Consumption Of Marine Mammals Research Articles

Associations between dietary profiles and perfluoroalkyl acids in Inuit youth and adults

BackgroundPerfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs), a subset of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), are synthetic chemicals used in industrial and consumer applications. They are exceptionally stable and highly mobile in the environment, and were detected in high concentrations in Arctic wildlife and Nunavik Inuit. The study's objective was to study the association between dietary profiles in Nunavik and plasma PFAAs concentrations. MethodsThe study used data from the Qanuilirpitaa? 2017 Nunavik Inuit Health Survey (Q2017) (N = 1172) on Inuit adults aged 16–80 years. Nine PFAAs congeners were measured in plasma samples (six were detected). Dietary profiles were identified using latent profile analysis. Two sets of dietary profiles were included; the first included market (store-bought) and country foods (harvested/hunted from the land), and the second included only country foods. Multiple linear regression models regressed log-transformed PFAAs concentrations against the dietary profiles, adjusting for sociodemographic variables. ResultsWe identified statistically significant 24.54–57.55 % increases in all PFAAs congeners (PFOA, PFNA, PFDA, PFUnDA, PFHxS, and PFOS) in the dietary profile defined by frequent country food consumption compared to the dietary profile defined by frequent market food consumption. Individuals defined by low consumption of foods (related to food insecurity) had higher concentrations of six PFAAs compared to individuals with frequent market food consumption. The associations were stronger with profiles defined by more frequent country food consumption, and particularly those with increased marine mammal consumption. PFDA, PFUnDA, and PFOS were particularly associated with high country food consumption frequency, such that their concentrations increased by approximately 67–83 % compared to those reporting no or very little consumption of any country foods. ConclusionsIncreased country food consumption was strongly associated with higher PFAAs concentrations, particularly PFOS, PFDA, and PFUnDA. The results provide further evidence that the quality of country foods is being threatened by PFAAs contamination. Additional national and international regulations are required to protect the Arctic and its inhabitants from these pollutants.

Elevated exposure to long-chain perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in Inuit from Nunavik, Arctic Canada: a call for global action

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The Inuit of Nunavik are exposed to perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) via long-rang transport from southern to northern latitudes and biomagnification of PFAAs in Arctic food webs. Our objective was to document plasma PFAAs levels and compare them to previously documented levels and the general Canadian population. METHODS: The study included 1326 Nunavimmiut aged 16-82 years from the population representative survey, Qanuilirpitaa? 2017 Nunavik Inuit Health Survey. Concentrations of nine PFAAs were assessed, including perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) and perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUdA). Concentrations were compared to Nunavik levels in 2004, other Arctic regions, and the Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS) Cycle 5 2016-2017. Multiple linear regression analyses compared concentrations by demographics and lifestyle. RESULTS: There were elevated concentrations of various PFAAs congeners compared to CHMS, including PFOS, and long-chain PFAS congeners, PFNA, PFDA, and PFUnDA. PFNA and PFUdA concentrations were 7-fold higher than the CHMS concentrations, and PFDA concentrations were almost 4-fold higher than the CHMS concentrations. Short-chain congeners were largely undetected. Concentrations differed by sex, age, region, and indicators of seafood and marine mammal consumption. Males had higher concentrations of PFOA and PFHxS, whereas females had higher concentrations of PFDA and PFUdA. PFAAs concentrations increased with age and were highest among those aged 50+ years, such that serum PFOS concentrations were 2.5 times higher in those aged 50+ years compared to those aged 16-29 years. PFNA concentrations followed a U-shaped curve with increasing age. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate a decrease in older PFAAs, but concentrations of many PFAAs in Nunavik remain several-fold higher compared to the general Canadian population. Evidence also points to an increase in exposure to long-chain PFAAs, which are an emerging public health concern in the Arctic. KEYWORDS: PFAS, Indigenous, Environmental justice, Exposure

