title: Exposure of a Cree population living near mine tailings in northern Quebec (Canada) to metals and metalloids.
abstract: The authors investigated the effect of residues from copper- and gold-mining on the Cree population of Oujé-Bougoumou, located 560 km north of Quebec City, Canada. Subjects (225) from Oujé-Bougoumou and a control population (100) completed a questionnaire on lifestyle and dietary habits and provided blood and urine samples for analysis. Geometric means of arsenic, lead, cadmium, and copper concentrations were not significantly different for subjects or controls 15 yr and older or children (8-14 yr old). However, blood zinc was higher and selenium was lower in Oujé-Bougoumou samples. Mean blood lead level was higher in children from Oujé-Bougoumou, but lower in adults aged 40 yr and older. For adults (15 yr and older) blood lead level increased with age and was higher in men, those who hunted, and consumed wild meat (R2 = 0.43). Blood cadmium increased with age and smoking (R2 = 0.61). No influence of mine residues was observed among residents of Oujé-Bougoumou, but lifestyle exposure associations were noted for both communities.
authors.affiliation: Institut National de Santé Publique du Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: Dominique
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bussières
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ayotte
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Levallois
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dewailly
authors.forename: Evert
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nieboer
authors.forename: Suzanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gingras
authors.forename: Suzanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Côté
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001151:Arsenic / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D002104:Cadmium / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003300:Copper / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007854:Lead / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D008297:Male; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000097:blood* / Q000652:urine*; D008906:Mining; D011792:Quebec; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012643:Selenium / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D015032:Zinc / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D002104:Cadmium; D007854:Lead; D003300:Copper; D012643:Selenium; D015032:Zinc; D001151:Arsenic