Contribution to the problem of environmental contamination with mercury

Total mercury concentrations determined in the organs (muscle, brain, lungs, pancreas, liver, kidneys) of necropsy patients are evaluated. The mercury concentrations were also determined in the hair and urine of children residing in two different areas employed in a grain dressing paint (exposed and nonexposed to mercury fungicide formulation). The human autopsy study showed that the detected organ mercury concentrations were considerably lower than those reported in the literature: 94% of necropsy tissue samples showed mercury content lower than 100 micrograms . kg-1, irrespective of the type of body organ and the age of necropsy patients. The organ mercury concentrations were rising in the following order of organs: muscle, brain, lungs, pancreas liver and kidneys. No correlation could be demonstrated between the organ mercury concentration and the age of necropsy patient, or the primary cause of death. The highest hair and urine mercury concentrations were detected in workers occupationally exposed to the mercury containing fungicide formation. Increased average hair mercury concentrations corresponded with increased average mercury concentrations in the urine. The average mercury concentrations detected in the hair and urine of children and nonexposed workers were considerably lower than those reported in the literature. The authors provide also the most important data on the reported case of livestock overexposure to mercury, which has primarily stimulated their interest in mercury as an important environmental contaminant.