Progress 12/02/15 to 09/30/20
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audrience for this project included undergraduate student, graduate students, government policy makers at the local, state, and federal level. It included agrcultural producers as well as non-profit ecological entitities and interested citizens who participate in environmental activities and promote good ecological practices andsustainable agriculture. Changes/Problems:There were data collection issues due to COVID, but alternate methods were explored and ultimately the research was able to continue productively. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?There were four graduate students involvedin this research and the experience contributed to their graduate training and publications and ultimately theirthesis. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Presentations Burger, J., M. Gochfeld, A. Bunn, J. Salisbury, K. G. Brown, C. Jeitner and D.S. Kosson. 2020. Role of temporal ecological uncertainties in evaluating risk to ecosystems. Waste Management Meetings, Phoenix, AZ, March 2020. In-person Burger, J. and M. Gochfeld. 2020. Effects of chemicals, habitat, and sea level rise on nesting birds in Barnegat Bay (197-2018). American Ornithological Societies. August 13, 2020. LAY AUDIENCE: Developing and maintaining monitoring systems to assess the health of our bays, estuaries and other habitats requires yearly collection and analysis of samples for agricultural, aquacultural, industrial, and naturally-occurring contaminants. Despite the pandemic we were able to collect enough samples to continue to track the levels of lead, mercury, cadmium and other contaminations, although analysis awaits full opening of the laboratory (closed due to covid restrictions). These data will contribute to the 40+ years of continuous sampling of these contaminants, one of the longest-running monitoring plans in the country. These data are essential to assure regulators and the public that food, water, and ecosystems are protecting, and that contaminant levels continue to decline in the environment. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Current and historical use of agricultural contaminants can impact the health and well-being of humans and other biota. Understanding the levels, transports, and effect of contaminants within an agricultural context in the most-densely populated state in the Nation requires taking into account human dimensions as well as contaminant loads and effects. Historically, much of southern New Jersey was agriculture (particularly apple orchards), but in the last 100 years some of these lands have been developed for residential and retirement communities. In this study we examined the effect of changes in land use from agriculture to residential, while many farms remain near residential area and runoff flows directly into streams, rivers, Delaware Bay, and the Atlantic Ocean. We developed a food chain approach to understanding the risks to natural and built landscapes from contaminants, particularly arsenic, lead and mercury (historically used in seed protection). A food chain approach to understanding the fate of contaminants in different nodes of the food chain intake large differences in exposure and uptake. Some anomalies have been discovered, including that with the same level of contaminants in prey sources, some closely related species accumulate greater concentrations in their tissues. These differences in uptake were not completely attributable to length of foraging time (or food types) in aquatic ecosystems. With increasing intermixing of traditional and present-day agriculture, these approaches and continued monitoring will provide unique and required information to contribute to our understanding of the connections between historic and current use of agricultural chemicals and natural ecosystem well-being. Moreover, the methods have provided much needed information on the interconnections among agricultural practices on small farms, residential subsistence gardens, and large farms, and essential native ecosystems that provide clean water. Examining the physical effects of legacy agriculture on contaminants and biota health has indicated that soil disruption can impact soil fauna. Over the past year (from 10/1/2019) we continued using a food chain approach to examine legacy contaminants, as well as current exposure of biota at different levels of the food chain. This involves collection of biota at different locations, in different agricultural/aquaculture exposures, over different time frames. We collected samples from snakes to examine exposure to heavy metals from legacy agriculture or industrial sources, as well as for SFD (snake fungal disease) analyses (in cooperation with USGS scientists). We began analysis of these samples in the laboratory, and were able to obtain results from the SFD before our chemical laboratory was shut down. SFD may be higher in areas where soil has been disrupted by agricultural processes because it changes the compaction of the soil, as well as distribution of soil layers. Past agricultural practices also alter the habitat in other ways (e.g. shade, exposure, nutrients, slope), which could also impact exposure to SFD and legacy contaminants. Samples of horseshoe crab eggs, the base of the food chain in Delaware Bay were also collected, but samples from higher trophic level organisms could not be collected because these operations require numerous researchers and assistants, which was impossible during the covid outbreak (due to social distancing and other restraints). Further, NJ's governor shutdown of the state parks made sampling in some locations difficult. We were also able to collect eggs from Common Terns, used as a bioindicator of lead, mercury and other legacy agriculture contaminants because the operation of a small boat and one person alone could perform this operation safely. These specimens, necessary to maintain the 40+ years of trends data for these metals were critical, and are safely stored in freezers. Despite the pandemic and health requirements, we were able to present some papers at scientific meetings and to prepare and preserve samples for future analysis. Alternate plans were developed to continue the work once the Covid pandemic began, which involved designing field work protocols that allowed us to collect samples safely, alone, with appropriate health measures. We had to: 1) triage which sample collections were most important, 2) determine which samples required additional state or local permits to be able to complete while field sites were closed down, 3) design how to change field batteries on continuously-recording devices (so as not to lose critical tracking data), 4) develop field and home protocols to freeze material for later transport to the laboratory under safe conditions, 5) determine which questions on our proposal could be addressed when largely restricted to home offices (literature searches, proposal and insight development, conceptualizing and writing papers), and 6) design zoom and other methods of communication among personnel. These adaptations were essential to ensure that the work of the project continued, even though severe restrictions were enacted because of health considerations.
