Heavy Metal Contamination in Thelesperma megapotamicum

Details

• Personal Author:
  Hodge FS ; Robbins WA ; Samuel-Nakamura C ; Valentine JL
• Description:
  This study describes heavy metal (HM) contamination in the most commonly used herbal tea in several American Indian (AI) communities in northwestern New Mexico. The Navajo (Diné) reservation is located in an area that was heavily impacted by contamination associated with Uranium (U) mining that occurred from 1945 to 1988 and where more than 1,100 unreclaimed abandoned U mines and structures remain. The study objective was to establish the levels of HM contamination in this herb which is habitually and widely consumed in this reservation community. The study aims were to: (1) describe the dietary behavior in Diné residents related to ingestion of harvested tea Thelesperma megapotamicum; (2) compare U and other HMs in tea in high and low vehicle traffic areas; and (3) disseminate study findings to the leadership and Diné community. A descriptive comparative design was used to compare HMs in locally harvested herbs on the reservation. The plant specimens were paired with soil samples and analyzed utilizing ICP-MS. Samples were collected from areas spanning a 3.2 km radius from the central part of abandoned uranium mines and structures. Root samples of tea had higher concentrations of HMs than above ground plant parts for As, Cd, Cs, Mo, Pb, U and V (p < 0.05). Cadmium and Mo levels were greater in high traffic versus low traffic areas (p < 0.001). The Cd level (0.35 mg/kg) in this popular species of tea herb exceeded the World Health Organization medicinal plant maximum permissible level. Further research and monitoring is needed to identify factors that affect HM contamination in T. megapotamicum and other plant herbs used on the Navajo reservation as well as other U mining impacted areas. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Cadmium Environmental Pollution Metals, Heavy Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: American Indian Diné/Navajo Environmental Contamination Heavy Metals Herbal Tea Mining Molybdenum Plants Thelesperma Megapotamicum Uranium
• ISSN:
  2006-9820
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  California ; New Mexico ; OSHA Region 6 ; OSHA Region 9
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  14-22
• Volume:
  9
• Issue:
  3
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20055887
• Citation:
  J Toxicol Environ Health Sci 2017 Mar; 9(3):14-22
• Contact Point Address:
  Christine Samuel-Nakamura, Interdepartmental Program in American Indian Studies, University of California, Los Angeles, 3220 Campbell Hall, Mailcode 154802, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1548, USA
• CAS Registry Number:
  Cadmium (CAS RN 7440-43-9) ; Molybdenum (CAS RN 7439-98-7) ; Uranium (CAS RN 7440-61-1)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2017
• Performing Organization:
  University of California Los Angeles
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Start Date:
  20050701
• Source Full Name:
  Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health Sciences
• End Date:
  20270630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:3793e29a6e3d8545ad04017650d31e95933c273704922f6bbe56f781ccd6dcc0dee317d6f090a7a2d3627c010e0e4c7ff81fa86b3d3e3bb931e5677aab5a82f7
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/213643/cdc_213643_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 672.53 KB ]