Contamination of country foods by perfluoroalkyl acids in the Arctic

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) are synthetic chemicals used in industrial and consumer applications. They are exceptionally stable and highly mobile in the environment, and have been detected in high concentrations in Nunavik Inuit adults. The study’s objectives were to study the associations between dietary profiles in Nunavik and PFAAs concentrations, and the associations between specific foods and PFAAs concentrations. METHODS: The study used data from the Qanuilirpitaa? 2017 Nunavik Inuit Health Survey. Nine PFAAs congeners were measured in plasma samples, including perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) and perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUdA). Dietary profiles were identified using latent profile analysis. Multiple linear regression models regressed log-transformed PFAAs concentrations against the dietary profiles, adjusting for sociodemographic variables. Elastic net was used to look at associations between PFAAs and dietary variables. RESULTS: We identified strong associations between the dietary profile defined by frequent country food consumption and all PFAAs congeners (PFOA, PFNA, PFDA, PFUdA, PFHxS, and PFOS) compared to the dietary profile defined by frequent market food consumption. Individuals with low consumption of all foods also had higher concentrations of all PFAAs congeners compared to individuals with frequent market food consumption. The associations were stronger with profiles defined by more frequent country food consumption, and particularly those with increased marine mammal consumption. Elastic net identified marine mammal products (seal liver, beluga misirak), wild birds (ptarmigan, goose eggs), Arctic char and fish roe as main exposure sources. CONCLUSIONS: Increased country food consumption was strongly associated with higher PFAAs concentrations, particularly PFOS and long-chain PFAAs congeners. The results provide further evidence that Arctic communities are disproportionately impacted by PFAAs, and further national and international regulations are required to protect the exceptional quality of country foods. KEYWORDS: PFAS; exposure; food; Indigenous

Marine mammal consumption and fisheries removals in the Nordic and Barents Seas

AbstractIn this study, we assess prey consumption by the marine mammal community in the northeast Atlantic [including 21 taxa, across three regions: (I) the Icelandic shelf, Denmark Strait, and Iceland Sea (ICE); (II) the Greenland and Norwegian Seas (GN); and (III) the Barents Sea (BS)], and compare mammal requirements with removals by fisheries. To determine prey needs, estimates of energetic requirements were combined with diet and abundance information for parameterizing simple allometric scaling models, taking uncertainties into account through bootstrapping procedures. In total, marine mammals in the ICE, GN, and BS consumed 13.4 [Confidence Interval (CI): 5.6–25.0], 4.6 (CI: 1.9–8.6), and 7.1 (CI: 2.8–13.8) million tonnes of prey year–1. Fisheries removed 1.55, 1.45, and 1.16 million tonnes year–1 from these three areas, respectively. While fisheries generally operate at significantly higher trophic levels than marine mammals, we find that the potential for direct competition between marine mammals and fisheries is strongest in the GN and weakest in the BS. Furthermore, our results also demonstrate significant changes in mammal consumption compared to previous and more focused studies over the last decades. These changes likely reflect both ongoing population recoveries from historic whaling and the current rapid physical and biological changes of these high-latitude systems. We argue that changing distributions and abundances of mammals should be considered when establishing fisheries harvesting strategies, to ensure effective fisheries management and good conservation practices of top predators in such rapidly changing systems.

Exposure to per and polyfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) from diet and lifestyle factors among Inuit adults of Nunavik, Canada

