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The Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement
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- Areas of Concern
- The Clean Water Act
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U.S. Response to Recommendation to the
IJC's 10th Biennial Report on Great Lake Water Quality - August 2001
- Glossary of Terms
- Remedial Action Plans
- Threat to Human Health
- Contaminated Sediment
- Airborne Toxic Substances
- Great lakes Binational Toxics Strategy
- Land Use
- Alien Invasive Species
- Information and Data Management
- SOLEC and Indicators
- Appendix 1
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APPENDIX 1
Recent Findings of ATSDR Human Health Effects Study in the Great Lakes
Exposure
- A significant trend of increasing body burden is associated with
increased fish consumption (Fitzgerald et al., 1996a,b, 1999; Falk et
al., 1999; Hanrahan et al., 1999)
- Men eat more fish than women; men and women eat Great Lakes sport
fish during most of their reproductive years (Courval et al., 1996;
Fitzgerald et al., 1996a,b, 1999; Lonky et al, 1996; Waller et
al.,1996; Hanrahan et al., 1999).
- Consumption of Lake Ontario Great Lakes sport fish by women of childbearing age increases the risk for prenatal exposure to the most heavily chlorinated PCBs (Stewart et al.,1999).
Socio-Behavioral and Demographics Data
- A recent survey of adult residents of the eight Great Lakes states
estimated that 4.7 million people consumed Great Lakes sport fish in a
given year; and 43.9% of the respondents were women (Tilden et
al.,1997).
- Knowledge of and adherence to health advisories for Great Lakes
sport caught fish varies across different genders and populations.,
e.g., men verus women and whites verus Native Americans, respectively
(Fitzgerald et al., 1996 a,b, 1999; Waller et al., 1996; Tilden et
al.,1997)
- Fifty percent of respondents to the survey who had eaten Great Lakes sport fish were aware of the health advisory for fish, and awareness differed significantly by race, sex, educational level, fish consumption, and state of residence (Tilden et al., 1997).
Health Effects
- Conception rate and the incidence of a live birth are lower in some
women who are sport fish consumers (Courval et al.,1999; Buck et al.
2000).
- An association was found between men who consumed large amounts of
sport fish and the risk of delayed conception in their spouses (Courval
et al.,1999).
- Significant menstrual cycle reductions were indicated in women who
reported consuming more than 1 meal per month of contaminated Great
Lakes sport fish (Mendola et al.,1997).
- In the Oswego study neurobehavioral and developmental deficits have
been observed in newborns (12 to 24 hours after birth and again 25 to
48 hours after birth) of mothers who consumed approximately 2.3 meals
per month of contaminated Lake Ontario fish (Lonky et al., 1996).
- The relationship between prenatal exposure to PCBs and performance
on the Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale (NBAS) was assessed in
newborns of the Oswego study. The results indicated significant
relationships between the most highly chlorinated PCBs and performance
impairment on the habituation and autonomic tests of the NBAS at 25 -
48 hours after birth. No significant relationship was found between
PCBs of lesser chlorination, DDE (dichlorodiphenyl dichloroethene),
hexachlorobenzene, mirex, lead or mercury on any NBAS performance
test. (Stewart et al., 2000).
- Some of exposed newborns in the Oswego study are three years of age
and initial test results for memory, verbal, and perceptual
performance indicate their score is lower than children from mothers
who consumed lower amounts or no Great Lakes sport fish (Stewart et
al.,1998).
- Self-reported liver disease, diabetes, and muscle/joint pain may be
associated with exposure to PCBs and other contaminants via fish
consumption (Dellinger et al., 1997).
- PCB concentrations were significantly associated with poorer
pegboard performance. The pegboard performance test evaluates visual
motor coordination and spatial orientation (Dellinger et al., 1995a).
- PCBs and DDE were markedly elevated in an adult fish eating cohort. Exposure to PCBs, not DDE was associated with lower scores on several measures of memory and learning (Schantz et al., 2001).
