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Alberta Biomonitoring Program: Chemicals in Serum of Pregnant Women and Children in Alberta

Description

Biomonitoring provides a measure of internal doses of environmental chemicals or agents and allows for a more accurate measure of human health risk from these exposures. In these Alberta... More ≫

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Biomonitoring provides a measure of internal doses of environmental chemicals or agents and allows for a more accurate measure of human health risk from these exposures. In these Alberta Biomonitoring Program datasets, information was collected as part of 3 province-wide studies investigating the serum levels of environmental chemicals (both natural and synthetic) in pregnant women in northern, central and southern Alberta (Phase 1), in children in southern Alberta (Phase 2), and maternal and umbilical cord blood samples from 7 Alberta cities (Phase 3). The goals of the program are to create a benchmark against which to track future exposures, provide a starting point for assessing health risks, indicate possible exposure sources and prioritize research efforts. Chemicals targeted for monitoring were selected using expert guidance and review of similar studies. For Phases 1 and 2, results for each chemical are presented in a single column, as either whole serum or lipid-adjusted...

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Cyanobacterial blooms in Alberta recreational waters

Description

Cyanobacteria (also referred to as blue-green algae) are common photosynthetic bacteria that live in surface waters. Under favorable conditions, such as warm water and high nutrient content, these... More ≫

Description

Cyanobacteria (also referred to as blue-green algae) are common photosynthetic bacteria that live in surface waters. Under favorable conditions, such as warm water and high nutrient content, these bacteria can form nuisance “blooms”. The presence of blooms in recreational water causes unpleasant aesthetics and exposure to some toxin-producing blooms may pose potential health risks. Contact with blooms can cause skin rashes and irritation, itchy eyes, and ear infections. Inhaling water may cause allergic-like reactions, runny noses or sore throats. Ingestion of toxins can cause a range of symptoms (e.g., hepatotoxic or neurotoxic effects, and even death). There has been increased public awareness as a result of research over the past 20 years, recent monitoring efforts, and increased public education on the topic. In 2009, Alberta Health and Alberta Health Services began seasonal monitoring for cyanobacterial blooms at high use recreational beaches. In 2019, beach operators took over...

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Chemical Monitoring in Local Foods: Mercury in Fish

Description

Mercury (Hg) enters the environment through natural processes and human activities. There are three forms of Hg: elemental (metallic) mercury, inorganic mercury salts and organic mercury... More ≫

Description

Mercury (Hg) enters the environment through natural processes and human activities. There are three forms of Hg: elemental (metallic) mercury, inorganic mercury salts and organic mercury compounds. Methylmercury (MeHg) is often formed from inorganic mercury during biological processes such as methylation by microorganisms in water and sediment. MeHg can accumulate in aquatic organisms including fish. People are exposed to very low levels of mercury in the air, water and food. Some people may be exposed to relatively higher levels of mercury by eating MeHg-containing fish. MeHg accumulates in the human body over time and because it is a known neurotoxin, it is necessary to limit human exposure to MeHg. To protect public health, Health Canada has proposed mercury guidelines and advisories for fish consumption based on total mercury (THg; all forms of Hg in a sample). This dataset was collected as part of long-term monitoring of mercury levels in various species of fish in Albertan...

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Domestic Well Water Quality in Alberta - Trace Elements

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In rural Alberta, 90 per cent of people use private well water supplies for domestic use (e.g., drinking, cooking, bathing). Domestic well water systems are not regulated by the provincial or... More ≫

Description

In rural Alberta, 90 per cent of people use private well water supplies for domestic use (e.g., drinking, cooking, bathing). Domestic well water systems are not regulated by the provincial or federal governments. The Government of Alberta along with Alberta Health Services (AHS) provides water chemistry testing of private well water and information and advice on safe water for domestic purposes; however, it is the responsibility of well owners to ensure the quality and safety of their water supply. Water quality may be impacted by contamination from natural sources or human activities and cause noticeable aesthetic issues or potential health concerns. Water samples are collected and submitted by well owners through local AHS sites for analysis of routine chemistry and trace element parameters. Routine chemistry testing focuses on the suitability of the water for drinking and household use with two health-related parameters. For trace elements, testing used to be conducted only when...

