Arsenic in toenails? Study on arsenic and human health begins in Yellowknife region

Residents of Yellowknife, Dettah and N'dilo may get an odd request in the nextfew weeks for samples of their toenails, urine and saliva.

Researchers have startedthefirst round of their arsenic exposure study as a part of the Giant Mine clean-up plan. The study will be the most comprehensive sampling program ever done to determine whetherconcentrations of arsenic and other contaminants from the mine affecthuman bodies. For the next 10 weeks, the research team will invite roughly 1,500 people to participate.

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If the participant agrees, the research assistants will collect their saliva sample for DNA, and leave a kit for urine and toenail samples. People will be asked to not eat fish for two days prior to giving the urine sample.

This will be a two year project, headed by Laurie Chan, Canada Research Chair in Environmental Health and Toxicology at the University of Ottawa.

"The reason why I took on this study is because I really understand the concern. People have been living in the shadow of ... a contaminated site for so many years," Chan said.

Chan says this is more than "just a research project" for him, and he would like to work more with the communities to address some of their concerns.

"Understandably, there [is] some anger for lack of action for so many years," said Chan, who's had several meetings with communities about the remediation plan. "Also, there [is] some anxiety."

'Please' participate, says Chan

Once all the samples are collected, the research team will start doing chemical and data analysis. Chan plans to give the results back to each participant by next summer.

He will repeat the process again next fall. Afterwards, they will look at combined results of the two-year study.

Chan says he hopesthe results of the study will give a better understanding of the human exposure aspect of the remediation project.

"Some of you may be asked to participate. Please do," Chan said. "With no participants, there's no project."

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