Why were the blood samples collected and how were they evaluated for PCBs?
We collected blood samples from 133 people in the study group and 120 people in the comparison group. The blood samples were tested for levels of PCBs, pesticides, lead, mercury, and fat (cholesterol and triglycerides). Measuring PCB levels in a person’s blood is a good way of measuring a person’s total exposure to PCBs from a variety of sources. For this project, two sources of PCBs were evaluated: (1) consumption of sportfish and (2) residential proximity to the Hudson River and other PCB contaminated sites. For most people, eating fish (particularly sportfish) and other foods are the main source of PCBs in blood. The study participants were asked to tell us the type of sportfish they ate, the amounts, and where they caught the sportfish. This information was collected for any sportfish eaten from the Hudson River during four time periods: the 1970’s or earlier, from 1980 to 1989, from 1990 to 1999, and the past year. The information was then used to estimate each person’s exposure,