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) are water/stain resistant compounds resistant to metabolic degradation, making them environmentally stable, mobile and bioaccumulative. This leads to high concentrations in wildlife species essential to the cultural identity and subsistence of Arctic populations, including the Inuit. Our objective was to characterize the distribution and exposure determinants of PFAAs among the Inuit adults of Nunavik. METHODS: The study included 443 randomly selected Nunavik residents (Nunavimmiut) aged 16-82 years who participated in the Qanuilirpitaa? 2017 Nunavik Inuit Health Survey. Associations between plasma concentrations of nine PFAAs and country food consumption, drinking water source, and traditional activity participation were examined using multiple linear regression models. RESULTS:PFAAs concentrations among Nunavimmiut were up to seven times higher than those in the general adult Canadian population. After adjustment, above-median consumption of marine mammal, fish, and game bird were associated with increased concentrations of perfluorooctanoic-acid (PFOA), perfluorononanoic-acid (PFNA), perfluorodecanoic-acid (PFDA), perfluoroundecanoic-acid (PFUndA), perfluorohexanesulfonic-acid (PFHxS), and perfluorooctanesulfonic-acid (PFOS). Of note, marine mammal consumption ≥1/week was associated with a 43.2-53.5% increase in PFNA, PFDA, PFUndA, PFHxS, and PFOS (p-values≤0.008). In addition, the omega-3 to omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids ratio in red blood cell membranes, indicative of marine mammal and fish consumption, was linearly associated with higher long-chain PFAAs (PFNA, PFDA, PFUdA), including a 97.3% (95% CI: 81.9-115.7%) increase in PFNA, and a 146.2% (95% CI: 118.1-181.1%) increase in PFDA, when contrasting the fourth versus the first quartile of the omega-3/omega-6 ratio. There were no associations between PFAAs and drinking water sources or traditional activities. CONCLUSIONS:The results speak to the importance of characterizing PFAAs exposure in Arctic communities for improved public health messaging on country foods and to provide evidence for actions aimed at reducing PFAAs exposure in the Arctic to protect the exceptional quality of country foods in Nunavik. KEYWORDS: pfas, Community-engaged research, Environmental disparities, Exposure assessment, Long-term exposure, Environmental epidemiology

MercuNorth – monitoring mercury in pregnant women from the Arctic as a baseline to assess the effectiveness of the Minamata Convention

ABSTRACT Exposure to mercury (Hg) is a global concern, particularly among Arctic populations that rely on the consumption of marine mammals and fish which are the main route of Hg exposure for Arctic populations.The MercuNorth project was created to establish baseline Hg levels across several Arctic regions during the period preceding the Minamata Convention. Blood samples were collected from 669 pregnant women, aged 18–44 years, between 2010 and 2016 from sites across the circumpolar Arctic including Alaska (USA), Nunavik (Canada), Greenland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Northern Lapland (Finland) and Murmansk Oblast (Russia). Descriptive statistics were calculated, multiple pairwise comparisons were made between regions, and unadjusted linear trend analyses were performed.Geometric mean concentrations of total Hg were highest in Nunavik (5.20 µg/L) and Greenland (3.79 µg/L), followed by Alaska (2.13 µg/L), with much lower concentrations observed in the other regions (ranged between 0.48 and 1.29 µg/L). In Nunavik, Alaska and Greenland, blood Hg concentrations have decreased significantly since 1992, 2000 and 2010 respectively with % annual decreases of 4.7%, 7.5% and 2.7%, respectively.These circumpolar data combined with fish and marine mammal consumption data can be used for assessing long-term Hg trends and the effectiveness of the Minamata Convention.

The Cumulative Effects of Fishing, Plankton Productivity, and Marine Mammal Consumption in a Marine Ecosystem

The marine ecosystem off British Columbia (BC), Canada, has experienced various changes in the last two decades, including reduced lipid-rich zooplankton biomass, increased marine mammals, and deteriorated commercial fisheries, particularly those targeting pelagic species such as Pacific Herring (Clupea pallasii). Understanding how stressors interactively and cumulatively affect commercially important fish species is key to moving toward ecosystem-based fisheries management. Because it is challenging to assess the cumulative effects of multiple stressors by using empirical data alone, a dynamic, individual-based spatially explicit ecosystem modeling platform such as Object-oriented Simulator of Marine Ecosystems (OSMOSE) represents a valuable tool to simulate ecological processes and comprehensively evaluate how stressors cumulatively impact modeled species. In this study, we employed OSMOSE to investigate the cumulative effects of fishing, plankton biomass change, and marine mammal consumption on the dynamics of some fish species and the BC marine ecosystem as a whole. We specifically simulated ecosystem dynamics during the last 20 years under two sets of scenarios: (1) unfavorable conditions from the perspective of commercial fish species (i.e., doubling fishing mortality rates, halving plankton biomass, and doubling marine mammal biomass, acting individually or collectively); and (2) favorable conditions with the three factors having opposite changes (i.e., halving fishing mortality rates, doubling plankton biomass, and halving marine mammal biomass, acting individually or collectively). Our results indicate that, under unfavorable conditions, the degree to which species biomass was reduced varied among species, and that negative synergistic and negative dampened effects were dominant under historical and doubled fishing mortality rates, respectively. Under favorable conditions, species biomasses did not increase as much as expected due to the existence of complex predator-prey interactions among fish species, and positive synergistic and positive dampened effects were prevailing under historical and halved fishing mortality rates, respectively. The ecosystem total biomass and the biomass to fisheries yield ratio were found to be good ecological indicators to represent ecosystem changes and track the impacts from the multiple drivers of change. Our research provides insights on how fisheries management should adapt to prepare for potential future impacts of climate change.

