Monitoring Human Tissues for Toxic Substances (1991) / Chapter Skim
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2. Review of the National Human Adipose Tissue Survey and Selected Program Alternatives
2. Review of the National Human Adipose Tissue Survey and Selected Program Alternatives
Pages 29-44
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From page 29... ...
in 1970. The NHMP now consists of the National Human Adipose Tissue Survey (NHATS)
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From page 30... ...
Its specific objectives were to identify chemicals to which the population was being exposed, to establish baseline and trend data on detected chemicals, to identify populations at risk and set priorities for risk reduction, and to determine the impact of regulation. The NHATS has always measured residues of chemicals in human adipose tissue.
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From page 31... ...
Forty-six composite samples were prepared from more than 750 NHATS specimens collected during fiscal year 1982 according to a study design prepared by the EPA Office of Toxic Substances (OTS) design and development contractor, Battelle Columbus Laboratories.
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From page 32... ...
Another concession to decreased funding has been a move to assay composite, rather than individual, samples. Budget reductions have also caused proposed modification and expansion of the program to be delayed, with indefinite postponement of such key steps in the program as chemical analysis of tissues, data analysis, methods development, and reporting of survey results.
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From page 33... ...
The most severe problems areas follow: · The population of interest is presumably the entire live U.S. population, but the measurements are made on a combination of adipose tissue from recently deceased persons and surgical patients (as collection of adipose tissue is necessarily a invasive procedure)
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From page 34... ...
Furthermore, the contractor's latitude in choosing counties and medical examiners or pathologists and the medical examiners' and pathologists' latitude in choosing tissue specimens are so wide that it is not clear how well the specimens represent the population that was intended by the sampling protocol. Starting with samples collected in 1982, the NHATS stopped separate analyses of each tissue specimen and introduced analyses of composites; that led to a substantial loss of ability to analyze and interpret NHATS results.
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From page 35... ...
Many tissue specimens appear to be seriously compromised, and there is evidence of sample contamination. Sample holding times of several years have been accepted, without studies validating the storage stability of target compounds over those times.
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From page 36... ...
Furthermore, the program has not been supported by sufficient leadership or full-time managerial personnel. EXISTING PROGRAMS AS POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVES TO THE NATIONAL HUMAN ADIPOSE TISSUE SURVEY The committee made a deliberate effort to consider alternatives to the present or a related successor program.
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From page 37... ...
~ 37 Ct be o be .e o I: o Cal U)
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From page 38... ...
population that might have health significance or be useful in looking at health risk factors, and a priority toxicant reference-range study being conducted as part of NHANES III In collaboration with the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. The study is to determine background concentrations of 50 priority toxicants, primarily volatile chemicals and phenols, in 1,000 people with no known excessive exposures.
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From page 39... ...
Although ATSDR has been considered as a possible parent agency for a new human tissue monitoring program (Chapter 7) , it does not have in-house capability to collect and assay human tissues.
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From page 40... ...
More than 550 specimens have been collected for trace elements and organic pesticides, and PCB measurements are available for about 100 of these samples. NIST clearly is capable of directing the development of human tissue monitoring programs and could contribute substantially to improving the technology of sample collection, storage, and assay.
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From page 41... ...
The totaldiet study, like the TEAM study, would complement a national program for tissue monitoring, but it is not a substitute. National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration: National Status and Trends Mussel Watch Program The National Status and Trends program has specific, well-def~ned goals to quantify the spatial distribution and long-term temporal trends of contaminants in the marine environment.
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From page 42... ...
Environmental monitoring programs in general and marine tissue monitoring data specifically do not address the full scope of objectives of a National Human Tissue Monitoring Program. Foreign Programs The committee reviewed several foreign monitoring programs.
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From page 43... ...
will prevent exposure determination for all compounds, the program still will provide valuable data on chemical exposures. In szunm - , He committee KC~ chat a new prog~n of human tissue monitoring be developed The commode fur~rec~s ~ such development be completed with dlis~ leaf WHIP be caused only zeal them is a successor pmg~n, and that He change be completed as soon as is consi~fent ~ an orderly by Aspects of NHMP that should be preserved and evaluated for continued support include the network for collection of adipose specimens, the tissue archive, and the record of past analyses.
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