Mercury in human hair and its implications for health investigation

Ba, Zhixin; Li, Linjun; Yao, Cong; Tian, Xiaosong; Wu, Yurong; Xie, Qing; Wang, Dingyong

doi:10.1016/j.coesh.2021.100271

Cited by 18 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 51 publications

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“…Mercury is a global health concern, with dietary intake and occupational risks being the main exposure routes (Wang et al 2021 ). The ingestion of fish is the dominant mode of exposure to MeHg for humans, which can bioaccumulate and biomagnify through the food chain in aquatic systems (NRC 2000 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although MeHg in the body combines with sulfur atoms of thiol ligands to form water soluble complexes, urinary excretion of MeHg is negligible (Guzzi and La Porta 2008 ), and it is considered a reliable qualitative biomarker for Hg exposure only when measuring the levels in hair is not possible (Esteban-López et al 2022 ). Human hair is in fact the ideal biomarker of chronic exposure to MeHg (Thompson et al 2014 ; Koenigsmark et al 2021 ; Esteban-López et al 2022 ) also taking into consideration the relatively low cost of sampling and the non-invasive nature of the procedure (Wang et al 2021 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Concentration of mercury in human hair and associated factors in residents of the Gulf of Trieste (North-Eastern Italy)

Cegolon

Petranich

Pavoni

et al. 2022

Environ Sci Pollut Res

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The Gulf of Trieste (Northern Adriatic Sea, Italy) is the coastal area of the Mediterranean Sea most highly contaminated by mercury (Hg) due to fluvial inputs from the Isonzo/Soča River system, draining over 500 years’ worth of cinnabar extraction activity from the Idrija mining district (Western Slovenia). The aim of this research is to investigate the concentration of Hg in hair samples taken from the general population of the Friuli Venezia Giulia (FVG) Region coastal area, as a marker of chronic exposure to Hg. Three hundred and one individuals — 119 males and 182 females — were recruited by convenience sampling in Trieste in September 2021. An amount of approximately 100 mg of hair was collected from the occipital scalp of each participant to measure the respective Hg concentrations (expressed as mg/kg). Moreover, participants completed a self-report questionnaire collecting extensive socio-demographic and life-style information. A multiple linear regression analysis was employed to investigate factors associated with increased levels of Hg concentration in hair. A mean Hg concentration in hair of 1.63 mg/kg was found, slightly above the 1.0 mg/kg threshold recommended by the WHO for pregnant women and children, although still well below the no observed adverse effects level (NOAEL) of 10 mg/kg. Among respondents, 55.6% showed a Hg concentration in hair > 1 mg/kg, 22.9% > 2 mg/kg, and 2 participants exhibited Hg levels > 10 mg/kg. The adjusted mean hair Hg level increased in those subjects who reported a preference for shellfish/crayfish/mollusks (RC = 0.35; 95%CI: 0.16; 0.55), whereas it decreased in those who reported a preference for frozen fish (RC = -0.23; 95%CI: − 0.39; − 0.06). Though a risk alert for Hg exposure for coastal residents from FVG is deemed unnecessary at this time, it is recommended that pregnant women limit their ingestion of locally caught fish to < 4 servings/month.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Concentration of mercury in human hair and associated factors in residents of the Gulf of Trieste (North-Eastern Italy)

Cegolon

Petranich

Pavoni

et al. 2022

Environ Sci Pollut Res

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“…Most human studies are based on hair as a non-intrusive and convenient matrix for detecting dietary Hg [ 54 , 159 , 160 ]. Interestingly, some studies note that proximity to mining is not necessarily associated with exposure risk [ 147 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This means that even mercury levels below any of these thresholds may still pose a risk to human health and lead to adverse health effects. Hair Hg concentrations above 10 µg/g are considered hazardous, and may lead to notable chronic symptoms for mercury poisoning [ 54 ].…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Trends in Mercury Contamination Distribution among Human and Animal Populations in the Amazon Region

Martoredjo,

Calvão Santos,

Vilhena

et al. 2024

Toxics

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Mercury contamination in the Amazon arising from both natural sources and intensive mining activities in the region is a significant public health concern. This metal is used to separate Au from sediments. Accordingly, this study aimed to assess the impact of mining on mercury contamination in the animal and human populations of the Amazon. This overall objective was pursued through a systematic review of the existing literature to assess the impact of Hg and identify gaps in geographic coverage arising from this assessment. Herein, we employed PECO and PRISMA-ScR protocols to select articles published between 2017 and 2023 based on projected points on a map within the biogeographic boundaries of the Amazon. We found that mercury concentrations increase with trophic levels, reaching high values of 3.7 µg/g in the muscles of predatory fish and 34.9 µg/g in human hair. The mean level of mercury in human hair in the whole (Amazon) region exceeds 6 µg/g, surpassing tolerance levels. Although mining regions show high concentrations of Hg, the highest incidence was observed among populations with fish-based diets. It was concluded that continuous research and monitoring of fish in the region are required in order to accurately assess the risk associated with Hg contamination, especially since fish are the main source of protein in this region.

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“…Hair samples are often used to evaluate human exposure and risk to Hg (Wang et al, 2021;Petrova et al, 2020a). Similarly, here we conducted an assessment of the regional risk of polar bears based on polar bear hair samples collected from hunting as well as hair sampled from polar bears that were routinely collected during tagging studies.…”

Section: Risk Effects Extrapolated From Hair Hg Concentrations In Pol...mentioning

confidence: 99%

A risk assessment review of mercury exposure in Arctic marine and terrestrial mammals

Dietz

Letcher

Aars

et al. 2022

Science of The Total Environment

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Mercury in human hair and its implications for health investigation

Cited by 18 publications

References 51 publications

Concentration of mercury in human hair and associated factors in residents of the Gulf of Trieste (North-Eastern Italy)

Concentration of mercury in human hair and associated factors in residents of the Gulf of Trieste (North-Eastern Italy)

Trends in Mercury Contamination Distribution among Human and Animal Populations in the Amazon Region

A risk assessment review of mercury exposure in Arctic marine and terrestrial mammals

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