Overview of the California Environmental Contaminant Biomonitoring Program

1
Overview of the California Environmental
Contaminant Biomonitoring Program
Fish Mercury ProjectAnnual Meeting 2007

• Lori Copan, MPH, R.Ph. AE-C
• CDHS, Environmental Health Investigations Branch

2
Need for Statewide Biomonitoring Program

• CDCs program not representative of individual
  states we need statewide baseline levels and
  trends
• California has greater ethnic diversity (e.g.,
  Asian Americans) and larger proportion of
  immigrants
• States exposures differ
• Diet
• Occupation
• Other environmental exposures (e.g., ports)
• States exposure reduction efforts differ
• Anti-smoking efforts
• Air pollution control efforts

3
Californias New Biomonitoring Program

• Will yield valuable information on human
  exposures to chemical contaminants, and will
  allow us to
• Determine baseline levels of environmental
  contaminants in the states population and
  compare statewide levels with those of specific
  communities, and with nationwide levels.
• Assess temporal trends in levels of specific
  contaminants in people
• Assess effectiveness of public health efforts to
  reduce exposures to specific chemicals

4
Basic Elements of a Biomonitoring Program

• Study Design
• Field Work
• Laboratory Analysis
• Data Management
• Data Analysis Evaluation
• Report Generation
• Communication, Education Outreach

5
California Environmental Contaminant
Biomonitoring Program (CECBP) Overview

• Systematically collect and archive blood and
  other human biological samples, physiological
  measurements, questionnaire data
• Program participants selected to comprise
  representative sample of Californians (2000
  participants over 2-year cycles)
• Coordinate with CDCs biomonitoring program as
  much as possible

6
CECBP Findings will be used to

• Determine baseline levels of environmental
  contaminants in a representative sample of
  Californians
• Establish temporal trends in contaminant levels
• Assess effectiveness of public health efforts and
  regulatory programs to reduce exposures of
  Californians to specific chemical contaminants

7
CECBP Components
Scientific Guidance Panel
DPH
DTSC
OEHHA

• Environmental Health Investigations Branch
• Environmental Health Laboratory Branch

• Environmental Chemistry Laboratory

• Reproductive and Cancer Hazard Assessment Branch

DPH -- Sampling design, questionnaire
development, field and clinic work, data
management and analysis, results to participants
upon request DTSC, DPH labs Laboratory methods
development, processing and analyzing biological
samples, data analysis OEHHA Run Scientific
Guidance Panel, public outreach efforts, data
analysis with input from OEHHA and DTSC
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Guidance and Input from CDC
DPH

• Environmental Health Investigations Branch
• Environmental Health Laboratory Branch

• Consultation and technical assistance sampling
  strategy, data collection and management
• Methods transfer
• Training of state laboratory staff
• QA/QC, split samples

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Strengths of the CECBP

• Collaborative effort of DPH, OEHHA DTSC
• Combines multiple areas of expertise in public
  and environmental health
• Designed to complement build on CDCs efforts
• Coordination with EPIC and the California
  Environmental Health Tracking Programs
• Collaboration with researchers from UC and other
  institutions in special studies

10
Environmental Justice (EJ) Emphasis

• CECBP will
• Provide for public participation community
  capacity building with meaningful stakeholder
  input
• Promote equity and afford fair treatment,
  accessibility, and protection for all
  Californians
• Use the principles of Cal/EPAs EJ Strategy and
  Action Plan

11
CECBP Characteristics

• Administered in an ethical, culturally sensitive,
  participatory, community-based manner
• Recruitment of participants
• Participants will reflect the age, economic,
  racial, and ethnic composition of California
• Other selection criteria possible for studies of
  specific populations
• Communication of findings to participants,
  communities, general public
• Informational materials and outreach activities
  to program participants and communities shall be
  culturally appropriate
• Translation of materials as needed
• Model for other State biomonitoring efforts

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Scientific Guidance Panel

• Nine members appointed by the Governor and state
  legislature
• Scientists with expertise in relevant areas
  recommended by the University of California
  Office of the President
• Public health
• Epidemiology
• Biostatistics
• Environmental medicine
• Risk analysis
• Exposure assessment
• Developmental biology
• Laboratory sciences
• Bioethics
• Maternal child health (breastfeeding)
• Toxicology

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Scientific Guidance Panel (continued)

• Panel provides scientific peer review and
  recommendations on CECBP program design and
  implementation
• Initial task Recommendations on inclusion of
  specific chemicals for analysis
• Three meetings per year, as minimum, open to the
  public
• OEHHA convenes and staffs the Panel, and is
  responsible for ensuring that the Panel is
  provided with the relevant data and other
  necessary information

14
Analyte Selection

• Initial universe of chemicals to select from
• Chemicals known to, or strongly suspected of,
  adversely impacting human health or development,
  based upon scientific, peer-reviewed animal,
  human, or in vitro studies, and
• Those included in the federal CDC studies, or
• Additional substances recommended by the
  Scientific Guidance Panel

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Analyte Selection (continued)

• Information considered in selection process will
  include
• Exposure potential
• Likelihood of toxic effects
• Availability of laboratory methods
• Incremental cost
• Need to assess efficacy of programs aimed at
  reducing exposure

16
Utility Evaluation of State Actions to Reduce
Exposures

• Fish consumption guidance to reduce mercury
  exposure
• How effective is this guidance in reducing blood
  mercury levels in young children and women of
  reproductive age?

17
Anticipated Challenges of New Biomonitoring
Program

• Targeted investigations not currently included
• Principal focus of program is on analyses of data
  from a representative sample, appropriate for
  widespread exposures
• Would be desirable to undertake biomonitoring for
  specific communities and potentially vulnerable
  subpopulations, including occupational groups
• Challenging in terms of both resources and
  logistics