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Burger, J., & Gochfeld, M. 2020. Involving community members in preparedness and resiliency involves bi-directional and iterative communication and actions: a case study of vulnerable populations in New Jersey following superstorm Sandy. Journal of Risk Research, 23(4), 541-556.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Maslo, B., Burkhalter, J.C., Bushek, D., Yuhas, T., Schumm, B., Burger, J. and Lockwood, J.L., 2020. Assessing conservation conflict: Does intertidal oyster aquaculture inhibit foraging behavior of migratory shorebirds?. Ecosphere, 11(5), p.e03097.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Burger, J., Gochfeld, M., Kosson, D.S., Brown, K.G., Salisbury, J.A. and Jeitner, C., 2020. Risk to ecological resources following remediation can be due mainly to increased resource value of successful restoration: A case study from the Department of Energy's Hanford Site. Environmental research, 186, p.109536.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Laohaudomchok, W., Nankongnab, N., Siriruttanapruk, S., Klaimala, P., Lianchamroon, W., Ousap, P., Jatiket, M., Kajitvichyanukul, T., Kitana, N., Siriwong, W., Hemachudha, T., Satayavivad, J., Robson, M., Jaacks, L., Boyd, D., Kongtip, P., and Woskie, S. Pesticide Use in Thailand: Current Situation, Health Risks, and Gaps in Research and Policy. Human and Ecological Risk Assessment. https://doi.org/10.1080/10807039.2020.1808777 2020.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Burger, J, M. Greenberg, and K. Lowie (eds). 2020. Environment justice and social injustice: ethnic, racial, economic and other marginalized people and communities. Risk Analysis Special Issue. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/toc/10.111/(issn)1539-6924.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Burger, J., 2019. A framework for increasing sustainability and reducing risk to ecological resources through integration of remediation planning and implementation. Environ. Res. 172:586-595.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Burger, J., Gochfeld, M. and Lacy, C., 2019. Concerns and future preparedness plans of a vulnerable population in New Jersey following Hurricane Sandy.?Disasters. 43, 658-685.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Burger, J., 2019. Costs and Benefits of Delaying Remediation on Ecological Resources at Contaminated Sites.?EcoHealth, 16(3) pp.454-475.?
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Burger, J., Tsipoura, N. Resident status influences perceptions about beach resource valuation and restoration. Urban Ecosyst 22, 785793 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11252-019-00860-y
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Allen, M. C., J. Burger and J. L. Lockwood. 2019. Evaluation of unharvested refugia for grassland bird conservation within active hayfields. Avian Conservation and Ecology 14(2):15.
