Slide 1
ATSDR Exposure Investigation
Assess human exposure to hazardous substances in the environment by collecting
and analyzing environmental and biological specimens
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Slide 2
ATSDR Exposure Investigations
- Limited in scope
- Focus on “worst case scenario”
- Identify exposure
- Not a predictor of health or illness
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Slide 3
Spring Valley EI
- Request from DC DOH
- ATSDR investigators:
- Robert Johnson, MD – principal investigator
- Ken Orloff, PhD, DABT
- Susan W. Metcalf, MD, MSPH
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Slide 4
Spring Valley EI
- January 2002
- Top 10 homes with highest soil As levels
- Current residents – adults and children
- Urine and hair testing
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Slide 5
Urine Arsenic Testing
- (+) Non-invasive sampling
- (+) Unequivocal measure of exposure
- (+) “Speciate” arsenic to differentiate total from inorganic forms
- (-) Limited to 2-3 days post-exposure
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Slide 6
Hair Arsenic Testing
- (+) 2-inch hair sample ~ 5 months growth
- (+) “Fish arsenic” is not incorporated into hair
- (-) Uncertainty: internal vs. external contamination
- (-) Cosmetic blemish
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Slide 7
Reporting Results
- Individual letters to participants
- ATSDR toll-free number
- Public availability session, if necessary
- EI report with summary data without personal identifiers
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