Diurnal variations in urinary mercury excretion.

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Environmental Toxicology
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Mercury exposure poses significant health risks to workers.
• Biological monitoring is crucial for assessing occupational mercury exposure.
• Diurnal variations in biological markers can complicate exposure assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the diurnal variation in urinary mercury concentration among occupationally exposed workers.
• To determine the influence of creatinine excretion on urinary mercury measurements.
• To discuss the implications for biological monitoring of mercury workers.

Main Methods:

• Recruitment of 36 occupationally exposed workers.
• Collection of urine samples over a diurnal cycle.
• Measurement of mercury concentration (nmol/mmol creatinine).
• Analysis of diurnal patterns in mercury and creatinine excretion.

Main Results:

• A consistent diurnal variation in urinary mercury concentration was observed.
• Mercury levels were highest in the morning and lowest in the evening.
• Creatinine excretion exhibited an opposite diurnal pattern, influencing mercury concentration readings.
• Both intrinsic biological factors and excretion artifacts contribute to the observed variation.

Conclusions:

• Diurnal variation in urinary mercury is a significant factor in biological monitoring.
• Accurate biological monitoring requires consideration of diurnal patterns in mercury and creatinine excretion.
• Adjusted monitoring protocols may be necessary to account for these variations in occupational health surveillance.