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The geographic distribution of trace elements in the environment: the REGARDS study
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

The geographic distribution of trace elements in the environment: the REGARDS study

Nicole Rembert, Ka He, Suzanne E Judd and Leslie A McClure
Environmental monitoring and assessment, v 189(2), pp 84-84
Feb 2017
PMID: 28138888
url
https://europepmc.org/articles/pmc5822713View
Accepted (AM)Open Access (License Unspecified) Open

Abstract

African Continental Ancestry Group Aged Arsenic - analysis Cohort Studies Demography Environment Environmental Exposure Environmental Monitoring European Continental Ancestry Group Female Geography Humans Longitudinal Studies Magnesium - analysis Male Mercury - analysis Middle Aged Selenium - analysis Stroke - epidemiology Stroke - ethnology Stroke - pathology Trace Elements - analysis United States - epidemiology
Research on trace elements and the effects of their ingestion on human health is often seen in scientific literature. However, little research has been done on the distribution of trace elements in the environment and their impact on health. This paper examines what characteristics among participants in the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study are associated with levels of environmental exposure to arsenic, magnesium, mercury, and selenium. Demographic information from REGARDS participants was combined with trace element concentration data from the US Geochemical Survey (USGS). Each trace element was characterized as either low (magnesium and selenium) or high (arsenic and mercury) exposure. Associations between demographic characteristics and trace element concentrations were analyzed with unadjusted and adjusted logistic regression models. Individuals who reside in the Stroke Belt have lower odds of high exposure (4th quartile) to arsenic (OR 0.33, CI 0.31, 0.35) and increased exposure to mercury (OR 0.65, CI 0.62, 0.70) than those living outside of these areas, while the odds of low exposure to trace element concentrations were increased for magnesium (OR 5.48, CI 5.05, 5.95) and selenium (OR 2.37, CI 2.22, 2.54). We found an association between levels of trace elements in the environment and geographic region of residence, among other factors. Future studies are needed to further examine this association and determine whether or not these differences may be related to geographic variation in disease.

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UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

This publication has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:

#6 Clean Water and Sanitation
#3 Good Health and Well-Being

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Collaboration types
Domestic collaboration
Web of Science research areas
Environmental Sciences
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