Levels of chemical contaminants in nonoccupationally exposed U. S. residents

Technical Report · Tue Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1978

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6516431· OSTI ID:6516431

Holleman, J. W.; Hammons, A. S.

Data are presented on the levels of all chemical contaminants resulting from environmental pollution which have been found in human tissues including blood, urine, breast milk, and tissue samples obtained at autopsy. Most data results from specific surveys to determine health hazards. The roles of trace elements and recognition of the need to determine baseline levels of chemicals introduced into the environment are factors which have motivated surveys by individual investigators. Thus, most data on chemicals in human tissues record levels of pesticides (e.g., DDT and metabolites), levels of trace metals such as lead, cadmium, and mercury, or levels of nutritionally essential elements such as zinc, copper, manganese, and fluoride. Data available on iron and calcium are not presented as their presence in the environment is generally not considered hazardous. Data on several uncommon chemicals, such as indium and ytterbium, are included basically as items of interest and to further document their presence in healthy individuals. Baseline data were presented where available to provide perspective as to chemical levels which might be expected under conditions where exposure could be considered normal or not directly related to a pollutant source. Nearly 600 cited surveys or investigations, most of which were reported within the past decade, are listed. Ninety-four different chemical contaminants, primarily trace metals and organochlorine pesticides, are reported. It is estimated that over 75% of the data published during the past 30 years on chemical contaminants derived from environmental pollution and found in human tissue in the United States are represented in this report.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-26
• OSTI ID: 6516431
• Report Number(s): ORNL/EIS-142; TRN: 79-005433
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
CADMIUM
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
HEALTH HAZARDS
CHEMICAL EFFLUENTS
BIBLIOGRAPHIES
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
COPPER
FLUORIDES
HUMAN POPULATIONS
INDIUM
LEAD
MANGANESE
MERCURY
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
PESTICIDES
TISSUES
MAN
USA
YTTERBIUM
ZINC
AUTOPSY
BLOOD
METALS
MILK
SAMPLING
TRACE AMOUNTS
URINE
ANIMALS
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BIOLOGICAL WASTES
BODY
BODY FLUIDS
DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES
DOCUMENT TYPES
ELEMENTS
FLUORINE COMPOUNDS
FOOD
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
HAZARDS
MAMMALS
MASS TRANSFER
NORTH AMERICA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
POPULATIONS
PRIMATES
RARE EARTHS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
VERTEBRATES
WASTES
360306* - Composite Materials- Radiation Effects- (-1987)
500200 - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)
510200 - Environment
Terrestrial- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)
520200 - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)