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Stormwater Ponds in Alberta: Health Guidance Information Sheet

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This information sheet describes important considerations around stormwater ponds and advises the public of the potential chemical and physical hazards that may be present.

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Lacombe Stormwater Pond Dataset

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Stormwater ponds are artificial structures that are critical components of stormwater management systems in many Canadian cities. They serve to prevent flooding of urban areas during excess... More ≫

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Stormwater ponds are artificial structures that are critical components of stormwater management systems in many Canadian cities. They serve to prevent flooding of urban areas during excess rainfall. Stormwater ponds also contribute to environmental health by allowing the settlement of dirt and solids from stormwater to the bottom of the pond. As a result, the sediments of stormwater ponds can become enriched with potentially harmful contaminants. The health risks posed to anglers by contact with stormwater and sediments and consumption of fish from stormwater ponds are not well characterized. The City of Lacombe (Alberta) is a municipality with two stormwater ponds stocked with sterile fish for angling. Alberta Health collected water, sediment and fish from these two ponds over two seasons (fall 2010 and spring 2011) and analyzed the samples for a suite of contaminants. Water samples were collected from three sites at each pond and three depths for each site (n=40; nine samples...

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Alberta biomonitoring program : chemicals in serum of pregnant women in Alberta

Description

A comprehensive list of priority environmental contaminants were monitored in blood serum of pregnant women in 2005, with the purpose of establishing the magnitude of exposure to environmental... More ≫

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A comprehensive list of priority environmental contaminants were monitored in blood serum of pregnant women in 2005, with the purpose of establishing the magnitude of exposure to environmental contaminants during pregnancy for women living in all regions of Alberta. The objectives were specifically to examine the influence of age, geographic location, and seasonality on the maternal serum concentrations of man-made or naturally occurring chemicals that women may absorb from food, drinking water, air, soil, household dust, or commercial products. This is the first Province-wide biomonitoring study for Alberta.

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Chemicals in serum of children in southern Alberta (2004–2006) : influence of age and comparison to pregnant women

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A comprehensive list of priority environmental contaminants were monitored in blood serum of healthy children with the objective to examine the influence of age and to compare these new data with... More ≫

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A comprehensive list of priority environmental contaminants were monitored in blood serum of healthy children with the objective to examine the influence of age and to compare these new data with concentrations in pregnant women that were reported previously for the same region. In general, concentrations of detected contaminants were either lower or similar to concentrations reported in other studies of children in North America or around the world.

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Human health risks associated with surface water impacts after a wildfire : problem formulation

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Presents findings of a study to complete a problem formulation for human health risks associated with surface water impacts after a wildfire. The main goal of the work was to better understand and... More ≫

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Presents findings of a study to complete a problem formulation for human health risks associated with surface water impacts after a wildfire. The main goal of the work was to better understand and assess potential human health risks from the Horse River Wildfire on surface water bodies that serve as drinking and recreational water sources and apply learnings to future wildfires. Five recommendations are provided, including a review of facilities in Alberta that are most susceptible to wildfire associated surface water risk and generation of a small suite of key indicator compounds to help notify water users of the wildfire related impacts to water.

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Multiple chemical sensitivity : literature review and state of the science

Description

Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) is a complex, chronic health condition associated with numerous symptoms, linked to low-level exposure to one or more chemicals. Significant gaps exist in the... More ≫

Description

Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) is a complex, chronic health condition associated with numerous symptoms, linked to low-level exposure to one or more chemicals. Significant gaps exist in the scientific understanding of MCS. Variability in observed symptoms and subsequent clinical diagnoses limit the certainty of population prevalence estimates. Alberta Health commissioned a literature review from a consultancy in the fields of toxicology and environmental assessment to understand the current state of science related to MCS.

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