GLOSSARY
OF TERMS
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| ANS ANSTF AoC ARCS ATSDR BIA BWSC CDF CEM CERCLA CMI CWA DDE DDT DNR DOH EC GLBTS GLC GLENDA GLHHERP GLISP GLNPO GLWQA HCB HYSPLIT IADN IJC IMO LaMP LMMB MDN NHANES NBAS NDAMN NOAA NPL NRDA OCS ORD PAC PBT PCBs PIEs PLUARG QA/QC QA RAP RCRA SOLEC SPAC SRI STORET TMDLs USACE USCG USDA USEPA USGS USPC WIC |
Aquatic Nuisance Species Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force Area of Concern Assessment and Remediation of Contaminated Sediments Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry Biodiversity Investment Area Ballast Water and Shipping Committee Confined Disposal Facility Coastal Environmental Management Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act Clean Michigan Initiative Clean Water Act dichlorodiphenyl dichloroethene 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethane Department of Natural Resources Department of Health Environment Canada Great Lakes Binational Toxics Strategy Great Lakes Commission Great Lakes Environmental Database Great Lakes Human Health Effects Research Program Great Lakes International Surveillance Plan Great Lakes National Program Office Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement Hexachlorobenzene Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory Integrated Atmospheric Deposition Network International Joint Commission International Maritime Organization Lakewide Management Plan Lake Michigan Mass Balance Mercury Deposition Network National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale National Dioxin Air Monitoring Network National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Priority List Natural Resource Damage Assessment Octachlorostyrene Office of Research and Development Public Advisory Council Persistent, Bioaccumulative, and Toxic Polychlorinated Biphenyls Partner Identified Ecosystems Pollution from Land Use Activities Reference Group Quality Assurance/Quality Control Quality Assurance Remedial Action Plan Resource Conservation and Recovery Act State of the Lakes Ecosystem Conference Statewide Public Advisory Council Superfund Redevelopment Initiative Storage and Retrieval Total Maximum Daily Loads United States Army Corps of Engineers United States Coast Guard United States Department of Agriculture United States Environmental Protection Agency United States Geological Survey United States Policy Committee Women, Infants, and Children |
Full References for Great Lakes Research Findings Listed Above
Anderson, H.A., Falk, C., Hanrahan, L., Olson, J., Burse, V., Needham, L., et al. 1998. Profiles of Great Lakes critical pollutants: a sentinel analysis of human blood and urine -The Great Lakes Consortium. Environ Health Perspect. 106(5), 279-289.
Buck, G. M., Vena, J.E., Schisterman, E.F., Dmochowski, J., Mendola, P., Sever, L.E. Fitzgerald, E., Kostyniak, P., Greizerstein, H., and Olson, J. 2000. Parental consumption of contaminated sport fish from Lake Ontario and predicted fecundability. Epidemiol. 11(4), 388-393.
Courval, J.M., DeHoog, J.V., Stein, A.D., Tay, E.M., He, J., Humphrey, H.E.B., and Paneth, N. 1999. Sport-caught fish consumption and conception delay in licensed Michigan anglers. Environ Res. 80(Suppl 2), 183-188.
Courval, J.M., DeHoog, J.V., Holzman, C.B., Tay, E.M., Fischer, L., Humphrey, H.E.B., Paneth, N.S., and Sweeney, A.M. 1996. Fish consumption and other characteristics of reproductive-aged Michigan anglers - a potential population for studying the effects of consumption of Great Lakes fish on reproductive health. Toxicol. Ind. Health 12, 347-359.
Dellinger, J.A., Gerstenberger, S.L., Hansen, L.K., Kmiecek, N. Meyers R.M., Gebhardt, K.J. and Malek, L.L.1995a. An assessment of a human population at risk: the impact of consuming contaminated Great Lakes fish on Native Americans - Progress Report to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, 1998.
Dellinger, J.A., Gerstenberger, S.L., Hansen, L.K., and Malek, L.L. 1997. Ojibwa health study: assessing the health risks from consuming contaminated Great Lakes fish. Health Conference '97 Great Lakes and St. Lawrence. Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Falk, L., Hanrahan, L., Anderson, H.A., Kanarek, M.S., Draheim, L., Needham, L, et al. 1999. Body burdens levels of dioxins, furans, and PCBs among frequent consumers of Great Lakes sport fish. Environ Res. 80(Suppl 2), 19-25.
