Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #122038

Mauricio Hernandez, MD, ScD, Director Ejecutivo del CISP, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Av. Universidad 655, 3er. Piso, Col. Santa Maria, Cuernavaca, 62508, Mexico, +52 (-777) -3293003, MHERNAN@correo.insp.mx

The focus of this biomonitoring project being led by the Commission for Environmental Cooperation, and with funding from the World Bank, is to develop and implement a monitoring program to obtain a profile of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) and metals in maternal blood in the three North American countries (Mexico, USA, Canada). Ten sites have been selected in Mexico and five sites have been selected in each of the USA and Canada. Recruitment of 25 expectant primiparous mothers per site, aged 18 to 30 years will take place during one of the prenatal visits. Contaminants to be measured will include most Stockholm Convention persistent organic pollutants such as PCBs, DDT/DDE, as well as metals such as lead, mercury and cadmium. To build capacity and to promote quality assurance and quality control protocols are compatible amongst the three countries, analytical laboratories will duplicate samples from Mexico. These will be analysed in both the national and reference laboratory. This presentation will outline the currently operating monitoring protocol and discuss the methodologic issues considered in the development of this project.

Learning Objectives:

• Learn about the potential environmental health issues associated with the NAFTA and other trade agreements and institutional arrangements such as the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) for addressing these issues.
• Understand the challenges of managing chemicals in North America (chemicals in commerce, movement of POPs, monitoring) and trilateral approaches that are being taken.
• Learn about indicators of children's health and the environment in North America that are under development.
• Understand the role and purpose of pollutant release and transfer registries, the North American registry and how it can be applied to tracking children's health issues.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.