Download or read book A Comparative Analysis of Arctic Risk Assessment of Methylmercury in Fish written by Sandra C. Almeida and published by . This book was released on 2014 with total page 84 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This thesis is a critical examination of official public health advice on fish consumption in one of the most contaminated regions on the planet, the Arctic. This thesis compares the bureaucratic strategies to minimize methylmercury exposure among residents in three northern regions, Alaska, Canada, and Greenland, with special attention paid to risk reduction among the Inuit. The two primary questions informing this work are 1) How have public health officials assessed the health risks from methylmercury exposure in Arctic residents? and 2) How have these assessments shaped advisories and advice about fish consumption? The research methodology involved content analysis of state health bulletins, public health announcements, federal agency fact sheets, international organization publications, and scholarly articles in the disciplines of environmental science, anthropology, and toxicology. The research findings suggest that fish consumption advice among government officials in Alaska, Canada, and Greenland are astonishingly similar. In short, fish consumption guidelines in these countries are almost completely absent in Inuit communities. Moreover, government entities maintain that despite toxic contaminants, fish is still an ideal food for Inuit health and cultural livelihood. There are no official advisories targeting the consumption of marine mammals, and in cost-benefit calculations, the benefits of fish are considered to outweigh the risks from methylmercury exposure. I argue that the public health advice is seemingly holistic in its concern for chronic disease prevention, cultural survival, and reduction in toxic exposure; however, these conventional assessments of risk are not protective enough against methylmercury toxicity.
Download or read book Toxicological Effects of Methylmercury written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2000-09-27 with total page 364 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Mercury is widespread in our environment. Methylmercury, one organic form of mercury, can accumulate up the aquatic food chain and lead to high concentrations in predatory fish. When consumed by humans, contaminated fish represent a public health risk. Combustion processes, especially coal-fired power plants, are major sources of mercury contamination in the environment. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is considering regulating mercury emissions from those plants. Toxicological Effects of Methylmercury reviews the health effects of methylmercury and discusses the estimation of mercury exposure from measured biomarkers, how differences between individuals affect mercury toxicity, and appropriate statistical methods for analysis of the data and thoroughly compares the epidemiological studies available on methylmercury. Included are discussions of current mercury levels on public health and a delineation of the scientific aspects and policy decisions involved in the regulation of mercury. This report is a valuable resource for individuals interested in the public health effects and regulation of mercury. The report also provides an excellent example of the implications of decisions in the risk assessment process for a larger audience.
Download or read book Risk Assessment of Methylmercury in Fish written by Kierstin Petersson-Grawé and published by . This book was released on 2007 with total page 45 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Risk Assessment of Methylmercury from Fish Consumption in Oahu Hawaii Using Hair as a Biomarker of Exposure written by Alethea L. Ramos and published by . This book was released on 2012 with total page 83 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The main purpose of this study was to assess the risk of methylmercury exposure from fish consumption in adults living in Oahu, Hawaii and to determine if demographic variables, fish consumption frequency, and fish parts eaten were associated with methylmercury body burden assessed through hair. The ultimate goal was to inform any guidelines on fish consumption, with consideration of cultural and lifestyle factors for populations that are susceptible to exposure. Persons were recruited at public areas from 5 areas of the island of Hawaii which included 110 adults (57 men and 53 women) during December, 2010 and January, 2011. Hair samples were obtained in order to measure methylmercury body burden concentrations, and a questionnaire assessed their fish consumption, demographic information, and general awareness about methylmercury and fish consumption. Hair samples were analyzed for total mercury through the Milestone Direct Mercury Analyzer (Milestone, Shelton, CT). Older men had the highest hair mercury levels, as compared to younger men and women of all age groups. Men> 45 years had a median hair mercury level of 2.00 ug/g as compared to younger men with a median 0.97 ug/g (p0.05). Hair concentrations from older women had a median of 1.22 ug/g of mercury, as compared to 0.57 ug/g for younger women. Risk indices were calculated, and the average HI value among male residents was 1.61, which is above the safety criteria of 1.0. Among women, the average HI value was 0.92, however, among women of childbearing age, 38% had a HI 1.0, indicating that both men and women were potentially at risk. Fish consumption was a significant contributing factor to increased hair mercury concentrations; significant variables included frequency of fish consumption, portion size of fish meal, frequency of fish consumption in conjunction with portion size, amount of fish parts consumed, and whether or not target organs (brain, head, heart) were consumed. This present study addressed methylmercury exposure among a population of healthy adults, which is uncommon for methylmercury studies since usually only susceptible populations, such as women of childbearing age and children, are examined. Although we did demonstrate that women were a susceptible population, as evidenced by values over 1.0 for a third of the women of childbearing age, men also appeared as a susceptible population, with the highest methylmercury values. Recent studies have established that cardiotoxicity is an adverse health effect of methylmercury exposure for the men at body burden levels found in this study. Since fish is an important staple for Oahu residents, proper guidelines for safe fish consumption should include consuming less than 1/4 pound of fish per meal at a frequency of less than one day per week, along with primarily consuming fish meat and discarding all other organs due to high methylmercury content. The benefits of fish consumption should also be highlighted, and if safe fish consumption practices are followed, residents can reap the health benefits without excessive toxicant exposure.