Fitzgerald, E.F., Hwang, S., Cook, K., Worswick, P., E.F., Deres, Bush, B., Yang, B-z., et al; 1996a. PCB, DDE, mirex, and hexachlorobenzene exposure among native American men and women from contaminated Great Lakes fish and wildlife - Progress Report to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.
Fitzgerald, E., Brix, K., Detes, D., Hwang, S., Bush, B., Lambert, G., and Tarbell A. 1996b. Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) and dichlorodiphenyl dichloroethylene (DDE) exposure among Native American men from contaminated Great Lakes fish and wildlife 1996b. Toxicol. Ind. Health 12, 361-368.
Fitzgerald, E.F., Deres, D.A., Hwang, S-A., Bush, B., Yang, B-z., Tarbell, A., and Jacobs, A. 1999. Local fish consumption and serum PCB concentrations among Mohawk men at Akwesasne. Environ. Res. 80(Suppl 2), 97-103.
Hanrahan, L.P., Falk, C., Anderson, H.A., Draheim, L., Kanarek, M.S., Olson, J. et al. 1999. Serum PCB and DDE levels of frequent Great Lakes sport fish consumers - a first look. Environ. Res. 80(Suppl 2), 26-37.
Lonky, E., Reihman, J., Darvill, T., Mather, J., and Daly, H. 1996. Neonatal behavioral assessment scale performance in humans influenced by maternal consumption of environmentally contaminated Lake Ontario fish. J Great Lakes Res. 22(2), 98-212.
Mendola, P., Buck, G.M., Sever, L.E., Zieiezny, M,. Vena ,J.E. 1997. Consumption of PCB-contaminated freshwater fish and shortened menstrual cycle length. Am J Epidemiol. 146(11), 955-960.
Schantz, S.L., Sweeney, A.M., Gardiner, J.C., Humphrey, H.E.B., McCaffrey, R.J., Gasior, D.M., Srikanth, K.R., and Budd, M.L. 1996. Neuropsychological assessment of an aging population of Great Lakes fish eaters. Toxicol Ind Health 12, 403-417.
Schantz, S.L., Gardiner, J.C., Gasior, D.M., Sweeney, A.M., Humphrey, H.E.B., and McCaffrey, R.J. 1999. Motor functioning in aging Great Lakes fisheaters. Environ. Res. 80(Suppl 2), 46-56.
Schantz, S.L., Gasior, D.M., Polverejan, E., McCaffrey R.J., Sweeney A.M., Humphrey, H.E.B., and Gardiner, J.C. 2001. Impairments of memory and learning in older adults exposed to polychlorinated biphenyls via consumption of Great Lakes fish. Environ. Health Perspect.109(5) (In print)
Stewart, P., Darvill, T., Lonky, E., Reihman, J. 1998. Behavioral effects of consumption of Lake Ontario fish: two methodological approaches - Progress Report to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.
Stewart, P., Darvill, T., Lonky, E., Reihman, J., Pagano, J., and Bush, B. 1999. Assessment of prenatal exposure of PCBs from maternal consumption of Great Lakes fish: an analysis of PCB pattern and concentration. Environ. Res. 80(Suppl 2), 87-96.
Stewart, P., Reihman, J., Lonky, E., Darvill, T., and Pagano, J. 2000. Prenatal PCB exposure and neonatal behavioral assessment scale (NBAS) performance. Neurotoxicol. Teratol. 22, 21-29.
Tilden, J., Hanrahan, L., Anderson, H.A., Palit, C., Olson, J., MacKenzie, W. 1997. Health advisories for consumers of Great Lakes sport fish: Is the message being received? Environ. Health Perspect. 105(12), 1360-1365.
Tryphonas, H. 1995. Immunotoxicity of PCBs (Aroclors) in relation to Great Lakes. Environ. Health Perspect. 103(Suppl 9), 35-46.
Waller, D.P., Presperin, C., Drum, M.L., Negrusz, A., Larsen, A.K., van der Ven, H., and Hibbard, J.1996. Great Lakes fish as a source of maternal and fetal exposure to chlorinated hydrocarbons. Toxicol. Ind. Health 12, 335-345.