|
Progress 10/01/18 to 09/30/19
Outputs
Target Audience:The appropriate audiences include growers, aquaculturalists, fruit, vegetable and grain farmers, conservationists, fisherman, ornithologists, New Jersey state agencies and other scientists. Talks and presentations were given to all of these groups. Changes/Problems:We will add the PFAS work to this project to look at fate and transport in agriculture and exposure to farmers and farm communities in 2-2- and 2021. We will have a new project in Northern Thailand with a new graduate student looking at KAP, Knowledge, Attitude and Practice on the safe use of agricultural chemicals. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?We had three workshops in Asia for this work, including a short course in agricultural health. This project provided input into two fact sheets developed by our cooperative extension faculty on agricultural health and safety. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Our findings and results are regularly published in scientific journals and newsletters, as well as talks and presentations to affected and interested parties . Presentations are given to fishing communities and environmental justice communities, as well as to US Fish & Wildlife Service, NJ Environmental Protection Agency, and NJ Endangered and NonGame Species Program. These are all individuals, organizations and agencies that are interested, affected, and regulate these activities. For our work in SE Asia we continue to participate in the newly established Center at Chulalongkorn University College of Public Health Sciences Risk Analysis and Health Surveillance for Thai Population (C-RAHS) http://www.c-rahs.org/. Mark Robson is also part of the NIH Funded GEOHealth Hub Grant which focusses on agricultural health and research, outreach is a key competent in that project as well, https://www.geohealthseasia.org/ The techniques (interviews of fishers about consumption; using their fish + others to examine contaminant levels, determining risk using the two) have been used in other countries where exposure levels are higher, as well as being used various state regulatory agencies in developing fish consumption advisories. Joanna Burger attended the Multistate meeting for W3045. It was attended by over 20 people from different universities. The objective was to report on progress on the grant, exchange ideals, and develop collaborations among researchers in the grant. Burger presented results on agro-and natural chemical exposures in ecosystems and humans, and the work was well received. The group attending votes on membership in the W3045 multistate grant, and we were accepted. This has resulted in our contributing to the writing of the renewal which is due this spring. The meeting provided an opportunity for exchange of ideas, techniques and results, and will improve our overall program at Rutgers. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We have three on-going studies that should yield additional papers. Dr. Robson is presently in discussion on expanding his extension role with the Rutgers Cooperative Extension Director to take this work and expand it to include more outreach and education. We are in the planning stages of submitting a grant to on Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl substances(PFAS) and agriculture and fate and transport issues related to water quality. Long term monitoring of legacy and other chemicals in fish and birds will be used to continue to assess changes, which might affect the management of severe weather events, advice to fish consumers, and management to increase resiliency in coastal communities, including agricultural communities. This research has shown that although selenium and other metals levels have declined, mercury has not in some species, reducing the potential for selenium to ameliorate the toxic effects of mercury. This project will continue monitoring legacy agrochemicals and other chemicals in fish and birds to enhance early warning, and lead to sustainability and resiliency in aquatic systems. Further work on pesticide exposure will involve developing methods to reduce the exposure of children to pesticides because of their cultural relationship to their parent's work.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
During this period we have been involved in 2 major projects: 1) Refining the use of food chains to investigate fate, transport and effects from Agro- and natural chemicals, and 2) Understanding and managing risk to humans and biota from legacy agricultural and other anthropogenic chemicals. Each are described below: Refining the Use of Food Chains to Investigate Fate, Transport and Effects from Agro-and Natural Chemicals Understanding the fate, transport and effects (both negative and positive) of agrichemicals is essential to protect human health and the environment, to maintain sustainable ecosystems, and to increase resiliency of aquatic and terrestrial human communities and ecosystems. Understanding how chemicals are distributed in time and space, in media and in biota helps reduce the environmental and human health impacts. Over the period we collected environmental samples and analyzed them for pesticide residues and heavy metals and assessed whether the levels pose potential risks to human and ecological health. Global changes, including increasing human populations, adverse weather events, changing temperatures, sea level rise, and contaminants have forced governments and communities to address these issues. Cadmium, lead, and mercury are examined because they are key metal contaminants in oceans and bays, and selenium because it can ameliorate the effects of mercury. Coastal bays are particularly important to study because metal levels are usually higher in these ecosystems because of runoff from rivers, agricultural and industrial runoff, and atmospheric deposition. Our studies have taken the form of developing food webs, and there are two basic types: 1) examination of biota from plants to high trophic levels aimed at understanding the consumption patterns of individual species