Fish consumption and body burden of organochlorines among lower Hudson urban anglers.
BACKGROUND
Polychlorinated biphenyls and other organochlorines have contaminated the Hudson River and New York/New Jersey Harbor for many decades. Although body burdens and health effects resulting from exposure to these pollutants have been measured in other populations, little is known about anglers from the lower Hudson area.


METHODS
Anglers were recruited from fishing clubs and along piers on the lower Hudson River. One hundred twenty-five participants provided blood samples and questionnaire information. Serum was analyzed at Mount Sinai School of Medicine for organochlorines.


RESULTS
Mean concentration of total PCB congeners was 4.78 microg/L. A non-significant adjusted mean difference of -0.59 microg/L was observed between local fish eaters and non-eaters with higher levels among the non-eaters. Similar negative, but non-significant associations were observed for p,p'-DDT, HCB, and beta-BHC. For pp'-DDE, and several chlordane residues, levels were higher among anglers reporting local fish consumption, but the difference was statistically significant only for TN.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest eating fish from the lower Hudson River and NY/NJ harbor is not associated with an increased body burden of PCBs or most other organochlorines.
Department of Community and Preventive Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, USA. kimberly.morland@mssm.edu
Kimberly
K
Morland
Mary
M
Wolff
Richard
R
Bopp
James
J
Godbold
Philip
P
Landrigan
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009515:New Jersey; D009518:New York; D045483:Rivers; D017747:Seafood
D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated