触可疑化学品的关系和机制 促进APO，并开发新的方法，以降低公关及其他领域的风险。要做到这点， PROTECT采用源头到结果的结构，综合流行病学(项目1)、毒理学(项目1) 2)、命运与运输(项目3)和补救(项目4)研究，统一的抽样基础设施，a 集中式索引数据存储库和复杂的数据管理系统。 自2010年成立以来，Protect已经建立了关于环境条件的详细和广泛的数据集 和1457名孕妇的产前状况(接触情况、社会经济和健康数据--近3000人 每个参与者的数据点)，得出了PR北部1210名活产婴儿的队列。在更新中，保护意志 招募和跟踪另外1000名研究参与者，产生800多名活产婴儿，最终总数为 2000多名完成活产的队列。PROTECT记录了北部PR的严重污染 并发现了令人信服的初步流行病学和机械性毒理学关联 在超级基金化学品和APO之间。保护研究的重点是氯化挥发性有机化合物 化合物和邻苯二甲酸盐及其在肺结核中的作用。受保护更新将扩大其范围，采用 数据驱动的方法，研究和减少接触可疑化学品混合物的影响 在波多黎各服务不足、高度暴露的APO上，来自喀斯特地区的超级基金网站 人口。目标化学品将扩大到包括金属、农药和多环芳烃 碳氢化合物。我们将调查极端天气事件对污染物传输和 将开发新的水处理技术，以实现便携式和坚固的水处理 系统。保护更新还将重点关注氧化应激作为潜在的生物途径，通过 哪种污染物暴露会导致APOS。新的统计方法和数据挖掘、机器学习、 并将开发可视化工具，以允许保护研究人员分析我们的数据集。护卫 将采用创新的方法让社区参与和教育，让研究参与者参与，报告- 备份数据，并与利益相关者进行沟通。一系列广泛的培训和专业活动将 提供给受训人员，根据受训人员的需求和目标单独定制。

PROJECT SUMMARY Evidence suggests that exposure to Superfund chemicals contributes to adverse pregnancy outcomes (APOs), including preterm birth (PTB). Rates of PTB and infant mortality in Puerto Rico (PR) are among the highest of all US states and territories. There are 18 Superfund sites in PR, and evidence of contamination of the drinking water is extensive. Moreover, extreme weather events (hurricanes, flooding) may result in elevated exposures to Superfund chemicals. The PROTECT center has brought together researchers from Northeastern University, the University of Puerto Rico, University of Georgia, and the University of Michigan to provide much needed understanding of the relationship and the mechanisms by which exposure to suspect chemicals contribute to APOs, and to develop new methods to reduce risk of exposure in PR and beyond. To do this, PROTECT uses a source-to-outcome structure, integrating epidemiological (Project 1), toxicological (Project 2), fate and transport (Project 3), and remediation (Project 4) studies, a unified sampling infrastructure, a centralized indexed data repository, and a sophisticated data management system. Since its inception in 2010, PROTECT has built detailed and extensive data sets on environmental conditions and prenatal conditions of 1457 pregnant mothers (exposure, socioeconomic and health data–close to 3000 data points per participant), yielding a cohort of 1210 live births in northern PR. In the renewal, PROTECT will recruit and follow an additional 1000 study participants, yielding a cohort of 800+ live births for an ultimate total cohort of 2000+ completed live births. PROTECT has documented significant contamination of northern PR drinking water and has found compelling preliminary epidemiologic and mechanistic toxicology associations between Superfund chemicals and APOs. PROTECT research has focused on chlorinated volatile organic compounds and phthalates and their role in PTB. The PROTECT renewal will broaden its scope, employing a data-driven approach to study and reduce the impact of exposure to mixtures of suspect chemicals from Superfund sites in karst regions on APOs in Puerto Rico’s underserved, highly-exposed population. Target chemicals will be expanded to include metals, pesticides, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. We will investigate the impacts of extreme weather events on contaminant transport and exposure, and new water treatment technologies will be developed for portable and robust water treatment systems. The PROTECT renewal will also focus on oxidative stress as an underlying biological pathway by which contaminant exposure can lead to APOs. New statistical methods and data mining, machine learning, and visualization tools will be developed to allow PROTECT researchers to analyze our datasets. PROTECT will employ innovative approaches to engage and educate the community, involve study participants, report- back data, and communicate with stakeholders. A broad suite of training and professional activities will be provided to trainees, individually tailored to the trainees’ needs and goals.