Urinary mercury in adults in Poland living near a chloralkali plant.
We conducted a study within the framework of the interdisciplinary European Mercury Emission from Chloralkali Plants (EMECAP) project to assess exposure to mercury (Hg) and the contribution of Hg emissions from a mercury cell chloralkali plant to urinary mercury (U-Hg) in adults living near the plant. We collected data from questionnaires and first morning urine samples from 75 subjects living near the Tarnow plant in Poland and 100 subjects living in a reference area. Median U-Hg was 0.32 mug/g creatinine (microg/gC) and 0.20 microg/gC, respectively. The median U-Hg was also higher in the amalgam-free subjects living near the plant (0.26 microg/gC) than in the reference group (0.18 microg/gC), but no such association was found in a multivariate analysis. There was a statistically significant positive association between U-Hg and number of teeth with amalgams, a negative association with age and a tendency towards higher U-Hg in female subjects. In the amalgam-free subjects there were statistically significant effects of female sex and fish consumption, and a negative association with age. The additional long-term average air Hg concentration from the plant, based on EMECAP environmental measurements and modelling, was estimated to be 1-3.5 ng/m(3) for the residential study area and should have a very small effect on U-Hg. The other Hg emission sources such as coal combustion facilities located nearby should be taken into account in assessing the overall impact of air Hg on U-Hg in this area.
Jarosinska
Dorota
D
Institute of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health, 13 Koscielna, 41-200 Sosnowiec, Poland. d.jarosinska@imp.sosnowiec.pl
Barregård
Lars
L
Biesiada
Marek
M
Muszynska-Graca
Maja
M
Dabkowska
Beata
B
Denby
Bruce
B
Pacyna
Joseph
J
Fudala
Janina
J
Zielonka
Urszula
U
D000328:Adult; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis / Q000652:urine*; D002617:Chemical Industry; D003723:Dental Amalgam; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007220:Industrial Waste; D008297:Male; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis / Q000652:urine*; D011044:Poland
D000393:Air Pollutants; D007220:Industrial Waste; D003723:Dental Amalgam; D008628:Mercury