The Latest Biology News And Medical NewsBiology News 2Health News 2Biology News 3Health News 3
HOME >> BIOLOGY >> NEWS
Dartmouth Medical School Researchers Discover Heavy Metal Contamination In Northern Mexico

LEBANON, N.H. -- Dartmouth Medical School (DMS) researchers have discovered industrial pollution sites in northern Mexico that have higher than ever before reported levels of heavy metal contamination. Smelters in Torren and Chihuahua constitute a serious environmental threat to people living near these industries, according to a report in the April issue of Environmental Health Perspectives, the monthly journal of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.

"This is one of the most heavily contaminated residential areas in the Western Hemisphere and it has never been studied," says James Sargent, MD, a principal author of the study, and a pediatrician at Children's Hospital at Dartmouth at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center and Dartmouth Medical School.

In July 1995, roadside dust samples were collected from residential areas within 2,500 meters of smelters and refineries located in the cities of Torren, Monterrey, and Chihuahua. Smelters and refineries are known to be potential sources of heavy metal contamination such as arsenic, cadmium, and lead. These cities have dry, dusty climates with residential areas lacking any substantial ground cover such as grass or bushes. Without adequate ground cover, heavy metal pollutant-laden dust is more ubiquitous and airborne, increasing the likelihood that it will be ingested or inhaled.

In all three cities, heavy metal concentrations exceeded maximum acceptable levels established by the EPA for cleanup at U.S. Superfund sites. "Previous studies of heavy metal exposure in Mexico have focused primarily on lead in gasoline and household ceramics," said Sargent. "Other environmental contaminants such as cadmium and arsenic have largely been ignored."

Based on data from previous studies, Sargent estimates the average blood lead levels in children living within 1 mile of the Torren smelter would
'"/>

Contact: Laura Carter
Laura.Carter@Hitchcock.org
603-650-7041
Dartmouth Medical School
10-Mar-1999


Page: 1 2 3

Related biology news :

1. Dartmouth Medical School awarded $9 million grant for genomics research
2. Dartmouth study advances prion disease research
3. Dartmouth bioengineers develop humanized yeast
4. Dartmouth researchers find two circadian clocks in the same plant tissue
5. Dartmouth engineers closer to mass-producing therapeutic proteins
6. Arsenic in drinking water may be linked to cancer Dartmouth study finds
7. Dartmouth researchers put recycling in perspective
8. Dartmouth Medical School geneticists discover new role for antisense RNA
9. Dartmouth researchers identify multi-tasking circadian protein
10. New way found to see light through novel protein identified by Dartmouth geneticists
11. Cancer killing gene found by Dartmouth researchers

