of fish consumption by other populations. Some households of each subpopulation regularly ate contaminated
fish from the Sheboygan River. The awareness of the health-based fish consumption advisory was similar to
other Great Lakes populations, though there was a segment of each subpopulation who were unaware of the
advisories. Hmong households who had recently arrived in Sheboygan had a significantly lower awareness of the
advisories than those who had lived there four or more years. The study did not identify a substantial portion of
the subpopulations that eat the most heavily PCB-contaminated fish from the Sheboygan River. The final report
was published in 1998.
Exposure to Tremolite Asbestos in Vermiculite Ore - In 2001, ATSDR entered into a cooperative agree-
ment with the WDHFS to conduct health statistics reviews related to human exposure to contaminated vermicu-
lite ore at sites in Wisconsin that received and/or processes ore from the mine in Libby, Montana.
ATSDR Great Lakes Human Health Effects Research Program
In support of the Great Lakes Critical Programs Act, this program's purpose is to: (1) build upon and extend the
results from past and ongoing research in the Great Lakes region, (2) develop information data bases, and research
methodology that will provide long-term benefit to the Great Lakes human health research effort, (3) develop
directions and methodology for future research on human health effects, (4) provide health information for the
subjects of the research and their medical professionals, and (5) increase public awareness of the health implications
In 1992, ATSDR initiated the funding of nine three-year grant projects that focused on populations who consumed
Great Lakes fish and had a high risk of long-term adverse health effects from exposure to contaminants in these fish.
These populations included sport anglers, American Indians, urban poor, young children, pregnant women and their
fetuses, and nursing infants. Collectively, these studies extended our knowledge of the effects of Great Lakes con-
taminants on human reproductive/developmental, behavioral, neurological, endocrinological, and immunological
health effects. These studies were conducted by the WDHHS.
An epidemiologic study by a consortium of five state health departments, including Wisconsin, established surveil-
lance cohorts for prospective studies which helped ATSDR and EPA evaluate the effectiveness of remediation
efforts in the Great Lakes basin. The project characterized the impact of previous dietary habits on current contami-
nant body burdens and estimated the disease risk attributable to ingestion of contaminants in sports fish. Establishing
this consortium allowed interstate data sharing which will provide long-term benefits to the Great Lakes human
health research effort. This project was conducted by the University of Wisconsin-Superior, Lake Superior
Research Institute.
Toxicological Profiles
ATSDR develops toxicological profiles that describe health effects, environmental characteristics, and other informa-
tion for substances found at NPL sites. These profiles describe pathways of human exposure and the behavior of
toxic substances in environmental media such as air, soil, and water. In the past 5 years, more than 344 of these
profiles have been supplied directly by ATSDR to requesters, including representatives of federal, state, and local
health and environmental departments; academic institutions; private industries; and nonprofit organizations; in
Wisconsin. Toxicological profiles are available for PCBs and PAHs.
If you would like additional information, contact ATSDR toll-free at (888) 42ATSDR,
that is, (888) 422-8737 or visit the homepage at http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov
September 2002
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