Maternal and umbilical cord blood levels of mercury (Hg), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and the trace elements copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), and selenium (Se) are reported for Inuit, Dene/Métis, Caucasian, and Other nonaboriginal participants from Arctic Canada. This is the first human tissue monitoring program covering the entire Northwest Territories and Nunavut for multiple contaminants and establishes a baseline upon which future comparisons can be made. Results for chlorinated organic pesticides and PCBs for these participants have been reported elsewhere. Between May 1994 and June 1999, 523 women volunteered to participate by giving their written informed consent, resulting in the collection of 386 maternal blood samples, 407 cord samples, and 351 cord:maternal paired samples. Geometric mean (GM) maternal total mercury (THg) concentrations ranged from 0.87μg/L (SD=1.95) in the Caucasian group of participants (n=134) to 3.51μg/L (SD=8.30) in the Inuit group (n=146). The GM of the Inuit group was 2.6-fold higher than that of the Dene/Métis group (1.35μg/L, SD=1.60, n=92) and significantly higher than those of all other groups (P<0.0001). Of Inuit women participants, 3% (n=4) were within Health Canada's level of concern range (20–99μg/L) for methylmercury (MeHg) exposure. Of Inuit and Dene/Métis cord samples, 56% (n=95) and 5% (n=4), respectively, exceeded 5.8μg/L MeHg, the revised US Environmental Protection Agency lower benchmark dose. GM maternal Pb was significantly higher in Dene/Métis (30.9μg/L or 3.1μg/dL; SD=29.1μg/L) and Inuit (31.6μg/L, SD=38.3) participants compared with the Caucasian group (20.6μg/L, SD=17.9) (P<0.0001). Half of all participants were smokers. GM blood Cd in moderate smokers (1–8 cigarettes/day) and in heavy smokers (>8 cigarettes/day) was 7.4-fold higher and 12.5-fold higher, respectively, than in nonsmokers. The high percentage of smokers among Inuit (77%) and Dene/Métis (48%) participants highlights the need for ongoing public health action directed at tobacco prevention, reduction, and cessation for women of reproductive age. Pb and THg were detected in more than 95% of all cord blood samples, with GMs of 21 μg/L and 2.7μg/L, respectively, and Cd was detected in 26% of all cord samples, with a GM of 0.08μg/L. Cord:maternal ratios from paired samples ranged from 0.44 to 4.5 for THg, from 0.5 to 10.3 for MeHg, and 0.1 to 9.0 for Pb. On average, levels of THg, MeHg, and Zn were significantly higher in cord blood than in maternal blood (P<0.0001), whereas maternal Cd, Pb, Se, and Cu levels were significantly higher than those in cord blood (P<0.0001). There was no significant relationship between methylmercury and selenium for the range of MeHg exposures in this study. Ongoing monitoring of populations at risk and traditional food species, as well as continued international efforts to reduce anthropogenic sources of mercury, are recommended.

A baseline for exposure to organochlorine and metal contaminants has been established for mothers and newborns in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut areas of Arctic Canada. Maternal and umbilical cord blood plasma organochlorine levels are described for Inuit, Dene, Métis, Caucasian and Other non-Aboriginal participants. Overall, 523 women volunteered to participate by giving their written informed consent between May 1994 and June 1999, resulting in the collection of 386 maternal blood samples, 407 cord blood samples and 351 maternal/cord pairs. Nearly half of all the participants regularly smoked cigarettes, including 77% of the Inuit participants. Maternal and cord results are presented for PCBs (as Aroclor 1260 and 14 congeners) and organochlorine pesticides, including p,p′-DDT, p,p′-DDE, beta-hexachlorocyclohexane (β-HCH), hexachlorobenzene (HCB), cis and trans nonachlor, heptachlor epoxide, oxychlordane, mirex, dieldrin and toxaphene. Maternal PCB levels (as Aroclor 1260) averaged 4.42 (±9.03) μg/l in Inuit, which was 3.3 times higher than those found in Dene/Métis, and 3.4 times higher than levels in Caucasians. Mean DDE levels were 2.8 times higher in the Other non-Aboriginal group (Chinese, Filipino, East Indian and multiple ethnicity) than in the Inuit group, at 3.99 μg/l and 1.42 μg/l, respectively. Cord blood PCB levels (as Aroclor 1260) averaged 1.16 (±2.42) μg/l for Inuit participants, which was 3.3–4 fold higher than the other ethnic groups. PCBs, p,p′-DDE and hexachlorobenzene were detected in all maternal samples, and p,p′-DDE was detected in all cord samples. Regression coefficients for maternal/cord pairs are presented for selected organochlorines. Other results from this study, including maternal and cord metals data, will be presented elsewhere.