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Toxics Monitoring of Human Populations in Alaska. Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry. What Is ATSDR?. A federal (DHHS) public health agency that investigates and strives to prevent human health problems caused by exposure to toxic chemicals in the environment. Why Monitor? .
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Toxics Monitoring of Human Populations in Alaska Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry
What Is ATSDR? • A federal (DHHS) public health agency that investigates and strives to prevent human health problems caused by exposure to toxic chemicals in the environment.
Why Monitor? • From the public health perspective we need to answer the question: “What does this mean to my health?”
The Arctic Dilemma • Risk from chemicals in subsistence foods vs. nutritional & cultural benefits of subsistence lifestyle • Benefits of subsistence foods vs. risk of switching to store-bought foods
Sources of Contaminants • Local • Military sites • Industry • Mining • Global • Air deposition
What’s Happening in Alaska? • There is no comprehensive human monitoring in Alaska • Studies are fragmented, isolated, focused on one region, issue, or limited number of contaminants
Examples • Maternal cord blood study- CDC • North Slope, Aleutians, other areas • Enrolling pregnant women • Get fetal and maternal blood • Plan to follow infants through life • Look at environmental contaminants & essential vitamins/elements
Examples – cont. • Evaluating mercury levels in mummies. • Human monitoring in Aleutian/ Pribilof Islands • NCEH Breast cancer pilot study • NA serum banked since 1980’s • Test serum for contaminants
What the Future Holds • Alaska Traditional Diet Project • Dietary surveys to identify important exposures • Alaska Wild and Traditional Food Safety Program • Tracking human exposure
Learn from International Experiences • Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program • www.amap.no • Northern Contaminants Program • www.ainc-inac.gc.ca/NCP