East Chicago Research Articles

Multi-omics inhalation toxicity assessment of urban soil dusts contaminated by multiple legacy sources of lead (Pb)

Although animal studies have evaluated lead (Pb) toxicity, they are limited to soluble forms, such as Pb-acetate, which do not reflect the range found in the exposome. Recent studies on Pb speciation of residential soils in urban areas revealed that the initial Pb sources are not persistent and are extensively repartitioned into adsorbed forms of Pb rather than insoluble phosphates. We investigated the inhalation and neurological toxicity of dusts generated from a surficial soil sample collected from a residential site with an exposomic mixture of various Pb species, both adsorbed phases (Fe and Mn oxide, humate bound Pb) and mineral phases (Pb hydroxycarbonate, pyromorphite, galena). Mice inhaled East Chicago dust (ECD) generated from a composite soil sample for 4 h/day, 7 days/week, for 4 weeks. Mice were necropsied immediately, 1, 14 and 30 days post exposure to evaluate both toxicity and recovery. Exposure to ECD caused changes in memory and spatial learning in the Morris Water Maze test. RNAseq analysis of the hippocampus region revealed multiple differentially expressed genes and impacts on pathways involved in ion channel complexes, and neuron-to-neuron synapse. Metabolomics analysis of plasma highlighted significant alterations in metabolic processes immediately after exposure that resolved after 14 days of rest.

Visions of an Industrial Lakefront Utopia in the Calumet Frontier: City Planning and Repatriation in an Ethnic Mexican Colonia , 1900–1934

ABSTRACT: Nestled at the southern tip of Lake Michigan, East Chicago, Indiana, became the site of massive-scale industrialization in the early twentieth century. This effort, in turn, fueled massive-scale migration into the region. During the 1919 Great Steel Strike, the steel industry began to recruit thousands of ethnic Mexicans to serve as steelworkers and laborers across the region. Institutional and community forces segregated the ethnic Mexican community into a portion of the city called Indiana Harbor. Within this neighborhood, individuals worked to forge a community complete with institutions such as Catholic churches, a Spanish-language newspaper, and businesses. However, city planners and potential residents came to believe that the community represented a problem for the city's growth. In the 1930s, members of East Chicago's American Legion Post 266 orchestrated a repatriation campaign to alleviate the financial burden of public relief. The campaign targeted the ethnic Mexican community, whose presence was labelled as undesirable and a potential source of job competition in the region's exhausted economy.

Coping with Community Violence: Perspectives of African American Young Adult Men and Hispanic/Latino Young Adult Men.

Further study is needed regarding the intersection of community violence exposure, coping strategies, and health behaviors among young adult African American men and Hispanic/Latino men. This study did so in Lake County, Indiana, which contains multiple areas with disproportionate prevalence of violence relative to population size. Approximately 22 miles from Chicago, Lake County includes noteworthy mid-sized cities such as Gary, Hammond, and East Chicago. This study explored the perceptions of African American men and Hispanic/Latino men ages 18 to 25 regarding coping strategies and both healthy and health risk behaviors after directly witnessing or indirectly experiencing a violent act or event. We used aspects of social cognitive theory to design this community-based participatory research study. Thirteen males who self-identified as African American, Hispanic/Latino, or both, completed 34- to 80-minute, audio-recorded phone interviews. Audio recordings were transcribed, and NVivo 12 Windows was used by the research team (primary researchers and two coders) to complete transcript analysis. Findings from this study provided insight around African American men and Hispanic/Latino men regarding (a) witnessing violence directly or indirectly experiencing violence; (b) changes in everyday life experiences; (c) coping strategies that involved socio-emotional health, spiritual health, social health, and risky health behaviors; (d) rationales for not asking for help; (e) observations of significant others' coping; (f) what to do differently in the future; (g) beliefs about mentors; and (h) beliefs about mental health providers. Delving into participants' experiences revealed that African American men and Hispanic/Latino men in Lake County, Indiana chose to adopt a range of health risk and health positive strategies after directly witnessing or indirectly experiencing violence. Becoming knowledgeable about African American men's and Hispanic/Latino men's diverse coping strategies and health behaviors may help inform the community about how best to cocreate spaces that aim to alleviate the traumatic experience of having directly or indirectly experienced community violence.

