title: Determination of total mercury in scalp hair of pregnant and nursing women resident in fishing villages in the Eighth Region of Chile.
abstract: Total mercury (Hg-T) content in scalp hair of 59 pregnant and nursing women-with normal to high fish and seafood consumption-resident in fishing villages distributed throughout the coastal zone of the Eighth Region of Chile, and of 7 pregnant and nursing women-with negligible or no fish and seafood consumption-resident in a town located inland (Pinto) in the same region, was determined. Hair samples were collected, washed and stored according to IAEA recommendations, and were wet-digested in sealed Pyrex ampoules prior to the determination of Hg-T by gold amalgamation cold-vapour atomic absorption spectrometry. The absolute detection limit was estimated as 0.13 +/- 0.01 ng Hg-T (3 x sigma B1). Accuracy and precision were assessed with the aid of various biological and environmental certified and standard reference materials including human hair, and were satisfactory for ppm and sub-ppm Hg-T. Instrumental neutron activation analysis was used as a reference method for external quality control. The Hg-T content in hair of the study group (2.06 +/- 1.45(8) mg/Kg) was significantly higher than that of the control group (0.43 +/- 0.18(4) mg/kg) (p = 0.0001). These results were characterized according to geographical location, fish and seafood consumption, age and residence period in the fishing village.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Análisis Instrumental, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Concepción, Chile.
authors.forename: C G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Bruhn
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Rodŕiguez
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Barrios
authors.forename: V H
authors.initials: VH
authors.lastname: Jaramillo
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Becerra
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Gonzáles
authors.forename: N T
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Gras
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Reyes
authors.lastname: Seremi-Salud
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001942:Breast Feeding; D002677:Chile; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006197:Hair / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D008628:Mercury / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis*; D011247:Pregnancy; D017747:Seafood; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D008628:Mercury