Document Type

Journal Article

Department/Unit

Department of Biology

Title

Plasma mercury levels in Hong Kong residents: In relation to fish consumption

Language

English

Abstract

Mercury exposure is of particular concern since mercury is a neurotoxin and the developing fetus is most sensitive to its adverse effect. Human blood is routinely used as an indicator for the evaluation of human exposure to Hg. To investigate Hg species in human plasma for Hong Kong residents and the relationship between fish consumption and Hg species in plasma, 151 plasma samples were analyzed for Hg species. The mean values of total Hg (THg) and methyl-mercury (MeHg) concentration in plasma were 0.62 and 0.28. μg/L, respectively. No significant differences were observed between females and males as well as among age groups. Fish consumption rate was significantly positively correlated with MeHg concentrations in plasma, which demonstrated that plasma could be a biomarker for human MeHg exposure.Two methods were used to estimate human MeHg exposure. One was based on fish MeHg content and fish consumption rate (EDIFish), another was employed by converting MeHg concentration in blood to MeHg exposure amount (EDIBlood). A significant positive correlation was observed between EDIBlood and EDIFish, and no significant difference was found between EDIBlood and EDIFish. These results demonstrated that fish consumption was the major source of MeHg for humans. © 2013 Elsevier B.V.

Keywords

Blood plasma, Human exposure, Methylmercury

Publication Date

2013

Source Publication Title

Science of The Total Environment

Volume

463-464

Start Page

1225

End Page

1229

Publisher

Elsevier

DOI

10.1016/j.scitotenv.2013.04.049

Link to Publisher's Edition

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2013.04.049

ISSN (print)

00489697

ISSN (electronic)

18791026

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