Mercury exposure of mothers and newborns in Surinam: a pilot study.
OBJECTIVE
To study mercury levels in hair from mothers and newborns in Surinam.


METHODS
Hair and urine was collected from thirty-nine mothers of different ethnicity and hair from their newborns. The women delivered in a large hospital in the capital. Mercury analysis was performed.


RESULTS
Fourteen (36%) of the mothers had elevated Hg concentrations in the hair as compared with a reference US population. Thirty-one newborns (80%) presented with a higher mercury level in hair than their mothers. A positive correlation existed between the hair levels of the mothers and their newborns. Urine Hg concentrations were not elevated.


CONCLUSIONS
Mercury accumulates during pregnancy in the unborn. Further study is needed to elucidate the background and consequences of this finding.
Mohan
Satish
S
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Lands Hospital, Paramaribo, Surinam.
Tiller
Marco
M
van der Voet
Gijsbert
G
Kanhai
Humphrey
H
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000652:urine; D005260:Female; D006197:Hair / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000652:urine; D007743:Labor, Obstetric; D018811:Maternal Exposure; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis* / Q000652:urine; D011247:Pregnancy; D013532:Suriname
D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D008628:Mercury