throughout the web (quantity and quality of foods eaten, nutrients, energy transfer, and 2) using species-based food webs to examining the movement of contaminants through food webs with the objective of understanding fate, transport and effects. We have been examining the levels of heavy metals and other contaminants in biota at different levels on the food web, particularly in habitats that are important by multiple users (migrating birds, recreationists, aquaculture). Lead and cadmium have generally decreased over the last several, which has to be taken into account when examining the levels and effects in biota in food webs. Further, levels of some contaminants shift seasonally. We have found that levels also vary as a function of age and size in most animals, including fish and birds. Levels also vary geographically, which identify where contaminants were acquired. We found that horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus) eggs are one of the key components at the base of the food web, and crab spawning in spring provides a food resource supporting a massive stopover of shorebirds. Fish and other biota also forage on the crab eggs, and a complex food web leads directly to top-level predators such as bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix) and striped bass (Morone saxatilis), which are then consumed by higher trophic levels birds, marine mammals and people. Metal levels in tissues were generally similar in algae, invertebrates and small prey fish. We found a significant direct relationship between the levels of metals in eggs of horseshoe crabs and mean metal levels in the blood of four species of shorebirds that consumed them, except that selenium concentrated to a higher level. Selenium bears further examination because selenium can ameliorate the effects of mercury, but it can also be toxic. The levels of selenium we found in fish, and the blood of some species of shorebirds, were at known toxic effects levels. Although mercury levels increased in the larger predatory fish (that people eat), selenium did not (and thus cannot reduce the toxicity of mercury). This relationship will be examined further, especially since selenium and mercury levels vary seasonally. Determinations of pesticide levels in farmers in Thailand involves examining heavy metals in the fish consumed by local Thailand farmers as a secondary form of exposure. Pesticide use increased in Thailand and other areas in SE Asia and the growing use of pesticides related to the aggressive effort to increase agricultural output, in particular rice, has led to high exposures in farmers as well as farm family members. Included in this risk assessment was the suggestion that there are endocrine related issues for higher levels of exposure. Understanding and managing risk to humans and biota from legacy agricultural and other anthropogenic chemicals To manage the risk to humans and biota from agricultural and natural chemicals, it is essential to measure levels, and to relate them to known adverse effects in humans and biota, and to human health standards. We continue to investigate how the behavior of people affects exposure to agro-and other anthropogenic chemicals, whether exposure levels in biota and humans are in the toxic effects levels, what mitigations measures may be implemented for biota, and whether behavior of humans can be influenced to reduce exposure to toxic chemicals. Thailand continues to be used as a model system for examining pesticide exposure and associated human behavior because there are much higher levels of exposure. The information gained can be applied to farmers world-wide. The estuaries and bays in New Jersey are a model system for examining exposure to legacy agricultural chemicals, chemicals from other human activities, and chemicals from natural bedrock and ecosystems. The NJ bays have thriving aquaculture, industries and shipping, and are bounded by human communities that are vulnerable to several weather events and extreme flooding. The latter also places additional stresses on the fate and transport of chemicals within these systems. Rutgers scientists have been refining measurement and analysis techniques for a wide range of biota (which are eaten by higher trophic level biota as well as by people). The levels in some species of commonly-fished species contain very high levels of mercury that are higher than those recommended for children and pregnant women. Consumption levels were determined by interviews with fisher people, allowing for the determination of site-specific advisories. Working with fisherman and organizations, we have developed a database of information necessary to adequately inform the public about their risks. One of the issues is whether when people buy fish the species is correctly labelled; otherwise they cannot determine if it might have high mercury or other contaminant levels. In one study of fish from supermarkets we found that many were mislabeled. This leads to concern, especially when there are major differences in metals levels by fish species. Another concern is the consumption of bird eggs, some of which have higher than allowable mercury levels. This illustrates the importance of examining the consumption patterns of some low-income people. The levels of chemicals in fish in NJ and elsewhere have generally decreased, but recent events may result in increased levels of legacy and current chemicals, resulting in high exposures. Recent events include possible relaxation of some environmental laws and regulations, increases in the number of coal-fire burning plants in China and elsewhere, and increased severe weather events that may result in increased flooding and runoff into rivers and the ocean. Data from the project in Thailand has indicated that farmers, especially those that also fish, are exposed to higher levels of pesticides than are healthy, and that children are especially at risk. The increased risk of children is due to their accompaniment with parents when they work in the field, manage supplies of pesticides, and handled the pesticides during application.