Dietary habits, metabolic health and vitamin D status in Greenlandic children.

To compare the dietary habits of children living in northern villages and in the capital of Greenland, given the reported transition from traditional to westernised diet in adults over recent decades, and to explore the association between consumption of marine mammals and fish (MMF) and the children's metabolic profile and vitamin D status. Children answered an FFQ encompassing sixty-four individual food types pooled into six food categories. Their pubertal stage, body fat, fitness level, metabolic profile (non-HDL-cholesterol, glycated Hb, insulin, glucose, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein) as well as serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration were evaluated. Siorapaluk and Qaanaaq (north of Greenland) and Nuuk (west). Children aged 6-18 years (n 177). MMF were most frequently eaten by children from Siorapaluk (mean (sd): 73·4(14·1)times/month), followed by children from Qaanaaq (37·0(25·0)times/month), and least often eaten by children from Nuuk (23·7(24·6)times/month; P < 0·001). Children from Qaanaaq consumed 'junk food' more frequently (P < 0·001) and fruits and vegetables less frequently (P < 0·01) than children from Nuuk. MMF consumption was positively associated with serum 25(OH)D concentration (P < 0·05), but the overall prevalence of vitamin D deficiency was high (18 %). No association was found between MMF consumption and metabolic parameters. The dietary transition and influence of western diets have spread to the north of Greenland and only the most remote place consumed a traditional diet highly based on MMF. We found no strong associations of MMF consumption with metabolic health, but a positive association with vitamin D status.

Marine Mammals in Asian Societies; Trends in Consumption, Bait, and Traditional Use

In Asia many marine mammal species are consumed as food or for other purposes. The prevalence of this exploitation appears to increase from west to east. An escalating use of marine mammals and the emergence of commercialisation of a trade in marine mammals is supported by: o Regular documentation of both open and covert trade; o A shift in focus in some diminishing traditional hunts to other marine mammal species; o A possible revival in some targeted hunts, which had previously ceased; o The recent implication of some cultures, which have little history of marine mammal consumption previously, in targeted hunts; and o The growing importation of marine mammal parts from outside of Asia. The factors that may drive marine mammal use include population reductions in species that have been traditionally targeted; diminishing returns from traditional fisheries; and an increase in market demand for marine mammal products. Lessons from similar studies in terrestrial wildlife trade will better focus future studies of marine mammal use in Asia.

Balancing the benefits and costs of traditional food substitution by indigenous Arctic women of childbearing age: Impacts on persistent organic pollutant, mercury, and nutrient intakes

For indigenous Arctic Canadians, traditional food consumption represents a key source of nutrients and environmental contaminants. Particularly, ingestion of marine mammal blubber and meat may lead to persistent organic pollutant levels and mercury intakes that exceed regulatory thresholds for sensitive populations. We investigated whether temporary adjustments to the consumption of traditional food derived from marine mammals appreciably impacted contaminant exposure and nutrient intakes among indigenous women of childbearing age. Such adjustments can be motivated by the desire to lower contaminant exposure or to increase nutrition, or by the diminishing availability of other traditional food sources. We combined the contaminant fate and transport model GloboPOP with the food chain bioaccumulation model ACC-Human Arctic to simulate polychlorinated biphenyl exposures in female 2007–08 Inuit Health Survey participants. We also calculated daily mercury and nutrient intake rates. Our results suggest that a temporary decrease in marine mammal consumption is largely ineffective at reducing exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls, because of their long elimination half-lives. In contrast, substitution of marine mammals was highly efficient at reducing mercury intake, but also appreciably lowered intakes of iron, manganese, selenium, and ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. The impact of increasing intake of traditional food derived from marine mammals during childbearing age greatly depended on baseline consumption rates; replacement is ill-advised for those who already consume a lot of traditional food due to greater polychlorinated biphenyl and mercury exposures, while replacement was potentially beneficial for those with very limited marine mammal consumption due to increased nutrient intakes. Our calculations primarily suggest that considering baseline traditional food intake rates is critical to devising reproductive dietary adjustment strategies that maximize nutrient intake while minimizing environmental contaminant exposure.

