title: Sampling criteria for identifying human biomonitoring chemical differences in the Canadian Arctic.
abstract: Human biomonitoring studies in the Canadian Arctic have measured a wide range of metals and persistent organic pollutants in Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal mothers during two time periods in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. This analysis provides preliminary estimates on sample sizes and sampling frequencies required to measure significant changes in maternal blood concentrations for PCB 153 and total mercury. For example, sample sizes of 35-40 mothers permit the detection of a 40% decrease in these chemical concentrations between two groups (e.g. communities or regions). Improvements in method sensitivity can be achieved by on-going sampling over multiple time periods (e.g. 4 or 5) in these regions, or increasing sample sizes.
authors.affiliation: Chemicals Surveillance Bureau, Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch, Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Meredith S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Curren
authors.affiliation: Environmental Health Science and Research Bureau, Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch, Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Karelyn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.affiliation: Consultant, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Jay
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Van Oostdam
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D018811:Maternal Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008429:Maternal Welfare; D008628:Mercury / Q000097:blood*; D015873:Northwest Territories; D020957:Nunavut; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000097:blood; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000097:blood*; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000097:blood*; D018570:Risk Assessment
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D009930:Organic Chemicals; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls; D008628:Mercury; C014024:2,4,5,2',4',5'-hexachlorobiphenyl
keywords: Arctic; Canada; Inuit; human biomonitoring; mercury; persistent organic pollutants