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Siriwat, S., Rohitrattana, J., Robson, M., and Siriwong, W. Exposure of chlorpyrifos in toddlers living in an agricultural area in Sakon Nakhon province, North-East Thailand. International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health. 33. 2018.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Srilert, C., Wongsasuluk, P., Siriwong, W., and Robson, M. Using urine as a biomarker in human exposure risk associated with arsenic and other heavy metals contaminating drinking groundwater in intensively agricultural areas of Thailand. Environmental Geochemistry and Health. 40(1):323-348 PMID: 28176197 2018
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Goralczyk, K. and Robson, M. Distribution of biomarkers of human exposure to persistent organic pollutants from the group of organohalogen compounds as a result of the impact of the environment. Human and Ecological Risk Assessment. https://doi.org/10.1080/10807039.2019.1594155. 2019
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Burger J, Mizrahi D, Jeitner C, Tsipoura N, Mobley J, Gochfeld M. Metal and metalloid levels in blood of semipalmated sandpipers (Calidris pusilla) from Brazil, Suriname, and Delaware Bay: Sentinels of exposure to themselves, their prey, and predators that eat them. Environmental Research (2019a) 173: 77-86
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Wongsasuluk, P., Chotpantarat, S., Siriwong, W., and Robson, M. Using urine as a biomarker in human exposure risk associated with arsenic and other heavy metals contaminated in drinking water in intensively agricultural areas, Thailand. Environmental Geochemistry and Health. 2018. PMID: 28176197
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Ong-artborirak, P., Siriwong, W., Nganchamung, T., Siriwat, S., and Robson, M. Factors associated with health effects from occupational exposure to pesticide residues among greengrocers in fresh market, Bangkok, Thailand. Human and Ecological Risk Assessment. 25. 1-12. 2018.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Burger J, Tsipoura N, Niles L, Dey A, Jeitner C, Gochfeld M. Heavy metals in biota in Delaware Bay, NJ: Developing a food web approach to contaminants. Toxics (2019b) 7: doi:10.3390/toxics7020034
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Tarique Q, Burger J, Reinfelder JR. Size Scaling of Contaminant Trace Metal Accumulation in the Infaunal Marine Clam Amiantis umbonella. Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology (2019) 1-9.
|
Progress 10/01/17 to 09/30/18
Outputs
Target Audience:The appropriate audiences for the FFY 18 year include growers, aquaculturalists, fruit, vegetable and grain farmers, conservationists, fisherman, ornithologists, New Jersey state agencies and other scientists. Talks and presentations were given to all of these groups in FY 18 Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?All the shorebird research conducted under this project involve interns who are undergraduates. This allows them to gain needed field experience to aid them in their future wildlife management and farming careers. Graduate students and technicians participated in the heavy metal analysis, field observations, and data analysis. Further, the work in Suriname included US and Suriname students, technicians and conservation/resource trustees from both countries. Further, publications we are now working on include colleagues from Brazil, providing them with training in conservation, metals analysis and interpretation, and scientific paper writing. After we collect the data on the New Jersey insecticide study we will conduct two or three workshops for PCOs and farmers on pesticde expsoure reduction. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Results on metals levels, food chain effects, and competing claims for intertidal habitat were presented to relevant NJDEPA agencies, resource trustees, and the aquaculture community through presentations at the Stakeholder Committee. All project study results have, and are being disseminated to the scientific community through presentations and scientific papers. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? We intend to continue with the heavy metals studies to understand the movement of key agricultural and industrial contaminants (especially mercury, arsenic, lead) through the food chain, including up to humans (through fish consumption). The methods used will be the same, and the data will not only provide current information on potential exposure of nodes on the food chain, and risk to people from fish consumption, but will allow us to examine temporal trends over several years (having regulatory implications for farming and industries). We will also continue to examine heavy metal levels (especially arsenic, cadmium, mercury and lead) in Pine Snakes as indicators of terrestrial contamination, and movement through the food chain in historic agricultural areas of NJ. We will continue the observations of the use of the intertidal, and its relationship to aquaculture to understand the needs and requirements of both shorebirds and the oyster growers. This is extremely important as environmental conditions and weather affect the success of both oyster growers and foraging shorebirds. We will continue to analyze the interviews of people relative to their views of the importance of ecological barriers on human and ecological health, including community vulnerability to sea level rise. It is expected that we will have three or four more papers form the pesticide component.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Our major accomplishments relate to two important issues this period: 1) Is there a conflict between the use of the intertidal by federally threatened shorebirds and rack and bag aquaculture? 