*Medical Geochemistry is a new branch of Earth Science which borrows methods and approaches from ... more *Medical Geochemistry is a new branch of Earth Science which borrows methods and approaches from basic geochemical science and applies them evaluating interactions between the environment and geology and humans (e.g. bone, gastric, lung and dermatological).
*Medical Geochemistry gives comprehensive and focused approach with respect to applying geochemical techniques
The book reviews expertise on the geochemical methods used to understand the relationships that occur between human health and environment
This book includes a collection of chapters illustrating "the state of art" in applying geochemical methods to investigate the interactions between geological materials and fluids with humans. Examples include the incorporation and human health effects of inhaling lithogenic materials, the reactivity of biological fluids with geological materials, and the impact on nascent biomineral formation. Biomineralization will be investigated in terms of mineralogy, morphology, bone chemistry, and pathological significance with a focus on the health impacts of "foreign" geological/environmental trace element incorporation. One contribution will be devoted to particulate matter, the presence of metals and metalloids in the environment, and the possibility of using human hair as a biomarker between environmental/geological exposure and human bioincorporation. Other papers will be focused on the last advances on the analytical methods and instrumentational approaches to investigating the chemistry of biological fluids and tissues.
ABSTRACT Introduction: The National Children's Study (NCS) will recruit and follow a coho... more ABSTRACT Introduction: The National Children's Study (NCS) will recruit and follow a cohort of 100,000 United States children from before birth until age 21. The goal is to improve the health and well-being of children and contribute to understanding the role that many factors have on health and disease. The focus of this research is to develop methods for procuring, preserving, and processing the placenta upon delivery to evaluate the importance of examining the placenta for identifying relationships and establishing biomarkers to determine in utero genetic, environmental, and morphological contributions to childhood and adult diseases. By assessing the placenta and its architecture, vascularization, genetics, epigenetics, and environmental exposures, our understanding of prenatal contributors to child health will be realized. Methods: A pilot study was conducted to establish collection techniques, the equipment/supplies required, and analyze placental specimens acquired at different times post delivery. The field study was initiated 10/2011 based upon results of the pilot. Field sites are in Orange County, CA; Queens, NY; Montgomery County, PA; Lincoln County, MN; Yellow Medicine County, MN; Pipestone County, MN; Brookings County, SD; Duplin County, NC; Waukesha County, WI; Salt Lake County, UT; Cache County, UT. Extensive training of birth coordinators, development of a logistical support systems for collections in the field, and shipping specimens to the Placental Processing Center (PPC) for evaluation were conducted via WEB EX teleconferencing. Results: To date, approximately 100 placentae were collected/shipped to the PPC for genetic, environmental, and morphological assessments with a mean site collection time following delivery of 55+30 min (range 9min-24hr) at the widely diverse 10 county collection sites. Coupled with mother's and child's clinical histories using special coding to assure subject anonymity, novel techniques were developed for specimen collection, storage, and analysis to preserve specimen integrity for morphologic, genetic/epigenetic, and environmental exposures. Discussion: It is possible to collect, process, and analyze for morphological, genetic, and environmental analytes in placentae from multiple sites, as well as assure tissue is available for state of the art analyses of biomarkers for current and future health risk assessments.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2012
The debate surrounding the safety of shale gas development in the Appalachian Basin has generated... more The debate surrounding the safety of shale gas development in the Appalachian Basin has generated increased awareness of drinking water quality in rural communities. Concerns include the potential for migration of stray gas, metal-rich formation brines, and hydraulic fracturing and/or flowback fluids to drinking water aquifers. A critical question common to these environmental risks is the hydraulic connectivity between the shale gas formations and the overlying shallow drinking water aquifers. We present geochemical evidence from northeastern Pennsylvania showing that pathways, unrelated to recent drilling activities, exist in some locations between deep underlying formations and shallow drinking water aquifers. Integration of chemical data (Br, Cl, Na, Ba, Sr, and Li) and isotopic ratios ( 87 Sr/ 86 Sr, 2 H/H, 18 O/ 16 O, and 228 Ra/ 226 Ra) from this and previous studies in 426 shallow groundwater samples and 83 northern Appalachian brine samples suggest that mixing relationships...
