Environmental exposure and lifestyle predictors of lead, cadmium, PCB, and DDT levels in Great Lakes fish eaters.

A previously characterized cohort of 115 Great Lakes fish eaters and 95 non-fish-eating regional controls was reexamined in 1989. Levels of blood lead and cadmium and serum PCB and DDT were measured. Lifestyle characteristics, including recent and historic fish consumption, were evaluated as predictors of contaminant levels using multivariate regression analysis. Significantly elevated serum PCB and DDT levels were observed in fish eaters, compared with controls. Historic fish consumption, rather than recent consumption, was identified as the primary predictor of current serum levels. Mean blood lead and cadmium were also significantly higher in fish eaters than in controls. However, the primary predictors of lead and cadmium were behavioral exposures--specifically smoking and self-reported occupational and recreational exposure-rather than fish consumption. These findings illustrate the importance of evaluating a variety of possible sources when investigating human exposure to environmental contaminants.