2) Are heavy metals that are in the environment, partly from agriculture and industry, moving up the food chain, ultimately providing a health risk to critical species and humans? Data on intertidal use by shorebirds for the Stakeholder Committee, and data on heavy metals levels of invertebrates, fish and birds that address whether these levels can account for declines in some key species were collected. Both aspects are important for coastal management, species management, and understanding basic scientific mechanisms. There are three major competing claims for intertidal habitat: foraging shorebirds, recreationists, and aquaculture. Since Red Knot (a shorebird) is federal threatened, possible take by any group (including aquaculture) must be considered. We provided key data for the Stakeholder Committee to consider when deciding whether there should be more or fewer restrictions on rack and bar agriculture with respect to shorebird dependence on the intertidal. Our results showed that Red Knots and other shorebirds used the intertidal, including the area rack and bag aquaculture use, and they did so during all tidal phases. This allowed the federally mandated Stakeholder Committee to decide to maintain the current restrictions, and for all sides to see the wisdom of this decision. We continued examining heavy metals levels in several species of birds, as sentinels of exposure of organisms in coastal waters. Metals come from current and legacy farming and industrial uses. It is essential to understand whether metals levels are high enough to cause adverse effects in the birds (and our data show they are not), might cause adverse effects on their predators (and they were not high enough to cause effects), and to determine whether these levels are acquired in New Jersey or the U.S. This research is continuing, but preliminary data indicates that in some cases metals are coming from Northern Brazil (e.g. selenium). Understanding the movement of chemicals, such as mercury and lead, through our environment allows us to understand the risk to our health, as humans are often at the top of the food chain. Birds that eat fish are thus an indicator of the potential contaminants we ourselves are exposed to. Goal 1: Monitor and assess heavy metal contamination of biota in the food web of NJ environments During this period, we collected samples (feathers, blood, other tissues) of shorebirds and Pine Snakes to understand the levels of heavy metals in these components of NJ food webs. Using AA equipment, we analyzed mercury, lead, cadmium and other metals to determine where the metals were accumulated. This was possible because blood represents local exposure, and feathers represent chronic exposure. By knowing where birds grew their feathers, we can determine where the birds acquired the metals (i.e. it is only during development that metals can be deposited in the feathers). Data are analyzed with standard statistics. The data indicated that most metal levels in shorebirds were similar in Suriname (wintering location) and Delaware Bay (migratory site). On-going work with shorebirds in Brazil (where we followed the same protocol), showed that selenium levels were significantly higher in shorebird samples collected in Brazil compared to Suriname and New Jersey. Thus, the high levels, which are within the range to cause adverse effects, are not being accumulated in New Jersey. This is significant because it suggests where management is essential and shows that current aquaculture or agriculture in the region of Delaware Bay are Not contributing to the high selenium levels. Goal 1B: Competing claims for intertidal habitat It is very important to understand the movement of contaminants in food chains, especially in coast environments where fish and shellfish provide important food source for a significant part of the American population. The source of contaminants in coastal and intertidal environments often derives directly from sediment and moves through the food chain. However, the intertidal habitat is also important in and of itself as a spatial element and because of its use by a range of invertebrates, fish and other organisms. In 2018 we spent considerable time examining different user groups for the intertidal: recreationists, oyster growers, and shorebirds (including the federally endangered Red Knot). This involved a series of observations (natural intertidal areas) and experiments (with and without oyster racks). This is an extremely important topic for NJ aquaculturalists as they must adhere to federal regulations relating the days and hours they can work cleaning the racks. Field observations were made every day, in different beaches, at different tide times. This required 2-4 field assistants during the critical shorebird migratory period. We demonstrated that the shorebirds use the intertidal habitat, moving out with the receding tide, into and beyond the area normally used by rack and bag aquaculture. However, our research also showed that at present, there is no immediate adverse effects with the current regulations. We presented our data at the federally-mandated Stakeholder Committee (with representatives from aquacultures, state agencies, conservationists), and they made a determination to keep regulations the same at the present. Goal 2: Determine adverse effects from heavy metals During this current period, we determined that the levels of mercury, cadmium and lead in blood of shorebirds did not indicate adverse effects by comparing the levels (both means and highs) with those known to cause adverse effects in laboratory studies. We did not conduct these studies (except for lead), but this is the standard method of determining adverse effects Goal 3: Determine, where necessary, the concerns, knowledge and perceptions of people about anthropogenic, natural, and human-enhanced stressors on human and ecological systems. In 2012, the New Jersey shore was hit by Superstorm Sandy, one of the most destructive hurricanes in NJ history. In 2015-2016 we interviewed people along the NJ shore and in inland areas to determine their views about the hurricane, and their understanding of the importance of ecological structures to shore protections (e.g. the role of dunes, beaches and salt marshes in community protection). Once the data were gathered, we have spent considerable time in QA/QC work with the data, making sure data were entered correctly, and all answers were entered. We have been analyzing the data, using standard statistics (ANOVA, GLM Models) to ask specific questions about beliefs about sea level rise, damages to human and ecological communities, and ecological barriers. There is a general lack of knowledge about the importance of ecological barriers, which is an impediment to developing public policy and management options to shore up communities. Most research following Sandy has dealt directly with human health, but not with the relationship between ecological barriers and human health, safety and damages. Another environmental study reached out to 10 licensed pest control operators in a small New Jersey pest control company to assess their personal protective equipment use when working with pyrethroid insecticides. Exposure was assessed through the collection of urine and saliva samples and subjects completed a questionnaire to assess their personal protective equipment use (PPE). On a normal work day that involved spraying pyrethroid insecticides, subjects gave a set of one urine sample and one saliva sample before work, and one set after work. This study hopes to find a relationship between PPE use and metabolites of exposure in subjects' urine. Ultimately, the study will not utilize saliva samples.
