Calculation of Mercury’s Effects on Neurodevelopment

Grandjean, Philippe; Pichery, Céline; Bellanger, Martine; Budtz‐Jørgensen, Esben

doi:10.1289/ehp.1206033

Cited by 34 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…One comparable estimate put the aggregate economic benefit for each annual birth cohort in the US at $8.7 billion (range: $0.7–$13.9 billion for year 2000) [10]. We recently calculated the annual benefit for the US at about 264,000 IQ points, which would correspond to benefits of approximately $5 billion [42]. The EU benefits of over 600,000 IQ points are much higher.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Economic benefits of methylmercury exposure control in Europe: Monetary value of neurotoxicity prevention

Bellanger

Pichery

Aerts³

et al. 2013

Environ Health

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144

127

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BackgroundDue to global mercury pollution and the adverse health effects of prenatal exposure to methylmercury (MeHg), an assessment of the economic benefits of prevented developmental neurotoxicity is necessary for any cost-benefit analysis.MethodsDistributions of hair-Hg concentrations among women of reproductive age were obtained from the DEMOCOPHES project (1,875 subjects in 17 countries) and literature data (6,820 subjects from 8 countries). The exposures were assumed to comply with log-normal distributions. Neurotoxicity effects were estimated from a linear dose-response function with a slope of 0.465 Intelligence Quotient (IQ) point reduction per μg/g increase in the maternal hair-Hg concentration during pregnancy, assuming no deficits below a hair-Hg limit of 0.58 μg/g thought to be safe. A logarithmic IQ response was used in sensitivity analyses. The estimated IQ benefit cost was based on lifetime income, adjusted for purchasing power parity.ResultsThe hair-mercury concentrations were the highest in Southern Europe and lowest in Eastern Europe. The results suggest that, within the EU, more than 1.8 million children are born every year with MeHg exposures above the limit of 0.58 μg/g, and about 200,000 births exceed a higher limit of 2.5 μg/g proposed by the World Health Organization (WHO). The total annual benefits of exposure prevention within the EU were estimated at more than 600,000 IQ points per year, corresponding to a total economic benefit between €8,000 million and €9,000 million per year. About four-fold higher values were obtained when using the logarithmic response function, while adjustment for productivity resulted in slightly lower total benefits. These calculations do not include the less tangible advantages of protecting brain development against neurotoxicity or any other adverse effects.ConclusionsThese estimates document that efforts to combat mercury pollution and to reduce MeHg exposures will have very substantial economic benefits in Europe, mainly in southern countries. Some data may not be entirely representative, some countries were not covered, and anticipated changes in mercury pollution all suggest a need for extended biomonitoring of human MeHg exposure.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Economic benefits of methylmercury exposure control in Europe: Monetary value of neurotoxicity prevention

Bellanger

Pichery

Aerts³

et al. 2013

Environ Health

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144

127

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“…The organic form of mercury, methylmercury (MeHg), is a well-known environmental toxicant that has been associated with long-term neurocognitive deficits in children and impaired cardiovascular health in adults ( Debes et al 2016 ; Roman et al 2011 ). Societal costs of IQ deficits attributed to MeHg exposures are

billion in the United States and European Union (EU) alone ( Bellanger et al 2013 ; Grandjean et al 2012 ). In the United States, human MeHg exposure is almost exclusively from seafood consumption ( NRC 2000 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Decadal Changes in the Edible Supply of Seafood and Methylmercury Exposure in the United States

Sunderland

Bullard

2018

Environ Health Perspect

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Background:Methylmercury (MeHg) exposure is associated with adverse effects on neurodevelopment and cardiovascular health. Previous work indicates most MeHg is from marine fish sold in the commercial market, but does not fully resolve supply regions globally. This information is critical for linking changes in environmental MeHg levels to human exposure in the U.S. population.Objectives:We used available data to estimate the geographic origins of seafood consumed in the United States (major ocean basins, coastal fisheries, aquaculture, freshwater) and how shifts in edible supply affected MeHg exposures between 2000–2002 and 2010–2012.Methods:Source regions for edible seafood and MeHg exposure in the United States were characterized from national and international landing, export and import data from the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations and the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service.Results:Our analysis suggests 37% of U.S. population-wide MeHg exposure is from mainly domestic coastal systems and 45% from open ocean ecosystems. We estimate that the Pacific Ocean alone supplies more than half of total MeHg exposure. Aquaculture and freshwater fisheries together account for an estimated 18% of total MeHg intake. Shifts in seafood types and supply regions between 2000–2002 and 2010–2012 reflect changes in consumer preferences (e.g., away from canned light meat tuna), global ecosystem shifts (e.g., northern migration of cod stocks), and increasing supply from aquaculture (e.g., shrimp and salmon).Conclusion:Our findings indicate global actions that reduce anthropogenic Hg emissions will be beneficial for U.S. seafood consumers because open ocean ecosystems supply a large fraction of their MeHg exposure. However, our estimates suggest that domestic actions can provide the greatest benefit for coastal seafood consumers. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP2644

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“…Since 2000, prevention efforts have relied on the recommendations of the US National Research Council to maintain MeHg exposure below a reference dose of 0.1 µg/kg body weight per day (24). However, prudent advice is to minimize exposure to the extent possible, because a threshold for adverse effects on brain development may not exist (25). …”

Section: Neurobehavioural Effectsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Health effects associated with measured levels of contaminants in the Arctic

Weihe

Debes

Halling

et al. 2016

International Journal of Circumpolar Health

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The Human Health Assessment Group has over the past decade recommended that effect studies be conducted in the circumpolar area. Such studies examine the association between contaminant exposure in the Arctic populations and health effects. Because foetuses and young children are the most vulnerable, effect studies are often prospective child cohort studies. The emphasis in this article is on a description of the effects associated with contaminant exposure in the Arctic. The main topics addressed are neurobehavioural, immunological, reproductive, cardiovascular, endocrine and carcinogenic effect. For each topic, the association between exposure and effects is described, and some results are reported for similar studies outside the Arctic.

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Calculation of Mercury’s Effects on Neurodevelopment

Cited by 34 publications

References 6 publications

Economic benefits of methylmercury exposure control in Europe: Monetary value of neurotoxicity prevention

Economic benefits of methylmercury exposure control in Europe: Monetary value of neurotoxicity prevention

Decadal Changes in the Edible Supply of Seafood and Methylmercury Exposure in the United States

Health effects associated with measured levels of contaminants in the Arctic

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