Blood and urinary cadmium levels in Inuit living in Kuujjuaq, Canada

Benedetti, Jean-Louis; Turcotte, Fernand; Lefebvre, Michel; Therrien, François; Weber, Jean-Philippe

doi:10.1016/0048-9697(92)90475-8

Cited by 14 publications

(6 citation statements)

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“…The important decrease in never-smokers and ex-smokers could be explained by a decrease in passive tobacco smoke exposure following preventive campaigns promoting smoke-free environments. Although studies carried out in 1988, 1990 and 1992 failed to show a significant association between consumption of caribou liver and kidneys [ 46 - 48 ] and cadmium exposure, our results revealed that dietary habits nevertheless have an impact on blood cadmium concentrations in never-smokers and therefore, the effect of the consumption of caribou offal cannot be completely dismissed as an additional source of exposure. Overall, the consumption of caribou liver and kidneys constitutes only a small proportion of the traditional Inuit diet and it is unlikely that it could ever lead an individual to exposure levels exceeding safety thresholds [ 44 ], and therefore, environmental tobacco smoke definitely remains the main source of cadmium exposure as shown by the multivariate regression model.…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 76%

Re-evaluation of blood mercury, lead and cadmium concentrations in the Inuit population of Nunavik (Québec): a cross-sectional study

Fontaine¹,

Dewailly²,

Benedetti

et al. 2008

Environ Health

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BackgroundArctic populations are exposed to mercury, lead and cadmium through their traditional diet. Studies have however shown that cadmium exposure is most often attributable to tobacco smoking. The aim of this study is to examine the trends in mercury, lead and cadmium exposure between 1992 and 2004 in the Inuit population of Nunavik (Northern Québec, Canada) using the data obtained from two broad scale health surveys, and to identify sources of exposure in 2004.MethodsIn 2004, 917 adults aged between 18 and 74 were recruited in the 14 communities of Nunavik to participate to a broad scale health survey. Blood samples were collected and analysed for metals by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, and dietary and life-style characteristics were documented by questionnaires. Results were compared with data obtained in 1992, where 492 people were recruited for a similar survey in the same population.ResultsMean blood concentration of mercury was 51.2 nmol/L, which represent a 32% decrease (p < 0.001) between 1992 and 2004. Mercury blood concentrations were mainly explained by age (partial r2 = 0.20; p < 0.0001), and the most important source of exposure to mercury was marine mammal meat consumption (partial r2 = 0.04; p < 0.0001). In 2004, mean blood concentration of lead was 0.19 μmol/L and showed a 55% decrease since 1992. No strong associations were observed with any dietary source, and lead concentrations were mainly explained by age (partial r2 = 0.20.; p < 0.001). Blood cadmium concentrations showed a 22% decrease (p < 0.001) between 1992 and 2004. Once stratified according to tobacco use, means varied between 5.3 nmol/L in never-smokers and 40.4 nmol/L in smokers. Blood cadmium concentrations were mainly associated with tobacco smoking (partial r2 = 0.56; p < 0.0001), while consumption of caribou liver and kidney remain a minor source of cadmium exposure among never-smokers.ConclusionImportant decreases in mercury, lead and cadmium exposure were observed. Mercury decrease could be explained by dietary changes and the ban of lead cartridges use likely contributed to the decrease in lead exposure. Blood cadmium concentrations remain high and, underscoring the need for intensive tobacco smoking prevention campaigns in the Nunavik population.

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Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 76%

Re-evaluation of blood mercury, lead and cadmium concentrations in the Inuit population of Nunavik (Québec): a cross-sectional study

Fontaine¹,

Dewailly²,

Benedetti

et al. 2008

Environ Health

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“…The study failed to reveal a relationship between game edible offals consumption and blood and urine cadmium concentration. However, blood cadmium concentrations were higher than those reported for nonoccupationally exposed populations (Benedetti et al, 1992). A strong association between tobacco smoking and cadmium biological concentration was established in a subsequent study on three different groups: Inuit, urban, and rural Caucasian (Benedetti et al, 1994).…”

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confidence: 94%

Levels of Cadmium in Kidney and Liver Tissues Among a Canadian Population (Province of Quebec)

Benedetti¹

1999

Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part A

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In an exploratory study, levels of cadmium in whole-kidney and liver tissues of 314 subjects from the general population of the province of Quebec (Canada) were measured postmortem. Frequency distributions of cadmium concentrations were lognormal. As reported in similar studies, age and especially smoking habits were the main variables affecting cadmium concentrations. The geometric mean of whole kidney concentrations (wet weight) was 17.62 microg/g, with a minimum concentration of 2.25 microg/g and a maximum of 100.61 microg/g. Mean concentrations of cadmium in kidneys increased with age, reaching a plateau in the group 50 to 59 yr (29.49 microg/g), and falling slowly thereafter.

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“…Although there are no industrial sources of Cd or Tl near Meretta Lake, concentrations of toxic metals have been shown to increase in other Arctic lakes receiving sewage. Elevated blood concentrations of toxic metals have been measured in Inuit communities, and the source of such metals in affected lake sediments was inferred to be human ingestion through food and cigarettes (Benedetti et al 1992;Hermanson and Brozowksi 2005). Sedimentary processes may also play an important role in determining the concentration of these metals.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cultural eutrophication, anoxia, and ecosystem recovery in Meretta Lake, High Arctic Canada

Antoniades

Michelutti

Quinlan

et al. 2011

Limnology & Oceanography

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We studied the effects of four decades of cultural eutrophication on Meretta Lake, in the Canadian High Arctic, through a multiproxy analysis of its sediments, including sedimentary pigments, metal concentrations, stable isotope ratios, chironomids, and diatoms. While Meretta Lake's biota clearly responded to nutrient inputs, the manner in which the changes differed from those expected in temperate lakes underlined the profound effects in Arctic lakes of extended ice and snow cover on light penetration, mixing, and interactions with the atmosphere. Hypolimnetic anoxia developed rapidly in Meretta Lake in response to sewage enrichment and was accompanied by the appearance of photosynthetic sulfur bacteria. Benthic communities responded rapidly to sewage inputs, but phytoplankton biomass did not increase until eutrophication was accompanied by climate warming, further reinforcing the importance of ice cover in controlling biotic processes in high Arctic lakes. With climate-mediated ice cover reductions in Meretta Lake, the response to eutrophication began to more closely resemble temperate processes. Recent trajectories indicate that slightly more than a decade after the cessation of sewage inputs, Meretta Lake is recovering toward pre-enrichment conditions.

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Blood and urinary cadmium levels in Inuit living in Kuujjuaq, Canada

Cited by 14 publications

References 4 publications

Re-evaluation of blood mercury, lead and cadmium concentrations in the Inuit population of Nunavik (Québec): a cross-sectional study

Re-evaluation of blood mercury, lead and cadmium concentrations in the Inuit population of Nunavik (Québec): a cross-sectional study

Levels of Cadmium in Kidney and Liver Tissues Among a Canadian Population (Province of Quebec)

Cultural eutrophication, anoxia, and ecosystem recovery in Meretta Lake, High Arctic Canada

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