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Burger, J. 2018. Use of intertidal habitat by four species of shorebirds in an experimental array of oyster racks, reefs and controls on Delaware Bay, New Jersey: Avoidance of oyster racks. Science of the Total Environment, 624, 1234-1243.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Burger, J., D. Mizrahi, N. Tsipoura, C. Jeitner, M. Gochfeld, 2018. Mercury, Lead, Cadmium, Cobalt, Arsenic and Selenium in the Blood of Semipalmated Sandpipers (Calidris pusilla) from Suriname, South America: Age-related Differences in Wintering Site and Comparisons with a Stopover Site in New Jersey, USA. Toxics, 6, 27.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Burger, J., L. Niles, C. Jeitner, M. Gochfeld, 2018. Habitat risk: Use of intertidal flats by foraging red knots (Calidris canutus rufa), ruddy turnstones, (Arenaria interpres), semipalmated sandpipers (Calidris pusilla), and sanderling (Calidris alba) on Delaware Bay beaches. Environmental Research, 165, 237-246.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Burger, J., R. T. Zappalorti, M. Gochfeld, 2018. Hatchling survival to breeding age in Northern Pine Snakes (Pituophis melanoleucus) in the New Jersey Pine Barrens: Human effects on recruitment from 1986 to 2017. PloS one, 13(5), e0195676.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Burger, J. and M. Gochfeld. 2018. ⿿Mercury, Risk, and Fish Consumption. Clean Water Action, 32nd Annual Conference. April 2018.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Burger, J., D. Mizrahi, N. Tsipoura, J. Mobley and M. Gochfeld. 2018. ⿿ Using shorebirds as sentinels of heavy metal exposure. International Ornithological Congress, VanCouver, Canada (August)
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Burger, J. ⿿Conservation and protection of Pine Snakes. NJDEP, Endangered and NonGame Species Program, September.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Burger, J. 2018. ⿿Conservation of Pine Snakes in State Forests. NJDEP, Conservation Police, September.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Burger, J. 2018. ⿿Involvement of Stakeholders in conservation of Pine Snakes. The Wildlife Society. Cleveland, Ohio. September
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Burger, J. and M. Gochfeld. 2018. Seabird population declines in NJ reflect sea level rise. Rutgers Climate Symposium 2018. November 14, 2018
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Burger, J. and L. Niles: 2018. Competing claims for Delaware Bay Intertidal Habitat. Harbor Herons and Other Waterbirds. 14th annual meeting. Dec 12, 2018.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Sombatsawat, E., Robson, M.G, and Siriwong W. Anthropometric Dimension of Agricultural Workers in North Eastern Thailand In: Bagnara S., Tartaglia R., Albolino S., Alexander T., Fujita Y. (eds) Proceedings of the 20th Congress of the International Ergonomics Association (IEA 2018). IEA 2018. Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing, vol 826. Springer, Cham DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-96065-4_47
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Burger J. 2018. ⿿The use of the intertidal by shorebirds, and interactions with oyster culture. Joint Stakeholder Committee for management of knots and oysterculture.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Wilaiwan, W., Rohitrattana, J., Taneepanischskul, N., Danthanmrongkua, V., Robson, M, and Siriwong, W Health effects of using mobile communication devices: A case study in senior citizens in Thailand. Environment Asia 11(2) 2018: 80-90. DOI 10.14456/ea.2018.24
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Lwin, T. Z., Than, A. A., Min, A. Z., Robson, M. G., & Siriwong, W. (2018). Effects of pesticide exposure on reproductivity of male groundnut farmers in Kyauk Kan village, Nyaung-U, Mandalay region, Myanmar. Risk management and healthcare policy, 11, 235-241. doi:10.2147/RMHP.S175230
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Robson, M. Cancer risks and agriculture. New Jersey Agricultural Convention Atlantic City, New Jersey. February 2018
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Progress 10/01/16 to 09/30/17
Outputs
Target Audience:NJ Mosquito Control Professionals NJ Scientific Advisory Board Changes/Problems:The Port Elizabeth study from our initiation may be modified or discontinued due to unforseen problems with potential participants. A project change may be filed shortly to more clearly define our overall project parameters What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Yes for the pesticide levels we did training in Thailand for Thai farmers on reduction of pesticide exposure. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?We have three publications related to our studies this year. Also, we shared the results with the participants for the serum testosterone study and also shared it with the farm community. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We will continue to do a series of biomonitoring studies and also continue to look at the data bases for the Ag Health Study to calculate cancer risks in farm spouses.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