Dog-human dietary relationships in Yup'ik western Alaska: The stable isotope and zooarchaeological evidence from pre-contact Nunalleq

Historically and ethnographically dogs have been an important resource for Arctic and subarctic societies — providing protection, fur and meat, as well as aiding hunting and transportation. The close relationship between dogs and humans has also been used by archaeologists to draw inferences about human society (particularly in terms of diet and subsistence) from various analyses of their remains. Here, we apply the complementary approaches of stable isotope and zooarchaeological analysis to dog remains from the permafrost-preserved, pre-contact Yup'ik village site of Nunalleq (c. CE 1300–1750), in coastal western Alaska, specifically to investigate dog-human dietary relationships and the role that dogs played in this community. Zooarchaeological data indicate an abundance of dogs at the site, with butchery marks suggesting that they were processed for meat. Stable isotope analysis of multiple tissues indicates dog diet was largely based on fish (particularly salmonids), with possible short-term increases in marine mammal consumption. Comparison with data from contemporaneous human hair from Nunalleq indicates a close similarity between human and dog diets, supporting the use of dogs as a proxy for human palaeodiet in societies at high-latitude societies consuming significant amounts of animal protein.

Food intake and serum persistent organic pollutants in the Greenlandic pregnant women: The ACCEPT sub-study

The Greenlandic Inuit have high blood concentrations of environmental persistent organic pollutants (POPs). High POP concentrations have been associated with age, smoking and consumption of marine mammals. Studies have indicated that exposure to POPs during pregnancy may adversely affect fetal and child development.To assess geographical differences in diet, lifestyle and environmental contaminant exposure among pregnant women in Greenland, blood samples and questionnaire data were collected from 207 pregnant women in five Greenlandic regions (North, Disco Bay, West, South and East). Blood samples were analyzed for 11 organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), 14 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), 5 polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), 15 perfluoroalkylated substances (PFASs) and 63 metals.A trend of higher intake of marine mammals in the East and North regions was reflected by a higher n−3/n−6 fatty acid ratio. Participants in the East region tended also to have higher intake of terrestrial species. A significant higher seabird intake was seen for pregnant women in the West region. Significant regional differences were found for blood concentrations of PCBs, OCPs, PFASs and mercury, with higher levels in the North and East regions. PFASs were significantly associated with PCBs and OCPs in most of the regions. In the North region, PFASs were associated with both selenium and mercury. No significant regional difference was observed for PBDEs.The regional differences of blood levels of POPs and mercury were related to differences in intake of the traditional food. Compared to earlier reports, decreased levels of legacy POPs, Hg and Pb and perfluorooctane sulfonate and perfluorooctanoic acid were observed, but the levels of PFAS congeners perfluorohexane sulfonate and perfluorononanoic acid were sustained. The detection of POPs and heavy metals in maternal blood indicates fetal exposure to these compounds possibly influencing fetal development.

Simulations to evaluate management trade-offs among marine mammal consumption needs, commercial fishing fleets and finfish biomass

Simulations to evaluate management trade-offs among marine mammal consumption needs, commercial fishing fleets and finfish biomass