188 Feasibility and Anticipated Acceptability of Community Health Worker-facilitated HPV Self-sampling

OBJECTIVES/GOALS: This community-engaged study explores Community Health Workers (CHWs), perspectives on i) barriers to cervical cancer screening and ii) the acceptability and feasibility of CHW-facilitated HPV self-sampling as a means of reducing existing cervical cancer disparities. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with 15 CHWs in 2021 to gain insights into barriers to cervical cancer screening and the acceptability and feasibility of CHW-facilitated self sampling in their communities. Recruitment began in Lake County then expanded to East Chicago after initial interviews revealed that some community members seek care in this area. An IRB approved email was sent out to community partners’ mailing lists inviting CHWs to join a 30–60 minute interview. Participants received a $25 electronic gift card as compensation. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed and then analyzed by the study team, using a combination of inductive and deductive coding. The Socio-Ecological Model was used as a guiding framework to analyze multilevel barriers and facilitators to screening. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: CHW-facilitated HPV self-sampling shows promise of mitigating (without eliminating) several existing barriers to cervical cancer screening, with six key considerations. Privacy (for most), time saved, and comfort were perceived to be major facilitators for acceptability, with concerns about the novelty of this approach, trust in provider (as opposed to CHW) expertise, and lack of privacy at home (for some) emerging as barriers. In terms of feasibility, synergies with existing CHW work, and some community members’ prior experience with self-sampling were found to be facilitators, with CHW’s self-efficacy in providing adequate support and limited time constituting areas of concerns for feasibility. Considerations for adoption included CHW training, gender concordance, safety and respect, among others. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE: In light of national calls to engage CHWs in screening delivery and leverage self-sampling, this study provides CHW perspectives as key stakeholders on a screening model that directly engages them, providing insights that can inform successful implementation to increase screening in Lake County and similarly underserved contexts in the US.

Occurrence and spatial distribution of individual polychlorinated biphenyl congeners in residential soils from East Chicago, southwest Lake Michigan

We report individual polychlorinated biphenyl congeners and the sum of all congeners (ΣPCB) in residential soils of East Chicago, Indiana. ΣPCB in soils ranged from 20 to 1700 ng/g dry weight (DW), with a geometric mean of 120 ng/g DW. These values are significantly higher than other locations, but similar or lower to locations nearby well-known PCB contamination sites. No PCB spatial distribution pattern was observed. PCB concentrations increase with total organic carbon in the soils and proximity to Indiana Harbor and Ship Canal (IHSC), where sediments are contaminated with PCBs. Most samples are similar in their PCB distribution and Aroclor 1254 yielded the highest similarity to all the samples. A fifth of the samples highly resemble other PCB profiles such as EPA background and Cedar Rapids Iowa soils, and volatilization from Lake Michigan, whereas volatilization from IHSC could not explain the PCBs found in soils. IHSC was expected to be the main source of PCBs in the nearby soils. It is possible that soils are impacted by variety of known and unknown sources, including volatilization from Lake Michigan, resulting in a regional PCB signal. Although PCB concentrations are higher than other locations, samples were below the current US EPA non-cancer residential soil level remediation goal for dioxin TEQ.

PCB Sulfates in Serum from Mothers and Children in Urban and Rural U.S. Communities.

