Non-persistent exposures from plasticizers or plastic constituents in remote Arctic communities: a case for further research

BACKGROUND: Persistent organic pollutant exposures are well-documented in the Arctic, but fewer studies examined non-persistent chemicals, despite increased market food and consumer product consumption. OBJECTIVE: To measure phenol, paraben, phthalate, and alternative plasticizer concentrations in Inuit adults. METHODS: The study included 30 pooled urine samples from Qanuilirpitaa? 2017 Nunavik Inuit Health Survey (Q2017) participants. Creatinine-adjusted geometric mean concentrations (GM) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were compared across sex, age, and regions, and compared to those in the Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS) and the First Nations Biomonitoring Initiative (FNBI). RESULTS: Q2017 bisphenol-A concentrations were double the CHMS 2018–2019 concentrations [GM (95% CI): 1.98 (1.69–2.31) versus 0.71 (0.60–0.84) µg/g creatinine], but in line with FNBI [1.74 (1.41–2.13) µg/g creatinine]. Several phthalate concentrations were higher in Q2017 versus CHMS, particularly monobenzyl phthalate, which was was 19-fold higher in Q2017 versus CHMS 2018–2019 [45.26 (39.35–52.06) versus 2.4 (2.0–2.9) µg/g creatinine] and four-fold higher than FNBI. There were also four-fold higher concentrations of the two alternate plasticizer 2,2,4-trimethyl-1,3-pentanediol diisobutyrate (TIXB) metabolites in Q2017 compared to CHMS 2018–2019. Women and people living in Ungava Bay had generally higher concentrations of non-persistent chemicals. SIGNIFICANCE: The results suggest higher concentrations of certain non-persistent chemicals in Inuit versus the general Canadian population. IMPACT: Few studies have explored non-persistent chemical distributions in Northern communities, despite the increasing consumer product and market food consumption. We analyzed 30 pooled samples from the Qanuilirpitaa? Nunavik Inuit Health Survey 2017 to assess exposures to common plasticizes and plastic constituents and compare their levels with the general Canadian population and First Nation groups. We observed particularly higher levels of bisphenol-A, of monobenzyl phthalate, and of two 2,2,4-trimethyl-1,3-pentanediol diisobutyrate (TXIB) metabolites among Nunavimmiut compared to the general Canadian population, notably among women and Ungava Bay residents. Larger studies are required to confirm our findings and identify potential adverse health effects from these exposures.