Download or read book Canadian Arctic Contaminants Assessment Report written by Northern Contaminants Program (Canada) and published by Northern Contaminants Program. This book was released on 2003 with total page 154 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Environmental Risk Assessment written by Ted Simon and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2019-12-06 with total page 521 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The purpose of risk assessment is to support science-based decisions about how to solve complex societal problems. Indeed, the problems humankind faces in the 21st century have many social, political, and technical complexities. Environmental risk assessment in particular is of increasing importance as health and safety regulations grow and become more complicated. Environmental Risk Assessment: A Toxicological Approach, 2nd Edition looks at various factors relating to exposure and toxicity, human health, and risk. In addition to the original chapters being updated and expanded upon, four new chapters discuss current software and platforms that have recently been developed and provide examples of risk characterizations and scenarios. Features: Introduces the science of risk assessment—past, present, and future Provides environmental sampling data for conducting practice risk assessments Considers how bias and conflict of interest affect science-based decisions in the 21st century Includes fully worked examples, case studies, discussion questions, and suggestions for additional reading Discusses new software and computational platforms that have developed since the first edition Aimed at the next generation of risk assessors and students who need to know more about developing, conducting, and interpreting risk assessments, the book delivers a comprehensive view of the field, complete with sufficient background to enable readers to probe for themselves the science underlying the key issues in environmental risk.
Download or read book Mercury in the Environment written by Michael S. Bank and published by Univ of California Press. This book was released on 2012-05-31 with total page 361 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Mercury pollution and contamination are widespread, well documented, and continue to pose a public health concern in both developed and developing countries. In response to a growing need for understanding the cycling of this ubiquitous pollutant, the science of mercury has grown rapidly to include the fields of biogeochemistry, economics, sociology, public health, decision sciences, physics, global change, and mathematics. Only recently have scientists begun to establish a holistic approach to studying mercury pollution that integrates chemistry, biology, and human health sciences. Mercury in the Environment follows the process of mercury cycling through the atmosphere, through terrestrial and aquatic food webs, and through human populations to develop a comprehensive perspective on this important environmental problem. This timely reference also provides recommendations on mercury remediation, risk communication, education, and monitoring.
Download or read book Soil and Water Pollution Monitoring Protection and Remediation written by Irena Twardowska and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2007-04-30 with total page 638 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book details the state-of-the art in early warning monitoring of anthropogenic pollution of soil and water. It is unique with regard to its complex, multidisciplinary, mechanistic approach. Top scientists establish links and strengthen weak connections between specific fields in biology, microbiology, chemistry, biochemistry, toxicology, sensoristics, soil science and hydrogeology.
Download or read book A Risk Management Strategy for PCB Contaminated Sediments written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2001-06-07 with total page 451 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book provides a risk-based framework for developing and implementing strategies to manage PCB-contaminated sediments at sites around the country. The framework has seven stages, beginning with problem definition, continuing through assessment of risks and management options, and ending with an evaluation of the success of the management strategy. At the center of the framework is continuous and active involvement of all affected parties-particularly communities-in the development, implementation, and evaluation of the management strategy. A Risk-Management Strategy for PCB-Contaminated Sediments emphasizes the need to consider all risks at a contaminated site, not just human health and ecological effects, but also the social, cultural, and economic impacts. Given the controversy that has arisen at many PCB-contaminated sites, this book provides a consistent, yet flexible, approach for dealing with the many issues associated with assessing and managing the risks at Superfund and other contaminated sites.
Download or read book Chemical Measurements in the Baltic Sea written by Elzbieta Lysiak-Pastuszak and published by . This book was released on 2004 with total page 162 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Environmental Health Perspectives written by and published by . This book was released on 2004 with total page 1576 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Current References in Fish Research written by and published by . This book was released on 1997 with total page 262 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Selected Water Resources Abstracts written by and published by . This book was released on 1990 with total page 1180 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Oceanic Abstracts written by and published by . This book was released on 1997-10 with total page 1070 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Index Medicus written by and published by . This book was released on 2004 with total page 1812 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Climate Change and Indigenous Peoples in the United States written by Julie Koppel Maldonado and published by Springer. This book was released on 2014-04-05 with total page 178 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: With a long history and deep connection to the Earth’s resources, indigenous peoples have an intimate understanding and ability to observe the impacts linked to climate change. Traditional ecological knowledge and tribal experience play a key role in developing future scientific solutions for adaptation to the impacts. The book explores climate-related issues for indigenous communities in the United States, including loss of traditional knowledge, forests and ecosystems, food security and traditional foods, as well as water, Arctic sea ice loss, permafrost thaw and relocation. The book also highlights how tribal communities and programs are responding to the changing environments. Fifty authors from tribal communities, academia, government agencies and NGOs contributed to the book. Previously published in Climatic Change, Volume 120, Issue 3, 2013.
Download or read book Global Mercury Assessment written by and published by . This book was released on 2002 with total page 274 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This report is a comprehensive global assessment of mercury and mercury compounds undertaken by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) in cooperation with members of the Inter-Organization Program for the Sound Management of Chemicals (IOMC). It covers recent authoritative reviews, deposition and transformation of mercury substances on a global scale, current production and use patterns of mercury as a global commodity, prevention and control technologies and practices, and future plans at the national, sub-regional or regional levels for controlling releases and limiting use and exposure. The report includes contributions from governments, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations and the private sector.