Serum samples from 24 subjects (6 mother–daughter and 6 mother–son dyads) in a rural community (Columbus Junction, Iowa) and 24 subjects (6 mother–daughter and 6 mother–son dyads) in an urban community (East Chicago, Indiana) were analyzed for 74 sulfated metabolites of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). We detected significantly higher mean concentrations of total assessed PCB sulfates in the urban group (110–8900 ng/g fresh weight of serum, mean = 3400 ng/g, standard error = 300) than in the rural cohort (530–6700 ng/g fresh weight of serum, mean = 1800 ng/g, standard error = 500). Eight PCB sulfate congeners (4-PCB 2 sulfate, 4′-PCB 2 sulfate, 2′-PCB 3 sulfate, 4′-PCB 3 sulfate, 4-PCB 11 sulfate, 4′-PCB 18 sulfate, 4′-PCB 25 sulfate, and 4-PCB 52 sulfate) contributed over 90% of the total assessed PCB sulfates in most individuals. The serum samples were enriched in PCB sulfates with fewer than 5 chlorine atoms, and this congener distribution differed from those of PCBs and hydroxylated PCBs in previous studies in the same communities. Regression analysis indicated several significant congener-specific correlations in mother–child dyads, and these relationships differed by location and by mother–daughter or mother–son dyads. This is the first study reporting a broad range of PCB sulfates in populations from urban and rural areas.

Occurrence and Spatial Distribution of Individual Polychlorinated Biphenyl Congeners in Residential Soils from East Chicago, Southwest Lake Michigan

Occurrence and Spatial Distribution of Individual Polychlorinated Biphenyl Congeners in Residential Soils from East Chicago, Southwest Lake Michigan

Validation of blood arsenic and manganese assessment from archived clotted erythrocyte fraction in an urban cohort of mother-child dyads

Exposure to arsenic (As) and manganese (Mn) from contaminated food, drinking water and dust are linked to a host of adverse health effects. The recent discovery of unmonitored community exposures to hazardous levels of metals, as seen in the Flint Water Crisis and East Chicago, have demonstrated a need for novel biomonitoring methods utilizing samples other than whole blood. Here, we present a method utilizing clotted erythrocyte fraction samples, a blood component commonly archived in biorepositories, to predict whole blood levels of As and Mn. This method would allow for innovative retrospective assessments of environmental exposures in previously unused samples. Whole blood and clotted erythrocyte fraction samples were simultaneously collected from 84 participants in the Airborne Exposure to Semivolatile Organic Pollutants (AESOP) cohort study of mother-child dyads in East Chicago. Clotted erythrocyte fraction samples were prepared by alkaline dilution and subsequently analyzed using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. A strong linear relationship was observed between whole blood and clotted erythrocyte fraction with Pearson correlation coefficients (r, p < 0.001) of 0.74, and 0.82 for As and Mn, respectively. Modeled whole blood Mn levels predicted from clotted erythrocyte fractions evaluated at a test threshold representing the NHANES median of 9.7 μg/L, were found to have diagnostic sensitivity of 88% and specificity of 71%. Clotted erythrocyte partitioning of As was tested on a wide range of oral gavage doses using a rat model. Results from this investigation demonstrate clotted erythrocyte fraction samples are a viable alternative biological sample for retrospective public health surveillance of environmental exposure to As and Mn.

Wastelanding and Racialized Reproductive Labor: “Long Dyings” in East Chicago from Urban Renewal to Superfund Remediation

Abstract This article examines the gendered valence of environmental racism and white privilege as it unfolded in the history of urban renewal, public housing, and Superfund remediation in East Chicago, Indiana. Offering a deep history of the US Smelter and Lead Refinery Superfund site, it demonstrates that the historical process of “wastelanding” in the Calumet region relied on the exploitation of reproductive labor. The nonprofit Purdue-Calumet Development Foundation (PCDF)—led by Purdue University administrators and supported by East Chicago municipal administrators, academic researchers, and local business executives—spearheaded East Chicago’s urban renewal program. Through the course of executing these renewal measures, the PCDF co-opted Black and Brown women’s reproductive labor to accomplish their goals and relied on metaphors of feminized labor—particularly women’s stereotyped tasks of cleaning and nurturing—to explain and sanitize the social cost of slum removal. These historical legacies of politicizing reproductive labor are visible today in government officials’ continued disproportionate burdening of East Chicago’s minority women as the city navigates its lead poisoning epidemic. Housing and environmental government agencies (alongside their partners in industry) have reinscribed their reliance on traditional gender roles from the urban renewal era through the distant futurities of Superfund contamination sites. Tracing the long history of the city’s mismanagement of toxic environmental exposures reveals the need for environmental historians to study the important role of racialized reproductive labor in both the perpetuation of environmental injustices as well as the resilience of environmental justice communities as they work to survive devastating health impacts and social trauma.