Consumption by marine mammals on the Northeast U.S. continental shelf

The economic and ecological impacts of fish consumption by marine mammals, the associated interactions with commercial fish stocks, and the forage demands of these marine mammal populations are largely unknown. Consumption estimates are often either data deficient or not fully evaluated in a rigorous, quantitative manner. Although consumption estimates exist for the Northeast United States (NEUS) Large Marine Ecosystem, there is considerable uncertainty in those estimates. We examined consumption estimates for 12 marine mammal species inhabiting the regional ecosystem. We used sensitivity analyses to examine metabolically driven daily individual consumption rates, resulting in a suite of feasible parameter-pair ranges for each of three taxonomic groups: mysticetes, odontocetes, and pinnipeds. We expanded daily individual consumption to annual consumption based on abundance estimates of marine mammals found on the NEUS continental shelf coupled with estimates of annual residence time for each species. To examine consumptive removals for specific prey, diet compositions were summarized into major prey categories, and predatory removals by marine mammal species as well as for total marine mammal consumption were estimated for each prey taxa. Bounds on consumption estimates for each marine mammal species were determined using Monte Carlo resampling simulations. Our results suggest that consumption for these 12 marine mammal species combined may be similar in magnitude to commercial fishery landings for small pelagic and groundfish prey groups. Consumption by marine mammals warrants consideration both as a source of mortality in assessments of prey-stocks, and to determine marine mammal forage demands in ecosystem assessment models. The approach that we present represents a rigorous, quantitative method to scope the bounds of the biomass that marine mammals are expected to consume, and is appropriate for use in other ecosystems where the interaction between marine mammals and commercial fisheries is thought to be prominent.

Contribution of Shellfish Consumption to Lower Mercury Health Risk for Residents in Northern Jiaozhou Bay, China.

Fish and marine mammal consumption are an important pathway for human exposure to mercury. The low mercury content in shellfish poses a low mercury health risk to people who consume shellfish. The objectives of this study are to detect mercury concentrations in different species of shellfish and to calculate the mercury health risk from shellfish consumption among traditional residents near northern Jiaozhou Bay. A total of 356 shellfish samples, which comprised 7 species from 5 different places in northern Jiaozhou Bay, were collected from April to June in 2012. The average mercury content in the collected shellfish ranged from 0.024 mg·kg−1 to 0.452 mg·kg−1. A total of 44 shellfish samples (12.36%) had mercury levels exceeding the national pollution-free aquatic products limit (0.3 mg·kg−1). Generally, the viscus had the highest mercury content among all parts of the shellfish. A positive correlation between mercury content and total weight/edible part weight was found in most species of the collected shellfish. The results showed that shellfish consumption resulted in the lower risk of mercury exposure to residents based on the calculation of daily intake (DI) and target hazard quotient (THQ).

A molecular forensic method for identifying species composition of processed marine mammal meats

We used universal primers designed for the cytochrome oxidase I (CO I) sequence of the order Cetacea and the family Phocidae to prove that meat fritters sold in Taiwan contained meat from two seal, six cetacean, and one pig species. The sequence information for CO I obtained in this study was limited and population genetics data for the eight sampled marine mammalian species was insufficient to deduce where these marine mammals were hunted. Regardless of the geographic origins of the marine mammal flesh, sale and consumption of marine mammals in Taiwan violates the Wildlife Conservation Act. This study provides PCR primers that could enable government testing of suspect meats to curtail the illegal trade in marine mammal products.

Seroprevalence of parasitic zoonoses and their relationship with social factors among the Canadian Inuit in Arctic regions

Residents of Arctic communities are at increased risk of contracting infectious diseases transmitted by wildlife. Data collected from the International Polar Year Inuit Health Survey were used to determine the seroprevalence of 4 parasitic zoonoses in three Inuit jurisdictions of the Canadian Arctic and to assess risk factors of infection. To date, this is the most comprehensive survey of its kind. Immunoenzymatic methods were used for the detection of antibodies against Toxocara canis, Echinococcus granulosus, Trichinella sp., and Toxoplasma gondii. We determined the weighted prevalence of parasitic infections in 36 Inuit communities across the Inuvialuit settlement region, Nunavut, and Nunatsiavut. Our results indicate infrequent exposure to Toxocara and Echinococcus (1.7 and 6.3%, respectively). Exposure to T. gondii (27.2%) and Trichinella (18.6%) was more prevalent and was generally higher in Nunavut compared to other northern regions. Overall, seropositivity was related to age, education, and consumption of marine mammals and seafood.

