Biomonitoring as a Response to Community Concerns About Uranium Exposure from Former Weapons Manufacture in Colonie, New York

Abstract

Biomonitoring as a Response to Community Concerns About Uranium Exposure from Former Weapons Manufacture in Colonie, New YorkAbstract Number:1808 June Moore*, Karen Wilson June Moore* New York State Departments of Health, United States, E-mail Address: [email protected] Search for more papers by this author and Karen Wilson New York State Departments of Health, United States, E-mail Address: [email protected] Search for more papers by this author AbstractBackground:* New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) collaborated with the community group Community Concerned about National Lead Industries, to address concerns of former employees and nearby residents. Concerns include varied occupational and residential exposures to airborne emissions of fine-grained depleted uranium from incineration of waste materials from 1958 to 1984, when the plant closed, and from contact with residential soils, removed from nearby properties from 1984 to 1988. The biomonitoring results will be used to assist people with addressing concerns and communicating with health care providers.Methods:* NYSDOH’s Wadsworth Center is able to measure total uranium in urine but depleted uranium methods await final approvals. A 2-stage approach was agreed upon; to conduct recruitment, questionnaire and urine collection, and measure total uranium first, then measure depleted uranium. Participants were also offered the option of providing blood and having samples banked for future analyses for unspecified contaminants. Recruitment used existing lists of approximately 370 former workers and 200 residents as well as local media.Results:* A total of 131 participants (32 workers and 99 residents) enrolled in early 2013. 79% provided blood as well as urine and 95% agreed to banking of samples. Participant ages ranged from 21 to 85. Average age for workers was 66, for resident males 60 (N=36), and for resident females 63 (N=63). Total uranium in urine results were provided to participants in early 2014. The geometric mean for workers was .012 µg/g creatinine (95% CI: .007-.021), elevated but not significant compared to 2009-10 NHANES values (.007 µg/g, 95%CI: .006-.008). Residents’ mean was .002 µg/g (95% CI: .002-.003), lower than the workers and NHANES values. Given the 30 years since the facility closed, the slight elevation of total uranium for workers is of interest; more thorough interpretation requires completion of DU analyses.