Lead (Pb) concentrations and speciation in residential soils from an urban community impacted by multiple legacy sources

In many urban areas, elevated soil lead (Pb) concentrations are indicators of community-level Pb exposure. Here, we examine the spatial distribution and speciation of legacy soil Pb contamination in East Chicago, Ind., an industrial center with a wide range of Pb sources including a former lead smelter. In situ X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (n = 358) revealed widespread soil Pb contamination above the Environmental Protection Agency regulatory limit for soils. This soil contamination was heterogenous across all neighborhoods, and mostly uncorrelated with distance from the former smelting site. Soil Pb levels increased with decreasing median household income in East Chicago’s nine neighborhoods (r = −0.73, p = 0.03). Extended X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (n = 44) indicated that the soil Pb was primarily adsorbed to iron and manganese oxides or humic acids, and as Pb hydroxycarbonate regardless of contamination levels. Crystalline insoluble forms of Pb, like pyromorphite, were not detected in significant concentrations. Thus, the unique chemical forms of potential Pb sources to soil, such as paint, ore and slag are not persistent and instead are extensively repartitioned into acid-soluble forms of Pb with greater bioavailability. These findings have implications for remediation efforts and human health as blood Pb levels in this community are significantly elevated.

Characterization and within-site variation of environmental metal concentrations around a contaminated site using a community-engaged approach

Historic industrial activity led to extensive lead and arsenic contamination within residential areas of East Chicago, Indiana, United States. Although remediation is underway, community concerns about this contamination remain. Therefore, the goal for this analysis was to characterize environmental contamination in soil within and around these areas. A total of 228 samples from 32 different sites (addresses) were collected by community members or study staff. These were analyzed for metals using portable x-ray fluorescence or inductively coupled plasma ̶ optical emission spectroscopy. Concentrations exceeding EPA screening levels were found for 42% of the soil arsenic samples, 35% of the soil lead samples, and 79% of the soil manganese samples; a few samples also contained elevated copper or zinc. Concentrations above EPA screening levels were identified both within and outside of the formally designated contaminated area. Roughly 30% of all sites had at least one sample above and one sample below the screening level for arsenic, lead, and manganese. For sites within the contaminated area, more than 90% (arsenic), 60% (lead) and 60% (manganese) of the samples exceeded EPA screening levels. There was a significant association of proximity to the historic industrial site with elevated soil concentrations of arsenic and lead; a similar association was present for manganese. These results are consistent with existing data for lead and arsenic and we additionally report elevated concentrations of manganese and a high within-site variability of all metal concentrations. These findings should be considered in future remediation efforts.

Polychlorinated Biphenyls in Food.

We measured the concentrations of 205 polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners in 26 food items: beef steak, butter, canned tuna, catfish, cheese, eggs, french fries, fried chicken, ground beef, ground pork, hamburger, hot dog, ice cream, liver, luncheon meat, margarine, meat-free dinner, milk, pizza, poultry, salmon, sausage, shrimp, sliced ham, tilapia, and vegetable oil. Using Diet History Questionnaire II, we calculated the PCB dietary exposure in mothers and children participating in the AESOP Study in East Chicago, Indiana, and Columbus Junction, Iowa. Salmon had the highest concentration followed by canned tuna, but fish is a minor contributor to exposure. Other animal proteins are more important sources of PCB dietary exposure in this study population. Despite the inclusion of few congeners and food types in previous studies, we found evidence of a decline in PCB concentrations over the last 20 years. We also found strong associations of PCB congener distributions with Aroclors in most foods and found manufacturing byproduct PCBs, including PCB11, in tilapia and catfish. The reduction in PCB levels in food indicates that dietary exposure is comparable to PCB inhalation exposures reported for the same study population.