Effect of Bacopa monniera Extract on Methylmercury-Induced Behavioral and Histopathological Changes in Rats

Methylmercury (MeHg) is a well-recognized environmental contaminant with established health risk to human beings by fish and marine mammal consumption. Bacopa monniera (BM) is a perennial herb and is used as a nerve tonic in Ayurveda, a traditional medicine system in India. This study was aimed to evaluate the effect of B. monniera extract (BME) on MeHg-induced toxicity in rat cerebellum. Male Wistar rats were administered with MeHg orally at a dose of 5 mg/kg b.w. for 21 days. Experimental rats were given MeHg and also administered with BME (40 mg/kg, orally) 1 h prior to the administration of MeHg for 21 days. After treatment period, MeHg exposure significantly decreases the body weight and also caused the following behavioral changes. Decrease tail flick response, longer immobility time, significant decrease in motor activity, and spatial short-term memory. BME pretreatment reverted the behavioral changes to normal. MeHg exposure decreases the DNA and RNA content in cerebellum and also caused some pathological changes in cerebellum. Pretreatment with BME restored all the changes to near normal. These findings suggest that BME has a potent efficacy to alleviate MeHg-induced toxicity in rat cerebellum.

Population surveys in Greenland 1993–2009: Temporal trend of PCBs and pesticides in the general Inuit population by age and urbanisation

The purpose of the study was to analyse temporal trends (1993–2009) of the concentrations of organochlorine contaminants (14 congeners of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) and 11 pesticides) in the blood of Greenland Inuit according to age and urbanisation. Statistical determinants for the contaminant concentrations included (for PCB congener 153) age (Δr2=0.35), marine diet (Δr2=0.10), smoking (Δr2=0.02), and sex (Δr2=0.01) with comparable results for other organochlorine contaminants. After adjustment for age, diet, smoking, and sex a significant decreasing trend was present for all contaminants ranging from 41% for mirex to 56% for hexachlorobenzene. The temporal trend was most pronounced among participants below the age of 65years. The decrease started later in villages than in towns. The decrease was present in all age groups and in the capital, other towns, and villages. The decrease is probably due to a combination of reduced concentrations of the contaminants in the wildlife and a slight temporal reduction in the consumption of marine mammals. The significant downwards trend of legacy POPs shows that the legislation works but it must be kept in mind that according to the cumulated scientific evidence there are a multitude of non-regulated persistent organic contaminants in the diet as well as high levels of methylmercury.

Exposure to organochlorines and mercury through fish and marine mammal consumption: Associations with growth and duration of gestation among Inuit newborns

BackgroundSeveral studies have reported negative associations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), hexachlorobenzene (HCB) and mercury (Hg) with duration of gestation and fetal growth in fish eating populations. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) from fish, seafood and marine mammal intake has been reported to be positively related with pregnancy duration and fetal growth. So far, it remains unclear, however, if the associations of environmental contaminants (ECs) with growth are direct or mediated through their relation with the duration of gestation and the degree to which DHA intake during pregnancy attenuates the negative association of ECs with fetal growth. ObjectivesTo investigate direct and indirect associations of in utero exposure to ECs with fetal growth and pregnancy duration while taking into account the possible positive effects of DHA. MethodsPregnant Inuit women (N=248) from Arctic Quebec were recruited and cord blood samples were analyzed for PCBs, HCB, Hg and DHA. Anthropometric measurements were assessed at birth. Path models were used to evaluate direct and indirect associations. ResultsCord concentrations of PCB 153, HCB and Hg were significantly associated with shorter duration of pregnancy (β varying from −0.17 to −0.20, p<0.05). Path models indicated that the associations of PCBs, HCB and Hg with reduced fetal growth (β varying from −0.09 to −0.13, p<0.05) were mediated through their relations with shorter gestation duration. Cord DHA was indirectly related to greater growth parameters (β varying from 0.17 to 0.20, p<0.05) through its positive association with gestation duration. ConclusionPrenatal exposure to ECs was associated with reduced gestation duration, which is a recognized determinant of fetal growth. DHA intake during pregnancy appeared to have independent positive association with fetal growth by prolonging gestation. Whether these associations are causal remains to be elucidated.