We were also able to do a survey of testosterone levels as biomarkers in serum to look for organophosphate pesticides. We conducted a cross-sectional study to assess the relationship between pesticide exposures and testosterone levels in 133 male Thai farmers. Urine and serum samples were collected concurrently from participants and analyzed for levels of specific and nonspecific metabolites of organophosphates (OPs), pyrethroids, select herbicides, and fungicides. Serum was analyzed for total and free testosterone. Positive significant associations were found between some OP pesticides and total testosterone. Due to the small sample size and the observational nature of the study, future investigation is needed to confirm our results and to elucidate the biological mechanisms. Also, we were able to look at a biomarker in Medaka fish for betamethasone at environmentally relevant exposures. This preliminary test also warrants further study.
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Louis LM, Lerro CC, Friesen MC, et al. A prospective study of cancer risk among Agricultural Health Study farm spouses associated with personal use of organochlorine insecticides. Environmental Health. 2017;16:95. doi:10.1186/s12940-017-0298-1.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Lashway, N., Hallman, W., Cutie, C., Byrd-Bredbenner, C., McWilliams, R., Netterville, L., and Robson, M. . (2017). Vitamin D in Household Food Supplies of Homebound Older Adults Receiving Home-Delivered Meals. Topics in Clinical Nutrition. 32. 282-291. 10.1097/TIN.0000000000000121.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Panuwet, P., Ladva, C., Barr, D., Prapamontol, T., Meeker, J., D'Souza, P., Maldonado-Perez, H., Ryan, P. and Robson, M. (2017). Investigation of Associations Between Exposures to Pesticides and Testosterone Levels in Thai Farmers. Archives of Environmental & Occupational Health. . 10.1080/19338244.2017.1378606.
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Progress 12/02/15 to 09/30/16
Outputs
Target Audience:The audience members were scientists with an interest in human and ecological health, county agents and students. Changes/Problems:We had issues and obstacles on the IRB protocol for the breast milk study, so the new plan is urine and saliva and working out the funding for the analysis. We also are using a sample of child bearing age women who are seeking screening for Zika so we are combining that with our Zika multi-state. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?We now have two PhD students and possibility of one additional MPH student. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?During this period there were fourpresentations given on agrochemical use and hazards at professional meetings and scientific symposia. Additionally, one paper has been accepted and is published, another paper is submitted and in review. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We had to rework for IRBV and study population purposes the protocol and the focus. We are now planning on a saliva test and a urine test for pesticide exposures plus a zika virus screen.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
We have identified a population for study of nursing mothers in an area affected by pesticides and metals we will work with EOHSI analytical staff and will look at pesticide exposures. We also hope to expand our study to include Zika virus infections. Regarding the second goal of this multistate project, we have a completed mouse study with one MPH student looking at neuro effects of older chlorinated compounds DDD and DDE. This toxicological study on eligible markers were studied in adult C57BL/6J mice treated with DDT for 4 months at (dose=3 mg/kg/day); cytokine expression was quantified by qPCR. Serum and hippocampus samples were collected after sacrifice. Levels of IL-1β were compared in test vs. control mice using T-tests. Results prompted a second literature review to explore the immunological outcomes in population studies, identify gaps and possible approaches to addressing them. Average serum levels of IL-1β were significantly higher (p<0.05) in the DDT treated mice compared to controls (p<0.05). Our literature review identified 29 papers on the topic of AD, DDT exposure and immune response. A related paper has been submitted and is in review.
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Cambridge, J., Hernandez, M., Jensen, O., Buckley, B., McCandlish, E. and M. Robson. 2016. Concentrations of heavy metals in fish species targeted by anglers in central New Jersey: a pilot study. Human and Ecological Risk Assessment: An International Journal. Vol. 22 , Iss. 8. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10807039.2016.1194186
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