East Chicago Politics: A Cornucopia of Corruption

Despite the comical title, there is a lot of corruption in East Chicago (IN) politics. One mayoral election had to have a “do-over” because of fraudulent absentee ballots, and a former mayor is doing time in jail for using public monies to remodel his home. This cornucopia of corruption extended to the indictment of six public officials (the so-called Sidewalk Six) in East Chicago for misusing public funds for political gain, specifically vote-buying, in the 1999 mayoral reelection of Robert Pastrick. These officials, ranging from a parks superintendent to a city engineer to several city council members, bought votes by pouring sidewalks, installing driveways, trimming trees, and more on private property using public funds and noncompetitive bids. This scandal will be the topic of this paper. This type of corruption (vote-buying) falls under the categories of white and gray corruption as theorized by Heidenheimer (1970), where white corruption is typically found in kinship-based systems and is tolerated, and gray corruption is found in boss-patronage systems is not thought to be wrong by those involved. It is hypothesized that the vote-buying in East Chicago occurred because of four elements: lack of a competitive second party (Democrats have controlled East Chicago since its incorporation in 1889), machine politics, a largely ethnic immigrant population, and large amounts of casino money. This article explains how this type of corruption fits into the larger literature on corruption and concludes with the prospects for cleaner politics in East Chicago, Indiana.

Fathers' Engagement in Their Sons' Sexual and Reproductive Health.

* Abbreviation: SRH — : sexual and reproductive health Despite ongoing efforts to promote sexual and reproductive health (SRH), teenagers continue to engage in risky sexual behaviors. Nearly 60% of high school seniors have had sex, yet only 54% of sexually active teenagers report using a condom during their most recent sexual encounter, down from 62% in 2005.1 Concurrently, rates of sexually transmitted diseases are rising dramatically among adolescents and are increasing at a faster rate among boys than girls.2 A recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention analysis revealed that over the past 4 years, gonorrhea diagnoses have increased by 67% and syphilis diagnoses have increased by 76%. Nearly 2.3 million new cases of Chlamydia , gonorrhea, and syphilis were diagnosed in 2017 alone, breaking the previous record set in 2016.3 Clearly, new approaches are needed to address these trends. The landscape of SRH is rapidly evolving; contraception options are changing, and the days of health class and textbooks are going by the wayside4 as teenagers increasingly turn to their cell phones and the Internet for information.5 As the culture of SRH changes, so must our tactics for sexual health education. … Address correspondence to Kate Lucey, MD, MS, Department of Pediatrics, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, 225 East Chicago Ave, Box 152, Chicago, IL 60611. E-mail: klucey{at}luriechildrens.org

A lakewide survey of Asian clam (Corbicula fluminea) distribution at warmwater discharges in Lake Michigan

The Asian clam Corbicula fluminea is among the most prolific aquatic invaders in the world; but in colder mid-latitude areas, like the Laurentian Great Lakes, their population expansion has likely been limited by poor overwinter survival. In these areas, Asian clams are typically found in thermal refugia like warmwater discharges from industrial facilities. We sought to identify the current extent of Asian clam populations in Lake Michigan and waters immediately adjacent to it, specifically at locations most likely to harbor overwintering populations – industrial warmwater discharges. During April–May 2017, we surveyed 17 locations around Lake Michigan. Evidence of Asian clam populations was found at four sites, though live specimens (n = 3) were only found at the Indiana Harbor Ship Canal in East Chicago, IN. Shells or fragments of shells were found at Green Bay, WI, Waukegan, IL, and Port Sheldon, MI. Our findings indicate that although Asian clams are present in Lake Michigan, they are relatively rare, and remain isolated to a few small pockets of over-wintering habitat.

