Table of Contents
- Yukon Contaminant Biomonitoring: Old Crow
- Exposure to Food Chain Contaminants in Nunavik: Biomonitoring in Adult and Youth Cohorts of the Qanuilirpitaa Survey (Year 2)
- Exposure to Food Chain Contaminants in Nunavik: Evaluating Spatial and Time Trends among Pregnant Women & Implementing Effective Health Communication for Healthy Pregnancies and Children (Year 3 of 4)
- Contaminant Biomonitoring in the Northwest Territories Mackenzie Valley: Investigating the Links Between Contaminant Exposure, Nutritional Status, and Country Food Use (Year 4)
Yukon Contaminant Biomonitoring: Old Crow
Project leader
Brian Laird, University of Waterloo
Team
Mary Gamberg, Gamberg Consulting; William Josie, Vuntut Gwich’in First Nation; Megan Williams, Vuntut Gwich’in Government; Brendan Hanley, Chief Medical Officer of Health, Yukon; Kim Hickman, Health and Social Services, Yukon Government; Chris Furgal, Trent University; Amanda Boyd, Washington State University; Kelly Skinner, University of Waterloo; Michèle Bouchard, University of Montreal
Funds
$181,016
Project Summary (2018-2019)
Yukon Contaminant Biomonitoring: Old Crow is a new human biomonitoring survey in Old Crow, Yukon that looks at levels of contaminants (like lead, mercury, and chemicals used to help crops grow) in people.
In Northern Canada, wild foods (like moose, caribou and fish) are very important for the health and well-being of Indigenous communities. Previous studies in the Yukon have showed high levels of particular contaminants in some species of wild food. As a result, residents are wondering if their food is safe to eat. The current study aims to address these concerns through a human biomonitoring survey. This study builds on partnerships created among the Vuntut Gwich’in First Nation (VGFN), Yukon First Nations, Yukon Government and research scientists in Ontario and Quebec.
This project will collect blood, hair, and urine samples from study participants for the measurement of metals, persistent organic pollutants (POPs), and emerging contaminants. Additionally, study participants will be asked about whether they are aware of health messages about contaminants in wild foods and what they know about contaminants more broadly. This research will help inform public health communication strategies that promote the use of traditional foods while limiting people’s exposure to contaminants.
Exposure to Food Chain Contaminants in Nunavik: Biomonitoring in Adult and Youth Cohorts of the Qanuilirpitaa Survey (Year 2)
Project leaders
Pierre Ayotte, Centre de recherche du CHUQ (CRCHUQ), Université Laval
Mélanie Lemire, Centre de recherche du CHUQ (CRCHUQ), Université Laval
Team
Pierre Dumas, Quebec Toxicology Centre, INSPQ; Michel Lucas, Department of Social and Preventive medicine, Université Laval; Gina Muckle, School of Psychology, Université Laval; Richard Bélanger, Pediatrics Department, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval; Benoit Lévesque, Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Université Laval; Matthew Little, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval; Chris Furgal, Nasivvik Centre for Inuit Health and Changing Environments, Trent University
Funds
$454,308
Project Summary (2018-2019)
Inuit are exposed to a wide range of environmental contaminants through their diet which comprises significant amounts of fish and sea mammals. During the past 25 years, our team has studied human exposure to chemicals like persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and metals, starting with the Santé Québec Inuit Health Survey in 1992, which was followed by the Qanuippitaa? 2004 Health Survey. In this two-year project, we will look at contaminant and key nutrient levels in participants from our most recent Qanuilirpitaa? 2017 Health Survey.
We learned from our previous surveys that from 1992 to 2004, levels of most legacy POPs were going down in air/water/sediment and wildlife, as well as in Inuit. Although levels of mercury and lead in Inuit are decreasing, contaminants are still important concerns particularly among childbearing and pregnant women in Nunavik. New chemicals come into use each year, some of which now reach the Arctic food chain, and very little is known about whether these contaminants could be harmful to Inuit health and whether levels of these contaminants differ over time and in different regions. This project will also help international work that looks at long-range environmental contaminants exposure among people in the Arctic, supports global efforts to reduce or eliminate certain potentially harmful chemicals in the environment, and help us better understand both benefits and risks of eating country foods in the Arctic.
