Environmental exposure and lifestyle predictors of lead, cadmium, PCB, and DDT levels in Great Lakes fish eaters

Journal Article · Mon Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1993 · Archives of Environmental Health; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1080/00039896.1993.9938402· OSTI ID:6500509

Hovinga, M E; Sowers, M; Humphrey, H E ^[1]

---

1. Univ. of Alabama, Birmingham (United States)

A previously characterized cohort of 115 Great Lakes fish eaters and 95 non-fish-eating regional controls was reexamined in 1989. Levels of blood lead and cadmium and serum PCB and DDT were measured. Lifestyle characteristics, including recent and historic fish consumption, were evaluated as predictors of contaminant levels using multivariate regression analysis. Significantly elevated serum PCB and DDT levels were observed in fish eaters, compared with controls. Historic fish consumption, rather than recent consumption, was identified as the primary predictor of current serum levels. Mean blood lead and cadmium were also significantly higher in fish eaters than in controls. However, the primary predictors of lead and cadmium were behavioral exposures--specifically smoking and self-reported occupational and recreational exposure-rather than fish consumption. These findings illustrate the importance of evaluating a variety of possible sources when investigating human exposure to environmental contaminants.

• OSTI ID: 6500509
• Journal Information: Archives of Environmental Health; (United States), Vol. 48:2; ISSN 0003-9896
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
ELDERLY PEOPLE
DIET
ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE
LIFE STYLES
FISHES
CONTAMINATION
TOXIC MATERIALS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
CADMIUM
DDT
FOOD
GREAT LAKES
LEAD
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLS
WATER POLLUTION
ADULTS
AGE GROUPS
AGED ADULTS
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
AROMATICS
CHLORINATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
ELEMENTS
HALOGENATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
HUMAN POPULATIONS
INSECTICIDES
LAKES
MATERIALS
METALS
MINORITY GROUPS
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
PESTICIDES
POLLUTION
POPULATIONS
SURFACE WATERS
VERTEBRATES
560300* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
550500 - Metabolism