Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

Canada #269: Measurements and Modelling of Endocrine Disrupting Compounds (EDCs) in Arctic Food Chains and Related Human Dietary Exposure of Arctic Peoples  (Accumulation of Emerging Contaminants in Arctic Food Chains)

Outline
We propose to investigate food chain accumulation and human dietary exposure of key endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) and metabolites of toxicological concern in the Canadian Arctic. High production volumes (HPVs) and extensive global distribution of EDCs including brominated flame retardants (BFRs) such as polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), and hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD), plasticizers such as dialkyl phthalate esters (DPEs), personal care products such as synthetic nitro and polycyclic musks and current-use pesticides such as endosulfan, tetradifon and dicofol renders their investigation a priority research area. The Arctic is of particular concern because compounds such as PBDEs, DPEs and synthetic musks have comparable physical-chemical properties to “legacy” POPs such as PCBs and DDTs, and hence may undergo long-range transport, bioaccumulate and persist in Arctic biota and humans. Preliminary results of our pilot study in eastern Canadian Arctic biota indeed indicate dialkyl and monoalkyl phthalate esters, hydroxylated and methoxylated brominated diphenyl ethers (OH-BDE and MeO-BDEs) and synthetic musks are detected at appreciable quantities in the tissues and organs of Arctic fish and marine mammals. Our primary focus is to determine concentrations of endocrine disrupting compounds, including BFRs (PBDEs and their OH- and MeO- metabolites), dialkyl and monoalkyl phthalate esters, and synthetic musks in traditional/country foods, human serum and breast milk sampled from Canadian Inuit. We plan to employ a “food-basket” approach to evaluate the food-chain transfer and associated human exposure of these new chemicals of concern. Another objective is to develop and evaluate an Arctic human food-web bioaccumulation model. The model will be validated using historical concentration data for legacy POPs such as PCBs and DDTs. The rationale for this study is twofold: (i) the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) mandates Health Canada to assess candidate POPs for their potential of human exposure and (ii) human exposure estimates of contaminants are key requirements for assessing the human health implications of contaminants in the Canadian Arctic. Northern populations are generally subject to elevated exposures of POPs (compared to southern Canadians) due to consumption of high-trophic animals such as marine mammals. Our study is expected to generate baseline concentration data for several new emerging contaminants concern in the Arctic food-chain (including humans) and elicit subsequent mean daily intake (MDI) and benefit-risk assessments for northern peoples. Also, development and validation of an Arctic human food web bioaccumulation model for “legacy” POPs and emerging contaminants will also provide an important tool for future human exposure assessments.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
Theme 1: This project aims to determine current status regarding baseline levels of emerging endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in the Arctic environment. Theme 2: Our plans to develop a temporal-spatial dependent simulation model of contaminant delivery and accumulation dynamics in the Arctic ecosystem will allow forecasting of future contamination scenarios, including the effects of changing polar climate. Theme 3: This project will also relate Arctic ecosystem contamination with global production and emissions of commercial chemicals. Theme 6: This project will provide important information regarding the health of traditional/country foods and dietary exposure of human populations in the Arctic environment.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
We plan to coordinate with other IPY projects/researchers with similar focus, including proposed work from the Netherlands, Norway and Denmark/Greenland and within Canada (e.g., IPY ID # 227, # 483, # 497 and # 760). We are currently discussing collaborative efforts with those corresponding lead investigators.

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
Eastern Hudson Bay, Quebec (58° 27' N 78° 9' W) Western Hudson Bay, Nunavut (61° 7' N 94° 2' W) Holman Island, NWT (70° 43' N 117° 45' W)

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: 04/06 – 10/09            
Antarctic: n/a

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
The majority of field sampling will be conducted based near local Inuit communities in coordination with Inuit hunters. However, some ship-time on Canadian research vessels will be necessary (i.e., for seawater and sediment sampling). This can be shared with other projects.

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
The project will not generate physical infrastructure per se, but will generate an important temporal-spatial contaminant database useful for future scientific research. Also, coordination with regional Inuit organizations will strengthen government-community relationships in the north.

How is it envisaged that the required logistic support will be secured?
Own national polar operator
National agency
Own support
Other sources of support

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
This pre-proposal is currently under review by the Canadian Steering Committee (CSC) and is submitted within the Ecosystems-Contaminants Theme subsection.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND STRUCTURE

Is the project a short-term expansion (over the IPY 2007-2008 timeframe) of an existing plan, programme or initiative or is it a new autonomous proposal?


This project is a newly proposed component of on-going research on emerging contaminants in the Arctic that will continue through the IPY 2007-2008 time period.

How will the project be organised and managed?
The overall project will be managed by M.G. Ikonomou (IOS). Sample extraction, clean up and analysis by high resolution gas-chromatography/mass spectrometry (HRGC/HRMS) will be conducted at the IOS trace contaminants laboratory facilities under supervision of M.G. Ikonomou. Field work will be coordinated closely with regional Inuit organizations (e.g., Nunavik in Quebec and Inuvialuit in NWT) and individual communities.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
This project will include the training of university students (e.g., SFU, UBC, UVIC, Laval) and involve outreach to several Canadian Inuit communities (e.g., local Inuit hunters are involved in sample collections). We have much past experience with co-management of both research efforts and generated data with regional Inuit organizations through previous national research initiatives (e.g., Northern Contaminants Program, Northern Ecosystems Initiative and Toxic Substance Research Initiatives).

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?
The lead investigator will be responsible for the overall management of generated data. Chemical concentration data and risk assessment information will be provided to regional Inuit organizations and communities through community consultation workshops and Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program (AMAP). We envision preparing an internet version of the computer simulation model.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
Total budgeted costs are approximately 250K/year for 3 years. The per sample cost chemical analysis is on a cost-recovery basis and is less than 50% the rate of private production laboratories. A portion of funds are from collaborative and in-kind support. Other potential funding sources include Canadian government initiatives and NSERC grants.

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
None

PROPOSER DETAILS

Dr Michael G Ikonomou
Head of Contaminant Sciences Division
Fisheries & Oceans Canada
P.O Box 6000, 9860 West Saanich Rd. Sidney, British Columbia
V8L 4B2
Canada

Tel: (250) 363-6804
Mobile: no
Fax: (250) 363-6807
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation