Human co-exposure to mercury vapor and methylmercury in artisanal mercury mining areas, Guizhou, China.
Mercury (Hg) concentrations were determined in human urine and hair samples from Gouxi (GX, n=25) and Laowuchang (LWC, n=18), Tongren, Guizhou, China, to evaluate human exposure from artisanal Hg mining. Geometric means of urinary Hg (U-Hg) were 216 and 560 μg g(-1) Creatinine (μg g(-1) Cr) for artisanal mining workers from GX and LWC, respectively, and clinical symptoms (finger tremor) were observed in three workers. The means of hair Me-Hg concentrations were 4.26 μg g(-1) (1.87-10.6 μg g(-1)) and 4.55 μg g(-1) (2.29-9.55 μg g(-1)) for the population in GX and LWC, respectively. Significant relationship was found between estimated rice Me-Hg intake and hair Me-Hg levels (r=0.73, p<0.001). Co-exposure to Hg vapor and Me-Hg may pose health risks for the study population.
State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550002, China.
Ping
P
Li
Xinbin
X
Feng
Lihai
L
Shang
Guangle
G
Qiu
Bo
B
Meng
Hua
H
Zhang
Yanna
Y
Guo
Peng
P
Liang
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000032:analysis*; D001154:Art; D002681:China; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D006197:Hair / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D019570:Inhalation Exposure / Q000032:analysis* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000652:urine; D008767:Methylmercury Compounds / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000652:urine; D008875:Middle Aged; D008906:Mining; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D008767:Methylmercury Compounds; D008628:Mercury