title: Mercury contamination in humans in Upper Maroni, French Guiana between 2004 and 2009.
abstract: We measured hair mercury concentration in Amerindians between 2004 and 2009 in Upper Maroni, French Guiana. Hair samples were collected from 387 residents (males: 153, females: 234). Average hair mercury concentration was high (males: 9.4 ppm, females: 9.9 ppm). We examined fish consumption by 37 residents. There was a significant correlation between hair mercury concentration and fish consumption. We also measured mercury concentration in polluted fish in upper reaches of the Maroni River. Muscle mercury concentrations were high in the fish. These results indicate that current high hair mercury concentrations in Amerindians remain linked to fish consumption.
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Medical Sciences, National Institute for Minamata Disease, Minamata, Kumamoto 867-0008, Japan. fujimura@nimd.go.jp
authors.forename: Masatake
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fujimura
authors.forename: Akito
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Matsuyama
authors.forename: Jean-Pierre
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Harvard
authors.forename: Jean-Paul
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Bourdineaud
authors.forename: Kunihiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakamura
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004032:Diet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005399:Fishes / Q000378:metabolism; D005616:French Guiana; D006197:Hair / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D008906:Mining / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D014877:Water Pollution, Chemical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D008628:Mercury