Post Your Comments:
(Date:11/23/2009)...e highest resolution images of peptides attaching ...rstanding how biomolecules manipulate the growth c... for kidney stones using biomolecules. , The res... of the journal Proceedings of the National Acade...th mineral surfaces by accelerating, switching and...
(Date:11/23/2009)...sity of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) researchers sh...ical conditions (co-morbidity) do not explain the ...s compared to Caucasians who also have colon cance...r , a journal of the American Cancer Society. , ...bidity are independent predictors of poor survival...
(Date:11/23/2009)...unprecedented detail how the ribosome interacts wi...ide them toward their destination in biological ce...fitting (MDFF) to examine the interaction of the r... The first study, in Proceedings of the National...ling between the ribosome and an elongation factor...
Breaking Biology News(10 mins):Scientists watch as peptides control crystal growth with 'switches, throttles and brakes' 2Scientists watch as peptides control crystal growth with 'switches, throttles and brakes' 3Racial disparity in colon cancer survival not easily explained, UAB researchers say 2Computational microscope peers into the working ribosome 2Computational microscope peers into the working ribosome 3Does race income predict prostate cancer outcome 3F 60699 1Does race income predict prostate cancer outcome 3F 60699 2Conference explores wide ranging medicinal uses for American ginseng 60697 1OU achieves 2410 million in stimulus grants for 33 projects on the Norman campus 10636 1OU achieves 2410 million in stimulus grants for 33 projects on the Norman campus 10636 2OU achieves 2410 million in stimulus grants for 33 projects on the Norman campus 10636 3
(Date:11/20/2009)... METTLER TOLEDO recently announced tha...ar, “The Role of Process Analytical Technolo...rdquo; on December 1, 2009. , ...Role of Process Analytical Technology (PAT) in Gre...ember 1, Process Analytical Technology (PAT) case ...
(Date:11/19/2009)...ENHAGEN, Nov. 19 Danish Prince Joa...losic ethanol plant in Kalundborg, Denmark, on Wed...rld,s first and largest 2nd generation ethanol dem...nzymes are used in the plant,s innovative process ... of Danisco, was the first to market with commerci...
(Date:11/19/2009)...AUVELT, N.Y., Nov. 19 Dr. Mate Hid...act, responds to a press release issued on Novembe... company for making false and self-serving stateme.... ,, Dr. Hidvegi stated from his office in Bud...research on Avemar does not apply to AveULTRA, w...
(Date:11/19/2009)...W YORK, Nov. 19 NeoStem,...has sent the following letter to its shareholders,...30, 2009, of China Biopharmaceuticals Holdings, In...y based in the People,s Republic of China. The mer...zhou Eyre Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., CHBP,s primary ...
Breaking Biology Technology:Process Analytical Technology (PAT) in Green Chemistry and Green Engineering 2DONG Energy and Inbicon Inaugurate One of the World's Largest Demo Plants for 2nd Generation Biofuel 2American BioSciences Rebuts Misleading Statements Made by Hungarian Competitor 2NeoStem Outlines to Shareholders Near-term and Long-term Business Strategies Following Acquisition of Chinese Pharmaceutical Company 2NeoStem Outlines to Shareholders Near-term and Long-term Business Strategies Following Acquisition of Chinese Pharmaceutical Company 3
Other News:
...Science (PLoS), a non-profit organization of scien...gn aimed at making the world's scientific and medi... that the current closed system of scientific publ...before the public interest and greatly diminishes ...
...to protect an endangered animal or reintroduce one...nsider many factors, such as how many genetically ... from, and who their ancestors were. ... But the v... the animal's disappearance makes it hard to answ...
The European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology, which represents more than 4,000 international fertility experts, has renewed its moratorium on the cloning of human babies.......The organis
...ossibility that stem cells[1] could be isolated fr...t surrounds the unborn baby.......Geneticist Profe...ersity of Vienna have isolated a subgroup of cells... Oct-4 known to be a key marker for human pluripo...
Public Library of Science acts to increase public access to scientific research 2Public Library of Science acts to increase public access to scientific research 319th century museum specimens help plan reintroduction of endangered tiger beetle 219th century museum specimens help plan reintroduction of endangered tiger beetle 3ESHRE continues ban on human reproductive cloning 2Scientists find potential stem cells in amniotic fluid a new source? 2
In the vast majority of Parkinsons disease (PD) patients, the disorder arises not because of a genetic defect, but because some external insult triggers the death of dopamine-producing neurons. Now, r
...m led by UT Southwestern Medical Center researcher... to malaria, a finding that may one day help fight...ple.... A team led by UT Southwestern Medical Cent...are resistant to malaria, a finding that may one d...
...New Danish research has shown that it was covered ... had a relatively mild climate. Eske Willerslev,...d the worlds oldest DNA, preserved under the kilom... a million years old, and the research is painting...
COLUMBIA, Mo. In a paper published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, scientists at the University of Missouri-Columbia reported molecular-level discoveries about the mechanisms of phototropism,
Tracing Parkinson's lethal mechanism 2Malaria-resistant mosquitoes battle disease with 'molecular warhead' 2Malaria-resistant mosquitoes battle disease with 'molecular warhead' 3Fossil DNA illuminates life 2Fossil DNA illuminates life 3MU researchers make discovery in molecular mechanics of phototropism 2