environmental health
Carin Huset analyzes samples for a MDH PFAS biomonitoring study
Christina Rosebush, MPH and Carin Huset, PhD
Protecting Communities: Minnesota Biomonitoring
and Minnesota Environmental Public Health Tracking
by Christina Rosebush, MPH, epidemiologist, Minnesota Department of Health; Carin Huset, PhD, research scientist,
Minnesota Department of Health; and Gynene Sullivan, MA, senior communications specialist, APHL
P
ublic health officials at the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) work
across programs to conduct biomonitoring in vulnerable populations
and communicate results to legislators, local health officials, and
the community. In response to growing public concern about exposures to
environmental chemical contaminants such as polyfluoroalkyl substances
(PFASs), mercury, and arsenic, the state legislature created Minnesota
Biomonitoring (MN Biomonitoring) and Minnesota Environmental Public
Health Tracking (MN Tracking) in 2007 to gather and share data with the public
on chemical exposures in people.
Biomonitoring studies are coordinated by MN Biomonitoring and the MDH
Public Health Laboratory. MN Tracking integrates study results with national
biomonitoring data on a publicly available web-based portal. This approach
was used by MDH to track long-term serum levels of PFASs in a community
in the East Metro, a suburban area east of Minneapolis–St. Paul, and
communicate results to the public.
Responding to PFAS Exposure
PFASs have been used for decades to manufacture products and coatings that
resist heat, oil, stains, grease and water. In 2005, the state discovered PFASs
in some drinking water sources in the East Metro. Filtration systems were
installed to lower PFAS levels in contaminated public and private wells, but
community members were concerned about past exposures.
MDH tested serum levels of eight PFASs in the same 149 East Metro residents
in 2008, 2010 and 2014. The MDH Public Health Laboratory developed
methods for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorohexanoic acid
(PFHxA), perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA), perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA),
perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS),
and perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS). The final study also measured
perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) levels.
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LAB MATTERS Fall 2016
DIGITAL EXTRA:
Visit the MN Tracking Portal and read more about
MN Biomonitoring.
The studies found that the public health interventions to reduce drinking
water exposure to PFASs were working. Serum levels of the most frequently
detected PFASs declined substantially. On average, individual levels of PFOS
declined by 45%, PFOA by 59%, and PFHxS by 34% over six years. The studies
found that years drinking unfiltered water before the intervention was the
most important predictor of serum PFAS levels in long-term residents.
PFAS data are displayed on the portal maintained by MN Tracking, along
with data on six other chemicals: mercury, cotinine, arsenic, lead and
cadmium. Most data are from the National Health and Nutrition Examination
Survey (NHANES), an ongoing health survey that is representative of the US
population and includes biomonitoring for hundreds of chemicals. NHANES is
a rich data source for tracking trends over time and highlighting disparities by
age, sex, income and race/ethnicity. State-specific data from MN Biomonitoring
studies are also displayed. For many chemicals of concern, including PFASs,
guidance for safe and unsafe levels in the body does not exist. Co-displaying
local and national data helps portal visitors compare exposure levels in study
participants to levels found in the general US population.
Biomonitoring for the Future
MN Biomonitoring continues to develop its capacity to track chemical
exposure trends, as well as its ability to share study results to promote actions
that reduce chemical exposures in Minnesotans. Ongoing studies focus
on pregnant women, children and disadvantaged communities. This work
includes MN Family Environmental Exposure Tracking, a current project that is
measuring metals in pregnant women and newborns in Minneapolis–St. Paul.
Biomonitoring work supports the MDH vision for health equity in Minnesota,
where all communities are thriving and all people have what they need to
be healthy.
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