Exposure and risks from persistent organic pollutants through consumption of traditional seafood

Funded Activity Summary

For many coastal Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, local marine resources provide an important and integral aspect of the communities' diet, culture and traditions. The health benefits associated with seafood consumption have been well documented. On the other hand, many environmental contaminants accumulate in the marine environment. In particular persistent organic pollutants (POPs) have the potential to accumulate to elevated levels in the marine food chain, including humans. Consumption of food contaminated with POPs can pose a risk of causing adverse health effects, including cancer, endocrine disruption, developmental and immunotoxic responses. Recent studies in Queensland have shown elevated concentrations of POPs, specifically dioxins, in the near shore marine environment. Concentrations present in dugong and turtle tissues were found to be among the highest reported compared to other marine biota worldwide. These species represent an integral part of the traditions and diet for many coastal Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. However, to date no information on exposure to these compounds from locally sourced seafood exists in Australia. The proposed study will redress this lack of information and provide an understanding of the risks associated with the consumption of traditional seafood from local contaminated areas. In collaboration with the Quandamooka community, Moreton Bay in South East Queensland this will provide a case study with the objectives of: 1. Assessing the qualitative and quantitative risks associated with consumption of traditional and contemporary seafood sourced from local contaminated areas. 2. Providing communities with a thorough understanding of food contamination and building internationally competitive capacity in Australian Indigenous researchers. 3. Develop risk management options that allow informed decisions making on POP exposure and are acceptable to the community.

Funded Activity Details

Start Date: 01-01-2005

End Date: 01-01-2007

Funding Scheme: NHMRC Project Grants

Funding Amount: $322,042.00

Funder: National Health and Medical Research Council

Research Topics

ANZSRC Field of Research (FoR)

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health

ANZSRC Socio-Economic Objective (SEO)

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Other Keywords

Bioaccumulation | Chronic disease | Dietary intake | Dietary lifestyle | Dioxin-like compounds | Environmental Health | Environmental pollutants | Indigenous health | Persistent organic pollutants | Risk assessment

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