Biomarkers of low-level mercury exposure through fish consumption in pregnant and lactating Slovenian women

In order to assess the mercury exposure of pregnant and lactating women in Slovenia, levels of total mercury (THg) and methylmercury (MeHg) were determined in hair, cord blood and breast milk. In addition, the frequency of fish consumption was estimated, because fish is generally the main pathway fo...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental research 2011-11, Vol.111 (8), p.1201-1207
Main Authors: Miklavčič, A., Cuderman, P., Mazej, D., Snoj Tratnik, J., Krsnik, M., Planinšek, P., Osredkar, J., Horvat, M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Biological and medical sciences
Biomarkers - analysis
Biomarkers - blood
Blood
Breast
Breast milk
Chemical and industrial products toxicology. Toxic occupational diseases
Cord blood
Correlation
Diet
Environmental Exposure
Female
Fish
Fish consumption
Fishes
Food toxicology
Hair
Hair - chemistry
Humans
Lactation
Medical sciences
Mercury
Mercury - administration & dosage
Mercury - toxicity
Mercury exposure
Metals and various inorganic compounds
Milk
Milk, Human - chemistry
Pregnancy
Rope
Slovenia
Spectrophotometry, Atomic
Toxicology
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Summary:In order to assess the mercury exposure of pregnant and lactating women in Slovenia, levels of total mercury (THg) and methylmercury (MeHg) were determined in hair, cord blood and breast milk. In addition, the frequency of fish consumption was estimated, because fish is generally the main pathway for human exposure to MeHg. Hair samples were collected from 574 women participating in this study, while cord blood and breast milk samples were collected from 446 and 284 women, respectively. As expected, the levels of THg in hair (median (Med)=297ng/g, 10th percentile (P10)=73ng/g, 90th percentile (P90)=781ng/g), cord blood (Med=1.5ng/g, P10=0.5ng/g, P90=4.2ng/g) and breast milk (Med=0.2ng/g, P10=0.06ng/g, P90=0.6ng/g) were low, due to low consumption of fish (X=25g/day). A significant linear correlation was found between levels of lnTHg in hair and lnTHg in cord blood (r=0.87, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.84–0.89), between levels of lnTHg in hair and lnMeHg in cord blood (r=0.94, 95% CI: 0.90–0.96) and between lnTHg levels in cord blood and lnTHg levels in breast milk (r=0.36, 95% CI: 0.25–0.47). Spearman's rank correlations between the frequency of fish consumption and THg in hair (rs=0.35, 95% CI: 0.28–0.42), and between the frequency of fish consumption and THg in cord blood (rs=0.43, 95% CI: 0.36–0.51) or MeHg in cord blood (rs=0.31, 95% CI: 0.06–0.52) were weak. This could be due to the approximate information on fish consumption obtained from the questionnaires, the high variability of MeHg concentrations in fish and a relatively high proportion of inorganic mercury in the biomarkers which originates from sources other than fish. In conclusion, THg levels in cord blood, THg levels in hair and MeHg levels in cord blood are suitable biomarkers of low-level Hg exposure through fish consumption. Compared to cord blood, hair samples are easy to collect, store and analyse. ► THg in hair, THg, MeHg in cord blood are suitable biomarkers of MeHg exposure. ► THg measurements in hair are the most appropriate for large epidemiological studies. ► Almost 100% of MeHg was found in cord blood and hair at higher levels of THg. ► Lower and variable % of MeHg was found in breast milk. ► Lower % of MeHg in cord blood was found at lower levels of THg.
ISSN:0013-9351
1096-0953
DOI:10.1016/j.envres.2011.07.006