Table of Contents
- Yukon Contaminant Biomonitoring: Investigating the Links Between Contaminant Exposure, Nutritional Status and Country Food Use.
- Exposure to food chain contaminants in Nunavik: biomonitoring in adult and youth cohorts of the Qanuilirpitaa survey (Year 1 of 2)
- Food chain contaminants biomonitoring and effective health communication in Nunavik (Y2 of 3y project)
- Quantifying the Effect of Transient and Permanent Dietary Transitions in the North on Human Exposure to Persistent Organic Pollutants and Mercury
- Contaminant Biomonitoring in the Northwest Territories: Investigating the Links Between Contaminant Exposure, Nutritional Status, and Country Food Use
Yukon Contaminant Biomonitoring Seed Funding: Investigating the Links Between Contaminant Exposure, Nutritional Status and Country Food Use
Project leader(s)
Mary Gamberg, Gamberg Consulting
Team
Brian Laird, University of Waterloo; Michelle Belmont (Director of Health and Social Services) and William Josie (Director of Natural Resources), Vuntut Gwich’in First Nation; Chris Furgal, Trent University; Amanda Boyd, Washington State University; Kelly Skinner, University of Waterloo.
Funding
$54,340
Plain language summary
This project is designed to explore the feasibility of conducting a human biomonitoring survey in the Yukon Territory. It involves creating partnerships among Yukon First Nations, Yukon Government and research scientists to facilitate planning such a survey. Additionally, this work will include a pilot project in Old Crow, YT to evaluate community perceptions and concerns in order to determine appropriate survey and communication strategies. This preliminary research will work to promote the consumption of traditional foods in order to lower risk factors for chronic disease while minimizing contaminant exposure among the Yukoners. Also, the partnerships formed through these community meetings will open the door to the creation of a human biomonitoring study that informs the development of regional-specific communication tools regarding contaminants. Such a biomonitoring project would help Yukoners better understand the levels of exposure and risks posed by contaminants in their communities and lay the groundwork for a screening tool to identify individuals within the Yukon who are most at risk to contaminant exposure. This screening tool, which has been labeled as a critical outcome by policy leaders, will enable contaminant risk messaging and follow-up interventions at the individual and population level to be targeted to those most at risk.
Exposure to food chain contaminants in Nunavik: biomonitoring in adult and youth cohorts of the Qanuilirpitaa survey (Year 1 of 2)
Project leader(s)
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, Dept. of social and preventive medicine, Université Laval; Gina Muckle, École de psychologie, Université Laval; Richard Bélanger, Département de pédiatrie, Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval; Benoit Lévesque, Dept. of social and preventive medicine, Université Laval; Benoit Lévesque, Medical Advisor, Direction de la santé environnementale et de la toxicologie, INSPQ; Youssef Oulhote, École de psychologie, Université Laval; Chris Furgal, Indigenous Environmental Studies Program Nasivvik Centre for Inuit Health and Changing Environments, Trent University
Funds
$469,200
Plain language summary
Inuit are exposed to a wide range of environmental contaminants through their traditional diet, which includes significant amounts of fish and sea mammals. During the past 25 years, our team has monitored the exposure of Nunavimmiut to 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. From 1992 to 2004, for most legacy POPs, a significant decreasing trend was confirmed in environmental components, and wildlife and circumpolar Inuit exposure data. Despite a decreasing trend mostly due to reduced consumption of country foods, mercury (Hg) and lead (Pb) exposures remain topical issues, particularly among childbearing and pregnant women in Nunavik. In addition, each year, new chemicals are introduced in the market. These “New POPs and Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CECs)” now reach the Arctic food chain and very little is known about their concentrations and temporal and regional trends in Inuit. In this new two-year project, we aim to provide current data on exposure to food-chain contaminants in a representative sample of the Inuit population of Nunavik within the framework of the Qanuilirpitaa Nunavik Inuit Health Survey, which will take place during the fall of 2017 in the 14 communities of Nunavik. This project will allow Canada to maintain its role at the forefront of international biomonitoring efforts on long-range environmental contaminants exposure among circumpolar populations and contribute to understanding the risks and benefits of country foods consumption 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 2 of 3)
Project leader(s)
Chris Furgal, Trent University
Mélanie Lemire, Centre de recherche du CHUQ (CRCHUQ); Université Laval
Pierre Ayotte, Centre de recherche du CHUQ (CRCHUQ); 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, École de psychologie, Université Laval; Michel Lucas, Dept. of social and preventive medicine, Université Laval
Funds
$132,825
Plain language summary
Building on research since 2011, this three-year project aims at contributing to on-going international biomonitoring efforts on long-range environmental contaminants exposure among pregnant women in Nunavik. The project also aims at evaluating the comprehension and effectiveness of health and dietary recommendations among pregnant women, caregivers, and the general population. In Year 2, the goal is to develop and pilot new communication tools, while in Year 3 the effectiveness of these tools will be evaluated. Using this interdisciplinary and intersectoral approach, this project will set the groundwork to promote healthy pregnancies and children at community, regional (i.e. Nunavik), and international scales.
Quantifying the Effect of Transient and Permanent Dietary Transitions in the North on Human Exposure to Persistent Organic Pollutants and Mercury
Project leader(s)
Frank Wania, University of Toronto
Gary Stern, Centre for Earth Observation Science (CEOS)
Team
Meredith S. Curren, Health Canada; James M. Armitage, University of Toronto Scarborough, Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences; Karen L. Foster, Karen Foster Environmental Research
Funds
$4,600
Plain language summary
The overall objective of this research project is to quantify the effect of dietary changes on the exposure of humans to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and mercury. A key component of the project is the application of computer-based simulation models to estimate uptake and accumulation of contaminants in humans. This will be a collaborative and iterative process involving territorial health authorities, Indigenous organizations, and individuals from Northern communities. The first task will be the development and application of accessible, ‘user-friendly’ mercury exposure assessment tools, followed by wider dissemination and use by the public. In addition to informing exposure assessments for MeHg and other contaminants (e.g. POPs), it is hoped that these tools will facilitate a greater understanding of contaminant exposure issues at the community level.
This year’s research will focus on engaging northern health authorities to determine how best to utilize the simulation models.
Contaminant Biomonitoring in the Northwest Territories Mackenzie Valley: Investigating the Links Between Contaminant Exposure, Nutritional Status, and Country Food Use (Year 3)
Project leader(s)
Brian Laird, University of Waterloo
Team
Mylene Ratelle, University of Waterloo; Rhona Hanning, University of Waterloo; Kelly Skinner, University of Waterloo; Chris Furgal, Trent University; Shannon Majowicz, University of Waterloo; Ken Stark, University of Waterloo; Heidi Swanson, University of Waterloo; Michèle Bouchard, University of Montreal; Amanda Boyd, Washington State University; George Low, Dehcho First Nations; Deborah Simmons, Sahtú Renewable Resources Board
Funds
$420,00
Plain language summary
Fish mercury levels in 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, a multi-year biomonitoring study is investigating the levels of contaminant exposure among Indigenous communities in the Dehcho and Sahtú Regions. We will collect samples from 3 additional communities in early 2017 and propose to collect samples from up to four additional communities in 2017-2018. Surveys are also assessing perceptions of contaminants, current food consumption patterns and preferences for communication strategies. Public health messaging based upon this work, which began in 2016, is expected to continue through 2018-2019. This work is incorporating a risk-benefit approach that promotes the use of country foods in order to improve nutrition and food security while lessening contaminant exposure among First Nations in the Mackenzie Valley.