We find anomalously high gadolinium (Gd) concentrations in the femoral head bones of patients exp... more We find anomalously high gadolinium (Gd) concentrations in the femoral head bones of patients exposed to chelated Gd, commonly used as a contrast agent for medical imaging. Gd is introduced in chelated form to protect patients from exposure to toxic free Gd(3+), a calcium antagonist which disrupts cellular processes. Recent studies suggest Gd chelates break down in vivo, and Gd accumulation in tissue is linked to medical conditions such as nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF), acute kidney failure, and in some cases death. We measure Gd and other rare earth element (REE) concentrations in 35 femoral heads by solution based ICP-MS. Gd concentrations in patients with documented exposure to Gd-based contrast agents (n = 13: Gd DTPA-BMA (Omniscan) n = 6; Gd HP-DO3A (Prohance) n = 5; unknown type n = 4) are significantly higher (p < 0.001) than the control group (n = 17). We use our control group to establish the 'natural' background level of Gd in human bone (cortical 95% CI: 0.023, 0.041 nmol/g; trabecular 95% CI: 0.054, 0.107 nmol/g). A control group outlier reveals the occurrence of individuals with high concentrations of all REEs, including Gd. Because of this, we calculate Gd anomalies from the concentrations of adjacent REEs and normalize to the control group mean to isolate Gd input from contrast agents. Normalized Gd anomalies, (Gd/Gd*)(N), for exposed patients range up to >800 times the 'natural' level (95% CI: 124, 460). Our data confirm that Gd, introduced in chelated form, incorporates into bone and is retained for more than 8 years. No difference was observed in bone Gd concentrations and anomalies between patients dosed with Gd DTPA-BMA (Omniscan; n = 6) and Gd HP-DO3A (Prohance; n = 5). Osteoporotic fracture patients exposed to Gd have significantly lower Gd concentrations than osteoarthritis patients (p < 0.001). This indicates different mechanisms of…
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Jan 30, 2014
Horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing have enhanced energy production but raised concerns ... more Horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing have enhanced energy production but raised concerns about drinking-water contamination and other environmental impacts. Identifying the sources and mechanisms of contamination can help improve the environmental and economic sustainability of shale-gas extraction. We analyzed 113 and 20 samples from drinking-water wells overlying the Marcellus and Barnett Shales, respectively, examining hydrocarbon abundance and isotopic compositions (e.g., C2H6/CH4, δ(13)C-CH4) and providing, to our knowledge, the first comprehensive analyses of noble gases and their isotopes (e.g., (4)He, (20)Ne, (36)Ar) in groundwater near shale-gas wells. We addressed two questions. (i) Are elevated levels of hydrocarbon gases in drinking-water aquifers near gas wells natural or anthropogenic? (ii) If fugitive gas contamination exists, what mechanisms cause it? Against a backdrop of naturally occurring salt- and gas-rich groundwater, we identified eight discrete cluste...
*Medical Geochemistry is a new branch of Earth Science which borrows methods and approaches from ... more *Medical Geochemistry is a new branch of Earth Science which borrows methods and approaches from basic geochemical science and applies them evaluating interactions between the environment and geology and humans (e.g. bone, gastric, lung and dermatological).
*Medical Geochemistry gives comprehensive and focused approach with respect to applying geochemical techniques
The book reviews expertise on the geochemical methods used to understand the relationships that occur between human health and environment
This book includes a collection of chapters illustrating "the state of art" in applying geochemical methods to investigate the interactions between geological materials and fluids with humans. Examples include the incorporation and human health effects of inhaling lithogenic materials, the reactivity of biological fluids with geological materials, and the impact on nascent biomineral formation. Biomineralization will be investigated in terms of mineralogy, morphology, bone chemistry, and pathological significance with a focus on the health impacts of "foreign" geological/environmental trace element incorporation. One contribution will be devoted to particulate matter, the presence of metals and metalloids in the environment, and the possibility of using human hair as a biomarker between environmental/geological exposure and human bioincorporation. Other papers will be focused on the last advances on the analytical methods and instrumentational approaches to investigating the chemistry of biological fluids and tissues.
