Special Project 2

SP2: Persistent organic pollutants in human plasma of residents from traditional Arctic societies – impacts of oil and gas activity.

Responsible Researchers (co-supervisors): Geir Wing Gabrielsen (NPI) and Gunhild Hoogensen (UiTø)

Participants: 1 PhD student (this position will be announced).

In some Arctic populations, contaminant levels are so high that they can affect children’s mental development and the resistance to infections (AMAP 2002; Cone 2005). In addition, there are concerns about effects on hormones that are important for growth and sexual development (Ahlborg et al. 1992; Lemesh 1992; Hansen 2000). The primary source of these persistent organic pollutants (POPs) is from marine food with high lipid content (AMAP 2002; Sadanger et al. 2003). However, these are the same foods that provide important nutrients, energy in a harsh climate, and also a sense of identity in a time of rapid cultural change (AMAP 2002). From the perspective of research, not only do the effects and sources of contaminants need to be documented, but it is also necessary to facilitate communication of these results to the affected communities. The overall objective of the present study is to get circumpolar data for emerging pollutants and metabolites that are linked to environmental pollutants (including oil and gas activity). What are the direct and indirect linkages between oil and gas activity and POP levels in humans? Possible geographical differences in contamination levels should also be investigated.

Indigenous peoples from Arctic societies – Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Northern Norway and Russia – living the traditional way of life will be interviewed and asked about their eating habits, life-style factors and about eventually diseases. Women will as well be asked about pregnancy and times of breast feeding. Additionally, plasma samples will be taken of each person interviewed (done in cooperation with local health officials). The samples will be analysed for pollutants, especially for pollutants connected to oil and gas activity. Samples of the different food items will be taken and analysed for the same pollutants. Pollutant levels of each person will be correlated to their effects on the immune- and hormone system, eventually diseases and to the pollutant levels in food items they are used to eat. Contamination levels will be compared between men and women. Pollutant levels will be correlated for each person directly to effects on the immune- and hormone system, the fatty acid profile and eventually diseases and food items.

There have been  studies done on the problem of human health and POP pollutant concentrations before (Dewailly et al. 1989; Van Oostdam et al. 1999; Hansen 2000; Van Oostdam et al. 2000). However, there are few studies related to oil and only a few studies on emerging contaminants as BFRs and PFOS and about metabolites of standard POPs (i.e. HO-PCBs, MeSO2-PCBs and MeSO2-p,p’-DDE) in humans. Additionally, previous studies were only performed as a mean pollutant concentration of the population from one region and were compared to mean pollutant levels in food items. Therefore, this study will compare individual pollutant concentrations, effects on hormone- and immune system and the fatty acid profile and eventually diseases and the concentration of the food this individual person is eating. The desired outcome is a survey combining the insights of social sciences and human toxicology.

This study complements recent studies of contaminants in North Norwegian and Russian communities (SFT, 2005; SFT, 2006), and complies with several major goals that have been formulated in the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP 2002) and a new assessment related to oil in the Arctic (AMAP, in press): a) There is a need to obtain a spatial distribution of the magnitude of contaminant levels (including pollutants from oil and gas activity) on a circumpolar basis, and on metals (mercury and cadmium), and POPs in organisms for which there are concerns for biological effects. b) There is a need for improved information on spatial and temporal trends to clarify the adverse effects of POPs, PAHs, methyl mercury, and cadmium on human populations, especially on child development. c) Interoperability, information and co-operation between the different countries is of importance. d) There is a gap in current understanding of the diet and food consumption patterns of specific arctic populations to allow better estimates of dietary intakes of contaminants and permit more reliable estimates of associated risks. This study intends to provide new knowledge pertaining to trends of the adverse affects of contaminants on Arctic populations, using the human security framework, and focusing on relations between health security (one of the 7 categories of human security) and economic/energy security.