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Socio-economic inequalities in blood mercury (Hg) and serum polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) concentrations among pregnant Inuit women from Nunavik, Canada

  • Quantitative Research
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Abstract

Objective

We examined the relationships between socio-economic characteristics and mercury (Hg) and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) concentrations among pregnant Inuit women from Nunavik.

Method

We used biomonitoring data from 208 pregnant Inuit women recruited in the 14 villages of Nunavik between September 2011 and December 2013. Blood samples were collected to monitor levels of blood Hg and serum congener PCB-153 (surrogate of total PCB concentration). Ratio of omega 3/omega 6 polyunsaturated fatty acids, a validated biomarker of marine country food consumption, was also measured in red blood cell membranes to determine maternal dietary profile. Data on socio-economic characteristics (income and education), health-related lifestyles, and reproductive history were collected through questionnaires. Association between socio-economic characteristics and contaminant concentrations was assessed using linear regressions.

Results

We observed a significant inverse relationship between education and Hg levels. Lower concentrations of Hg were observed among women who had completed high school compared to women who had not completed high school. However, no association was observed between level of education and concentration of PCBs.

Conclusion

Socio-economic disparities in maternal exposure to Hg exist in Nunavik. Further research is needed to determine whether environmental health inequalities also exist in other subgroups of the Nunavik population and in other Indigenous communities in Canada.

Résumé

Objectif

Nous avons examiné les associations entre les caractéristiques socioéconomiques et les concentrations en mercure (Hg) et biphényles polychlorés (BPCs) chez les femmes enceintes Inuit du Nunavik.

Méthode

Un total de 208 femmes enceintes Inuites ont été recrutées entre septembre 2011 et décembre 2013 dans les 14 villages du Nunavik. Des échantillons de sang ont été prélevés pour mesurer la concentration sanguine en Hg et la concentration sérique en congénère BPC-153 (marqueur de la concentration totale en BPCs) des participantes. Le ratio des acides gras polyinsaturés oméga 3/oméga 6, un biomarqueur valide de la consommation d’aliments marins, a également été mesuré dans les membranes des globules rouges pour déterminer le profil alimentaire des participantes. Des informations sur les caractéristiques socioéconomiques (revenu et éducation), les habitudes de vie et l’historique de reproduction des participantes ont aussi été recueillies par le biais de questionnaires. Les associations entre les caractéristiques socioéconomiques et les concentrations en contaminants ont été examinées à l’aide de régressions linéaires.

Résultats

Une relation inverse et statistiquement significative entre le niveau d’éducation et la concentration en Hg a été observée. Les femmes qui avaient complété leurs études secondaires présentaient une concentration sanguine en Hg plus faible que celles qui n’avaient pas complété leurs études secondaires. En revanche, aucune association n’a été observée entre le niveau d’éducation et la concentration en BPCs.

Conclusion

Des disparités socioéconomiques dans l’exposition maternelle au Hg existent au Nunavik. Des recherches supplémentaires sont nécessaires pour déterminer si des inégalités en matière de santé environnementale existent également dans d’autres sous-groupes de la population du Nunavik et dans d’autres communautés autochtones du Canada.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to the Nunavimmiut population and to all pregnant women who participated in biomonitoring studies conducted in Nunavik. We dedicate this article to the memory of Éric Dewailly.

Funding

This work was supported by the Northern Contaminant Program, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (Grant 2011–2013). Thérèse Yéro Adamou also received doctoral grants from the Fondation du CHU de Québec (Grant 2015–2016), the Chaire de recherche nordique en sciences sociales of Laval University (Grant 2015–2016), and the Strategic Training Program in Global Health Research, a partnership of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Québec Population Health Research Network (Grant 2014–2015).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Population Health and Practice-changing Research Group, CHU de Québec Research Centre, Hôpital Saint-Sacrement, 1050 Chemin Sainte-Foy, Québec, Qc, G1S 4L8, Canada

    Thérèse Yéro Adamou, Gina Muckle, Elhadji Anassour Laouan-Sidi & Pierre Ayotte

  2. Faculty of Nursing, Université Laval, Pavillon Ferdinand Vandry, 1050 avenue de la médecine, Québec, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada

    Thérèse Yéro Adamou

  3. Department of Geography, McGill University, Burnside Hall Building, 805 Sherbrooke street west, Montreal, QC, H3A 0B9, Canada

    Mylène Riva

  4. Institute for Health and Social Policy, McGill University, Avenue des pins, Montréal, QC, H3A 1A3, Canada

    Mylène Riva

  5. School of Psychology, Université Laval, Pavillon Félix-Antoine-Savard, 2325 rue des Bibliothèques, Québec, Qc, G1V 0A6, Canada

    Gina Muckle

  6. Institut National de Santé Publique du Québec, 945 avenue Wolfe, Québec, Qc, G1V 5B3, Canada

    Pierre Ayotte

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  1. Thérèse Yéro Adamou
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Thérèse Yéro Adamou.

Ethics declarations

The 2011–2013 biomonitoring protocol was approved by the research ethics committee from Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec Research Centre and the Nunavik Nutrition and Health Committee (NNHC). The proposal to conduct the current study and the final manuscript were also reviewed and approved by the NNHC.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Adamou, T.Y., Riva, M., Muckle, G. et al. Socio-economic inequalities in blood mercury (Hg) and serum polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) concentrations among pregnant Inuit women from Nunavik, Canada. Can J Public Health 109, 671–683 (2018). https://doi.org/10.17269/s41997-018-0077-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.17269/s41997-018-0077-y

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