ABSTRACT Introduction: The National Children's Study (NCS) will recruit and follow a coho... more ABSTRACT Introduction: The National Children's Study (NCS) will recruit and follow a cohort of 100,000 United States children from before birth until age 21. The goal is to improve the health and well-being of children and contribute to understanding the role that many factors have on health and disease. The focus of this research is to develop methods for procuring, preserving, and processing the placenta upon delivery to evaluate the importance of examining the placenta for identifying relationships and establishing biomarkers to determine in utero genetic, environmental, and morphological contributions to childhood and adult diseases. By assessing the placenta and its architecture, vascularization, genetics, epigenetics, and environmental exposures, our understanding of prenatal contributors to child health will be realized. Methods: A pilot study was conducted to establish collection techniques, the equipment/supplies required, and analyze placental specimens acquired at different times post delivery. The field study was initiated 10/2011 based upon results of the pilot. Field sites are in Orange County, CA; Queens, NY; Montgomery County, PA; Lincoln County, MN; Yellow Medicine County, MN; Pipestone County, MN; Brookings County, SD; Duplin County, NC; Waukesha County, WI; Salt Lake County, UT; Cache County, UT. Extensive training of birth coordinators, development of a logistical support systems for collections in the field, and shipping specimens to the Placental Processing Center (PPC) for evaluation were conducted via WEB EX teleconferencing. Results: To date, approximately 100 placentae were collected/shipped to the PPC for genetic, environmental, and morphological assessments with a mean site collection time following delivery of 55+30 min (range 9min-24hr) at the widely diverse 10 county collection sites. Coupled with mother's and child's clinical histories using special coding to assure subject anonymity, novel techniques were developed for specimen collection, storage, and analysis to preserve specimen integrity for morphologic, genetic/epigenetic, and environmental exposures. Discussion: It is possible to collect, process, and analyze for morphological, genetic, and environmental analytes in placentae from multiple sites, as well as assure tissue is available for state of the art analyses of biomarkers for current and future health risk assessments.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2012
The debate surrounding the safety of shale gas development in the Appalachian Basin has generated... more The debate surrounding the safety of shale gas development in the Appalachian Basin has generated increased awareness of drinking water quality in rural communities. Concerns include the potential for migration of stray gas, metal-rich formation brines, and hydraulic fracturing and/or flowback fluids to drinking water aquifers. A critical question common to these environmental risks is the hydraulic connectivity between the shale gas formations and the overlying shallow drinking water aquifers. We present geochemical evidence from northeastern Pennsylvania showing that pathways, unrelated to recent drilling activities, exist in some locations between deep underlying formations and shallow drinking water aquifers. Integration of chemical data (Br, Cl, Na, Ba, Sr, and Li) and isotopic ratios ( 87 Sr/ 86 Sr, 2 H/H, 18 O/ 16 O, and 228 Ra/ 226 Ra) from this and previous studies in 426 shallow groundwater samples and 83 northern Appalachian brine samples suggest that mixing relationships...
