Below is a summary of a study by Anne L. Golden, Gertrud Berkowitz, Mary S. Wolff, James H. Godbold, Philip J. Landrigan and Aboaba Afilaka of the Department of Community and Preventive Medicine at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Steven N. Chillrud and James Simpson of the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory at Columbia University, and Richard F. Bopp of the Department of Earth and Environmental Science of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute:

Background
Sediments and fish in the lower Hudson River estuary contain the residues of decades of contamination with persistent, bioaccumulative environmental pollutants. The complex mix of chemicals found in these waters includes polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), mercury, and residues of the organochlorine pesticides chlordane and DDT. Despite health advisories issued by the States of New York and New Jersey, many recreational and subsistence fishers still regularly consume their local catch and share it with family members and friends.

Pilot Study
A pilot study of 46 local anglers was conducted in 1998-99 to assess human body burdens of persistent pollutants in persons who consume fish from the lower Hudson River watershed. Questionnaire data showed that several of the species eaten most frequently – striped bass, bluefish, blackfish and blue crabs – are among those specifically targeted by the advisories as unsafe. Frequent consumers of locally caught fish and crabs had higher serum levels of highly chlorinated PCBs compared to infrequent consumers (e.g., PCB congener 118, mean=0.40 vs. 0.25 ng/mL); of organochlorine pesticide residues including chlordane (0.95 vs. 0.87 ng/mL) and DDT (0.66 vs. 0.54 ng/mL); and higher body burdens of mercury (mean = 4.18 vs. 1.87 ng/mL in whole blood and 1.59 vs. 0.98 mg/g in hair).

Significance of the Pilot Study Findings
The results of this pilot study show that people who eat fish or crabs from the lower Hudson River watershed have increased body burdens of several biologically persistent environmental pollutants. Further research is needed to characterize these exposures in urban anglers and family members with whom they share their catch, in order to assess the potential health risks posed by consumption of locally caught fish.

Address correspondence to:
Golden, Department of Community and Preventive Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, One Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1057, New York, NY 10029.
Telephone: (212) 241-7866
Fax: (212) 360-6965
E-mail: anne.golden@mssm.edu