Communication Between Government Agencies and Local Communities: Rhetorical Analyses of Primary Documents in Three Environmental Risk Situations

Despite the migration of letters and memoranda to electronic media, these documents are still occasionally written as hard copy and transmitted through the post, especially during risk situations. In two recent environmental situations, such letters were sent in 2014 to residents in Newark, NJ, who were affected by the discovery of high levels of lead in their school water and in 2016 to residents of East Chicago, IN, who were affected by the discovery of lead under their homes. In each of these situations, letters were sent to residents whose reactions ranged from fear in Newark to anger in East Chicago. In neither case did residents act as requested. However, in 2011, residents in Morgan City, MO, whose land would be flooded by the opening of the Morganza Spillway, followed the instructions they received and evacuated. Research questions: This study examines the failure of citizens and community institutions to respond positively, if at all, to requests transmitted in hard copy that are related to risk situations. It poses the following research questions: 1. Do commonalities exist among the rhetorical decisions made by the writers of letters to which readers responded positively in a risk situation? 2. If so, do these decisions differ from those made by writers of letters to which readers objected or disregarded the requests made? Literature review: Research related to rhetorical analyses of primary documents transmitted in hard copy between engineers and managers prior to and during risk situations was surveyed. In addition, the literature related to rhetorical analyses of primary messages transmitted electronically prior to and during risk situations was also examined. Methods: A rhetorical analysis of the letters focused on the writers’ efforts to consider readers’ reading patterns and styles, prior knowledge, need for background information and details, and the economic, political, and psychological context in which readers read the letters. Results: The results indicate that the Newark and East Chicago letters are writer rather than reader-based, the writers failing to consider the readers’ reading patterns and styles, to provide necessary information, and to recognize the context in which the readers read the letters. On the other hand, the letters related to the Morganza Spillway are reader-based, providing the necessary information at the beginning of the correspondence, as well as providing sufficient details to enable readers to take the actions required to safeguard themselves and their families, businesses, and homes.

What's the Punchline?: Promoting Child and Teacher Resilience Through Pediatrician-Teacher Partnerships.

* Abbreviation: ACE — : adverse childhood experience > The Editorial Board of the Section on Pediatric Trainees Monthly Feature is proud to feature an article by Dr Kavitha Selvaraj, who suggests that the effects of toxic stress can be combated through the development of physician–teacher partnerships. Her article concluded our series of featured essays on the Advocacy Campaign for 2016–2017. > > Catherine Spaulding, MD, Editor, Pediatrics , SOPT Monthly Feature I first learned about toxic stress the day my student “J” punched me in the face. As a seventh-grade biology and health teacher in an underserved neighborhood, I hoped to inspire the next generation of scientists. Unfortunately, the 5-week teachers’ boot camp left me woefully underprepared for the students’ constant behavioral outbursts, so little time was actually spent teaching. The most memorable incident started when I heard voices in the hallway yelling, “Fight! Fight! Fight!” and found my students, “J” and “N,” throwing punches. I positioned myself between the sparring students and yelled at them to stop. N backed away immediately, but J kept swinging with full force. His pupils were dilated, his face was sweaty, his respirations were fast and shallow. I implored him to stop, but instead, he stared at me blankly and punched me square in the face. Within moments, security guards arrived to escort J and N to the dean’s office, and the crowd dispersed. I stood there a moment longer, my cheek throbbing and my ego even more wounded, in shock at what had just occurred. After finding an ice pack for my swollen … Address correspondence to Kavitha Selvaraj, MD, MPH, MAEd, Division of Academic General Pediatrics and Primary Care, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, 225 East Chicago Ave, Box 162, Chicago, IL 60611-2991. E-mail: kselvaraj{at}luriechildrens.org

Children's Lead Exposure: A Multimedia Modeling Analysis to Guide Public Health Decision-Making.