Exposure to Food Chain Contaminants in Nunavik: Evaluating Spatial and Time Trends among Pregnant Women & Implementing Effective Health Communication for Healthy Pregnancies and Children (Year 3 of 4)
Project leaders
Chris Furgal, Trent University
Mélanie Lemire, Centre de recherche du CHUQ; Université Laval
Pierre Ayotte, Centre de recherche du CHUQ; Université Laval
Catherine Pirkle, University of Hawai’i at Manoa
Team
Amanda D. Boyd, The Edward R. Murrow College of Communication, Washington State University; Gina Muckle, School of Psychology, Université Laval; Michel Lucas, Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Université Laval; Sylvie Ricard, Marie-Josée Gauthier, and Caroline d’Astous, Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services; Carole Beaulne, Inuulitsivik Health Center; Ellen Avard and Michael Kwan, Nunavik Research Centre; Elhadji Annasour Laouan Sidi, Centre de recherche du CHUQ
Funds
$74,750
Project Summary (2018-2019)
The core objectives of this project are to support and promote healthy pregnancies and healthy children using the highest quality evidence and greatest understanding of contaminants, food, and nutrition issues, and how this information is used and communicated in Arctic communities. The project is focused in Nunavik; however, it could potentially apply in other communities, regions and also at the international scale.
Since 2011, our team has worked on multiple related projects to assess local country food sources of mercury and nutrients in Nunavik, and to understand the effects of mercury exposure, dietary nutrients and food security during pregnancy on child development. Together with the Nunavik Regional Board of Health, and based on data provided by the Nunavik Research Center, we developed dietary recommendations with the goal of lowering mercury exposure while improving nutritional and food security for women of childbearing-age. Recent data from medical follow-up of pregnant women continue to show high mercury concentrations and reveal that health and dietary recommendations that were provided to assist healthcare providers were not very efficient in reducing mercury exposure in these women. As a result, the following questions remain:
- Is the information provided about mercury sources accurate and adequately conveyed?
- Do pregnant women, caregivers and others understand the information provided to them about mercury sources?
- What are the impacts, including unintended ones, of the messages received by pregnant women about mercury, health and diet?
This project is the third year of a four-year project. This year, we will continue biomonitoring data analysis (data gathered in Years 1 and 2) and contribute to local, regional and international knowledge mobilisation activities. We are also planning data analysis and interpretation and consultation with the regional health officials in preparation of pilot communication tools which will be implemented and evaluated in Year 4. Using this interdisciplinary and intersectoral approach, this project will help support healthy pregnancies and children at the community through to the international scale. The project is contributing to ongoing international biomonitoring efforts on long-range environmental contaminant exposure among pregnant women in Nunavik and evaluating the comprehension and effectiveness of health and dietary recommendations and advice given to pregnant women, other women of childbearing age, caregivers and members of the general population.
Contaminant Biomonitoring in the Northwest Territories Mackenzie Valley: Investigating the Links Between Contaminant Exposure, Nutritional Status, and Country Food Use (Year 4)
Project leader
Brian Laird, University of Waterloo
Team
Mylene Ratelle, Kelly Skinner, Ken Stark, Heidi Swanson, and Shannon Majowicz, University of Waterloo; Chris Furgal, Trent University; Michèle Bouchard, University of Montreal; Amanda Boyd, Washington State University; George Low, Dehcho AAROM; Deborah Simmons, Sahtú Renewable Resources Board
Funds
$194,258
Project Summary (2018-2019)
Mercury levels measured in fish from some lakes in the Dehcho and Sahtú Regions of the Mackenzie Valley led to a series of consumption notices that suggested people limit their consumption of predatory fish from specific lakes. Also, concerns about cadmium levels led to a consumption notice on the kidneys and liver of moose from some parts of the territory. To address these concerns, this multi-year biomonitoring study, which began in 2016, is investigating the levels of contaminant exposure among Indigenous communities in the Dehcho and Sahtú Regions. To date, study participants from 8 communities have provided hair, urine and blood samples for this contaminant biomonitoring study. One additional community is being added to the study in 2018. Participants have also completed surveys assessing perceptions of contaminants, current food consumption patterns and preferences for communication strategies. Public health messaging based upon this project will continue through 2018-2019. This project works from a risk-benefit approach that promotes the use of country foods in order to improve nutrition and food security while still reducing contaminant exposure among First Nations in the Mackenzie Valley.