We find anomalously high gadolinium (Gd) concentrations in the femoral head bones of patients exp... more We find anomalously high gadolinium (Gd) concentrations in the femoral head bones of patients exposed to chelated Gd, commonly used as a contrast agent for medical imaging. Gd is introduced in chelated form to protect patients from exposure to toxic free Gd(3+), a calcium antagonist which disrupts cellular processes. Recent studies suggest Gd chelates break down in vivo, and Gd accumulation in tissue is linked to medical conditions such as nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF), acute kidney failure, and in some cases death. We measure Gd and other rare earth element (REE) concentrations in 35 femoral heads by solution based ICP-MS. Gd concentrations in patients with documented exposure to Gd-based contrast agents (n = 13: Gd DTPA-BMA (Omniscan) n = 6; Gd HP-DO3A (Prohance) n = 5; unknown type n = 4) are significantly higher (p < 0.001) than the control group (n = 17). We use our control group to establish the 'natural' background level of Gd in human bone (cortical 95% CI: 0.023, 0.041 nmol/g; trabecular 95% CI: 0.054, 0.107 nmol/g). A control group outlier reveals the occurrence of individuals with high concentrations of all REEs, including Gd. Because of this, we calculate Gd anomalies from the concentrations of adjacent REEs and normalize to the control group mean to isolate Gd input from contrast agents. Normalized Gd anomalies, (Gd/Gd*)(N), for exposed patients range up to >800 times the 'natural' level (95% CI: 124, 460). Our data confirm that Gd, introduced in chelated form, incorporates into bone and is retained for more than 8 years. No difference was observed in bone Gd concentrations and anomalies between patients dosed with Gd DTPA-BMA (Omniscan; n = 6) and Gd HP-DO3A (Prohance; n = 5). Osteoporotic fracture patients exposed to Gd have significantly lower Gd concentrations than osteoarthritis patients (p < 0.001). This indicates different mechanisms of…
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Jan 30, 2014
Horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing have enhanced energy production but raised concerns ... more Horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing have enhanced energy production but raised concerns about drinking-water contamination and other environmental impacts. Identifying the sources and mechanisms of contamination can help improve the environmental and economic sustainability of shale-gas extraction. We analyzed 113 and 20 samples from drinking-water wells overlying the Marcellus and Barnett Shales, respectively, examining hydrocarbon abundance and isotopic compositions (e.g., C2H6/CH4, δ(13)C-CH4) and providing, to our knowledge, the first comprehensive analyses of noble gases and their isotopes (e.g., (4)He, (20)Ne, (36)Ar) in groundwater near shale-gas wells. We addressed two questions. (i) Are elevated levels of hydrocarbon gases in drinking-water aquifers near gas wells natural or anthropogenic? (ii) If fugitive gas contamination exists, what mechanisms cause it? Against a backdrop of naturally occurring salt- and gas-rich groundwater, we identified eight discrete cluste...
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Books by Tom Darrah
*Medical Geochemistry gives comprehensive and focused approach with respect to applying geochemical techniques
The book reviews expertise on the geochemical methods used to understand the relationships that occur between human health and environment
This book includes a collection of chapters illustrating "the state of art" in applying geochemical methods to investigate the interactions between geological materials and fluids with humans. Examples include the incorporation and human health effects of inhaling lithogenic materials, the reactivity of biological fluids with geological materials, and the impact on nascent biomineral formation. Biomineralization will be investigated in terms of mineralogy, morphology, bone chemistry, and pathological significance with a focus on the health impacts of "foreign" geological/environmental trace element incorporation. One contribution will be devoted to particulate matter, the presence of metals and metalloids in the environment, and the possibility of using human hair as a biomarker between environmental/geological exposure and human bioincorporation. Other papers will be focused on the last advances on the analytical methods and instrumentational approaches to investigating the chemistry of biological fluids and tissues.
Papers by Tom Darrah
*Medical Geochemistry gives comprehensive and focused approach with respect to applying geochemical techniques
The book reviews expertise on the geochemical methods used to understand the relationships that occur between human health and environment
This book includes a collection of chapters illustrating "the state of art" in applying geochemical methods to investigate the interactions between geological materials and fluids with humans. Examples include the incorporation and human health effects of inhaling lithogenic materials, the reactivity of biological fluids with geological materials, and the impact on nascent biomineral formation. Biomineralization will be investigated in terms of mineralogy, morphology, bone chemistry, and pathological significance with a focus on the health impacts of "foreign" geological/environmental trace element incorporation. One contribution will be devoted to particulate matter, the presence of metals and metalloids in the environment, and the possibility of using human hair as a biomarker between environmental/geological exposure and human bioincorporation. Other papers will be focused on the last advances on the analytical methods and instrumentational approaches to investigating the chemistry of biological fluids and tissues.