Background:Drinking water and other sources for lead are the subject of public health concerns around the Flint, Michigan, drinking water and East Chicago, Indiana, lead in soil crises. In 2015, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s National Drinking Water Advisory Council (NDWAC) recommended establishment of a “health-based, household action level” for lead in drinking water based on children’s exposure.Objectives:The primary objective was to develop a coupled exposure–dose modeling approach that can be used to determine what drinking water lead concentrations keep children’s blood lead levels (BLLs) below specified values, considering exposures from water, soil, dust, food, and air. Related objectives were to evaluate the coupled model estimates using real-world blood lead data, to quantify relative contributions by the various media, and to identify key model inputs.Methods:A modeling approach using the EPA’s Stochastic Human Exposure and Dose Simulation (SHEDS)-Multimedia and Integrated Exposure Uptake and Biokinetic (IEUBK) models was developed using available data. This analysis for the U.S. population of young children probabilistically simulated multimedia exposures and estimated relative contributions of media to BLLs across all population percentiles for several age groups.Results:Modeled BLLs compared well with nationally representative BLLs (0–23% relative error). Analyses revealed relative importance of soil and dust ingestion exposure pathways and associated Pb intake rates; water ingestion was also a main pathway, especially for infants.Conclusions:This methodology advances scientific understanding of the relationship between lead concentrations in drinking water and BLLs in children. It can guide national health-based benchmarks for lead and related community public health decisions. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP1605

Serum polychlorinated biphenyls and their hydroxylated metabolites are associated with demographic and behavioral factors in children and mothers

Factors contributing to the inter-individual variation in body burden of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and their hydroxylated metabolites (OH-PCBs) have not been fully elucidated. We examined associations between total serum concentrations of 209 PCBs, 64 OH-PCBs, and frequently detected individual congeners with demographic characteristics (age, gender, ethnicity and community of residence), body mass index (BMI or BMI percentile), and breastfeeding history in children and their mothers from 83 U.S. households. There was a significant positive association between age and concentrations of total PCBs and OH-PCBs in mothers. Non-Hispanics had significantly higher concentrations of total PCBs in mothers and OH-PCBs in children than Hispanics. Concentrations of total PCBs were significantly lower in mothers who had longer breastfeeding duration. Living in the Columbus Junction, Iowa community as compared to East Chicago, Indiana was associated with higher total PCBs in children, probably attributable to higher exposures at school. Lower concentrations of OH-PCBs were significantly associated with a higher BMI percentile in children. Congener-specific associations were observed for 30 PCB and 12 OH-PCB congeners and followed comparable trends. To our knowledge, this is the first study to examine factors contributing to variations in serum concentrations of total 209 PCBs and total OH-PCBs in children, as well as to examine ethnic differences in OH-PCB levels. Results from this study revealed that demographic characteristics, body mass index and breastfeeding history are factors that should be considered for human exposure and risk assessment of PCBs and OH-PCBs.

Invasive species sustain double-crested cormorants in southern Lake Michigan

Double-crested cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) have long and often been implicated in having detrimental effects on fisheries. Research has shown that the main components of cormorant diets vary significantly among forage, invasive, or economically important fish species. This study builds on previous work in the north basin of Lake Michigan by focusing on cormorant diet composition at their only significant nesting colony in the southern basin at East Chicago, Indiana where cormorant diet has been unstudied. Regurgitated pellets were collected from the colony and diagnostic bones were used to elucidate diet composition. Alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus), round goby (Neogobius melanostomus), Lepomis spp., white perch (Morone americana) and yellow perch (Perca flavescens) were the most frequently found prey items depending on cormorant feeding period. Invasive species, most notably alewife, round goby, and white perch, contributed over 80% and 90% of the diet of cormorants by biomass and number, respectively. No salmonine species were detected suggesting that negative effects on this important fishery would likely occur only via direct competition for prey (e.g., alewife). Predation on yellow perch, which occurred mainly prior to and during the perch spawning season (i.e., of age-1 and older individuals), may warrant further study to quantify the effects on the local yellow perch population. However, because yellow perch abundance is thought to be currently limited by poor recruitment at age-0, these results do not support the active management of the cormorants at this colony to protect or recover local fisheries.