EERC Leads Project to Reduce Health Risks from Pesticide Exposure

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EERC Leads Project to Reduce Health Risks from Pesticide Exposure

GRAND FORKS, NORTH DAKOTA, Sep. 30 -/E-Wire/-- The Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC) at the University of North Dakota (UND) announced today that it has been awarded $496,000 to initiate and lead a program to determine the health risks caused by exposure to pesticides. This is the first phase of a planned multiyear $9 million program. The project is funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Recent medical literature suggests that exposure to pesticides is associated with a number of health problems including neurologic dysfunction. Exposure to pesticides has been linked to an increased risk of developing neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's disease and Multiple Sclerosis. An estimated 18 new cases of pesticide-related illnesses occur each year for every 100,000 workers in the United States.

The EERC-led program will provide a better overall understanding of how people are exposed to pesticides and the impacts of pesticide exposure on human health. The first step in this program will involve investigating a correlation between the occurrence of neurological diseases and pesticide use in our region. Next, researchers will evaluate the transport and potential neurological effects of pesticides and their by-products. Finally, strategies will be developed to reduce the risk of pesticide exposure for at-risk populations.

"Activities are already under way to develop the information needed to correlate health data and pesticide data, as well as to evaluate potential pesticide exposure pathways," said EERC Senior Research Advisor and Technical Manager Edward Steadman. The northern Great Plains region represents a unique opportunity to investigate the links between pesticide use and neurodegenerative diseases. Most areas of the United States are exposed to a wide range of pollutants from industrial sources, making the task of discerning the health effects of pesticides more difficult to quantify. Previous research at the EERC has demonstrated that pesticides are more prevalent relative to other airborne organic pollutants in North Dakota and, therefore, it will be easier to differentiate the effects of pesticides from other pollutants.

Program partners include UND's School of Medicine and Health Sciences, College of Nursing, and Psychology Department. Additionally, key contributions are being made through collaborative arrangements with the North Dakota State University Extension Service, the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agriculture Statistics Service, and the North Dakota Department of Health Division of Vital Records.

"This program will build on the EERC's role as a national leader in environmental issues and the UND Medical School's expertise in neurodegenerative diseases," said EERC Director Gerald Groenewold. "It will provide a foundation for the development of a national center that establishes UND as a leader in the study of pesticide impacts on human health."

Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC)

http://www.undeerc.org

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