Biomonitoring of the Great Lakes Populations I

BGLP-I, September 30, 2010 – September 29, 2015

Through BGLP-I, ATSDR funded three state cooperative agreement programs: Michigan, Minnesota, and New York. Overall, these state health department programs targeted seven Areas of Concern (AOCs) and four groups of susceptible adults:

  • Michigan shoreline anglers on the Detroit River AOC
  • Minnesota American Indians residing near the St. Louis River AOC
  • New York licensed anglers living in Lake Ontario and Lake Erie AOCs
  • Burmese refugees and immigrants living in the city of Buffalo

The New York AOCs include the Rochester Embayment AOC, the Eighteenmile Creek AOC, and the AOCs along the Niagara and Buffalo Rivers.

1. Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS)
Project Description:

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) conducted a study of “shoreline anglers,” defined as urban Michigan residents who fish from the riverbank, or shore, and who are at high risk of exposure to persistent toxic contaminants due to their regular consumption of locally caught fish from the Detroit River.  Previous studies conducted by the MDHHS and the University of Michigan found that shoreline anglers in these areas eat fish species containing higher contaminant levels at a higher frequency than sport anglers fishing from boats in these same areas. In addition, the shoreline anglers tend to be low-income, have lower educations levels, and fish for sustenance as well as recreation. Participation was limited to adults 18 years of age and older who reported eating at least two meals per month of locally caught fish from the Detroit River. MDHHS identified urban shoreline anglers who ate fish caught from the Detroit River and selected a representative sample from this at-risk population. Participants’ blood and urine results were compared to estimated background levels of these chemicals in people living in the United States to determine the prevalence of elevated levels.

Information gained from this investigation provided insight into the fish-eating habits and associated chemical body burdens of urban anglers in this area. The MDHHS is using this information to improve the Michigan Fish Advisory program and to develop fish advisory outreach materials designed specifically for this subpopulation.

2. Minnesota Department of Health (MDH)
Project Description:

In Minnesota, the Fond du Lac (FDL) Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Reservation is in the Great Lakes Basin near the St. Louis River Area of Concern (SLRAOC). Over decades, the SLRAOC has been impacted by industrial activities that resulted in chemical spills, contaminated sediments, abandoned hazardous waste sites, landfill and industrial discharges, and surface runoff. American Indians affiliated with the FDL Band of Lake Superior Chippewa or other tribes who live in proximity to the SLRAOC may experience greater exposure to contaminants within the Lake Superior Basin and the SLRAOC as consumers of traditional foods, such as fish and waterfowl, from local aquatic environments. The MDH and the FDL Band of Lake Superior Chippewa collaborated on this descriptive cross-sectional, population-based study. The study population consisted of adult American Indians, including enrolled members of the FDL Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and their descendants, and enrolled members of other federally recognized tribes and their descendants who live in Carlton County and in the southern half of St. Louis County in Minnesota.

Study findings were used by MDH and the FDL Band of Lake Superior Chippewa to develop a public health action plan to prevent or reduce exposures to Great Lakes contaminants through targeted interventions. Findings will also have important applications for the development and evaluation of tribal and state policies and programs for control and reduction of environmental pollution and prevention of ongoing human exposures.

alert iconhttp://www.fdlrez.com/humanservices/biomonitoring.htmexternal icon

3. Health Research, Inc. / New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH)
Project Description:

The NYSDOH project focused on four Areas of Concern (AOCs) located in western NYS: Buffalo River, Niagara River, Eighteenmile Creek, and Rochester Embayment. Fish sampling data collected by the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) show that polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are the most ubiquitous pollutants in the NYS AOCs. In addition, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane/ dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDT/DDE), lead, mercury, mirex, and dioxins are found at most of the AOCs. The Buffalo River AOC in the City of Buffalo (the largest city in upstate NY) is a 6-mile segment of this highly industrialized river. Several parks have recently been developed along its banks, providing access for boating and fishing. Much of the surrounding area is densely populated, and a large percentage of the population lives at or below the poverty level. The Niagara River AOC consists of the entire 35 miles of the Niagara River from the eastern end of Lake Erie northward to Lake Ontario. The river is a popular spot for anglers and has several recreational beaches in the City of Buffalo. The Eighteenmile Creek AOC is 18 miles east of the Niagara River and includes the entire watershed of the Eighteenmile Creek (the “source” AOC). The creek is very popular with anglers. The Rochester Embayment AOC is a bay on Lake Ontario that includes 6 miles of the Genesee River that flows through the urban center of the City of Rochester. The bay and river are used for fishing and swimming and is a source of drinking water. There are fish consumption advisories in all the NYS AOCs as a result of contamination from PCBs, mercury, mirex, and/or dioxins. The NYSDOH program targeted two susceptible populations: (1) licensed anglers who live in proximity to areas of contamination in western New York who eat locally caught fish (“licensed anglers”); and (2) Burmese refugees and immigrants and their descendants who live in the City of Buffalo and eat fish caught in the area. The study populations were sampled, recruited, and enrolled independently. The NYSDOH is using the biomonitoring program information to develop steps which include identifying, controlling, and preventing potential adverse exposures associated with Great Lakes pollutants.

alert iconhttps://www.health.ny.gov/environmental/outdoors/fish/health_advisories/gl_biomonitoring.htmexternal icon

Page last reviewed: August 19, 2021