Yellowknife Health Effects Monitoring Program Completes Baseline Study

Typography

Dr. Laurie Chan and his team from the University of Ottawa are pleased to announce that the first phase of the Yellowknife Health Effects Monitoring Program (YKHEMP) is complete.

 

Dr. Laurie Chan and his team from the University of Ottawa are pleased to announce that the first phase of the Yellowknife Health Effects Monitoring Program (YKHEMP) is complete, giving residents of Dettah, Ndilo and Yellowknife a comprehensive baseline picture of the level of arsenic exposure and other metals for the first time.

Having achieved this primary goal, the YKHEMP will help ensure the Giant Mine Remediation Project does not negatively affect the health of the community in the course of its activities.

During their study, Dr. Chan and his team measured arsenic concentrations in urine and toenail samples collected from participants. Lead and cadmium concentrations were also measured in the urine samples. With over 2000 participants, the results obtained by Dr. Chan’s team allow a direct comparison with the Canadian general population results collected in the Canadian Health Measures Survey.


Continue reading at University of Ottawa.

Image via University of Ottawa.