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Blood mercury concentration in an urban population
The Science of the Total Environment
|November 1, 1977
Summary
Urban patients show elevated mercury levels in blood, averaging 8.1 ppb after outlier removal. These findings suggest higher environmental exposure in city dwellers compared to normal estimates.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Toxicology
- Clinical Chemistry
Background:
- Mercury exposure is a significant public health concern, particularly in urban environments.
- Previous studies indicate lower normal mercury levels than observed in current patient populations.
- Understanding mercury distribution in blood and plasma is crucial for accurate exposure assessment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine mercury concentrations in the whole blood of urban hospital patients.
- To investigate potential correlations between mercury levels and standard blood chemistry profiles.
- To compare blood and plasma mercury levels and relate findings to existing population data.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of whole blood mercury concentrations in 210 urban hospital patients.
- Comparison of mercury levels between genders and correlation with 12-test blood chemistry profiles.
- Simultaneous measurement of mercury in whole blood and plasma for a subset of subjects.
Main Results:
- Mean whole blood mercury concentration was 14.2 ppb, reduced to 8.1 ppb after excluding high outliers (>50 ppb).
- No significant correlation was found between blood mercury levels and blood chemistry profiles.
- Plasma mercury levels (mean 5.0 ppb) were lower than whole blood levels (mean 6.3 ppb) in the same individuals.
Conclusions:
- Urban patient mercury levels are significantly higher than established normal ranges, indicating increased environmental exposure.
- Blood chemistry screening is not a reliable indicator for detecting mercury elevation.
- Higher mercury levels in urban residents likely stem from combined industrial and environmental sources.
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