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March 28, 2007

Giinpse Into the men na
Research at UNBC>>

UNBC Toxicology Researcher
ontributes to Mercury Declaration

Co-Editor in Chief, Rebecca Carmichael and Health Sciences Professor Laurie Chan

REBECCA CARMICHAEL
C€o-Eprror tN CHIEF

A new UNBC health sciences
professor has contributed to an

important international declara-_

tion on mercury pollution.

Dr. Laurie Chan, a BC Leader-
ship Chair in Aboriginal Environ-
mental Health, conducts research
on the human health impacts of
chemicals in the environment such
as mercury and PCBs. He was one
of 40 researchers worldwide who
met to share their findings on dif-
ferent aspects of mercury pollution
in an effort to affect international
environmental policy.

Mercury exposure can have
negative impacts on human health.
It works primarily as a neurotoxin,
disrupting the pathway between
neurotransmitters and receptors in
the brain. This can cause a wide
range of dysfunctional neuro-
logical symptoms. These impacts
are particularly detrimental and

often irreversible in developing
fetuses exposed to mercury.

Mercury is emitted into
the atmosphere from industrial
sources, and then deposited where
it.enters the food chain, particu-
larly: in marine environments. It
biomagnifies in the tissues of ani-
mals, which results in high mer-
cury concentrations in predatory
fish and marine mammals.

Most human exposure occurs
from eating these predatory fish,
including albacore tuna, sword-
fish, shark, trout, walleye, pick-
erel and pike.

Because of these risks, women
who are or may become pregnant
are advised to chose their fish
carefully and avoid consumption
of predatory fish. It is important
to note that many species, such
as salmon, contain low levels of
mercury and are considered safe.

Mercury has a half life in the
human body of approximately

two months, so it does not ac-
cumulate within the body indefin-
itely, although some of the effects
of mercury contamination may be
permanent.

Dr. Chan and his team of fel-
low researchers look at the inter-
actions between toxic chemical

exposure from the environment -

and the resulting health implica-
tions.

“We look at eeysen health,
the whole ecosystem, animals and
plants and humans together,” says
Dr. Chan.

’ In particular, they do a lot of
work with Aboriginal commun-
ities to document and examine
these impacts. A healthy tradition-
al diet may put some Aboriginal
people at risk for greater mercury
exposure.

Hair samples are used to
measure mercury concentrations
and link exposure levels to poten-
tial impacts on the central nervous

system. One of the main things re-
searchers are looking for are bio-
markers to more readily indicate
levels of mercury in the blood.

Every three years, top re-
searchers studying mercury get
together to discuss their findings.

“Mercury can cause global
pollution, it doesn’t matter where
you live, it goes everywhere in the
world,” says Dr. Chan.

“That’s why it makes a lot of
sense for people from everywhere
in the world to get together and
talk about the impacts of mercury
contamination.”

This latest conference was
made up of four panels, one on
air, one on water, one on wildlife
and fisheries, and one on human

health, which Dr. Chan was a part -

of.

They presented their findings
and agreements in the Internation-
al Declaration on Mercury Pollu-
tion. This document is intended to

MITCHELL GRANT, Puoto Epitor

strengthen the evidence present
on the issue of mercury pollution
in order to influence policy mak-

‘ers to create and strengthen regu-

lations governing the release of
mercury into the environment.

Current regulations vary in
different countries, so there is a
global movement to control the
release of this chemical into the
atmosphere.

Dr. Chan is always looking
for potential graduate and upper-
level undergraduate students in-
terested in toxicology to engage
in research with him. He will also
be teaching a new undergraduate
course called Toxicology and En-
vironmental Health next year, al-
though this has not yet shown up
in the calendar. This will be open
to undergraduate students from
both colleges with a background
in first year biology and chem-
istry. =