title: Plasma mercury levels in Hong Kong residents: in relation to fish consumption.
abstract: Mercury exposure is of particular concern since mercury is a neurotoxin and the developing fetus is most sensitive to its adverse effect. Human blood is routinely used as an indicator for the evaluation of human exposure to Hg. To investigate Hg species in human plasma for Hong Kong residents and the relationship between fish consumption and Hg species in plasma, 151 plasma samples were analyzed for Hg species. The mean values of total Hg (THg) and methyl-mercury (MeHg) concentration in plasma were 0.62 and 0.28 μg/L, respectively. No significant differences were observed between females and males as well as among age groups. Fish consumption rate was significantly positively correlated with MeHg concentrations in plasma, which demonstrated that plasma could be a biomarker for human MeHg exposure. Two methods were used to estimate human MeHg exposure. One was based on fish MeHg content and fish consumption rate (EDI(Fish)), another was employed by converting MeHg concentration in blood to MeHg exposure amount (EDI(Blood)). A significant positive correlation was observed between EDI(Blood) and EDI(Fish), and no significant difference was found between EDI(Blood) and EDI(Fish). These results demonstrated that fish consumption was the major source of MeHg for humans.
authors.affiliation: School of Environment and Resources Science, Zhejiang Agriculture and Forest University, Lin'an, Zhejiang Province, PR China.
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Yan-Yan
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.forename: Chan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yucheng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Sheng-Chun
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Chris K C
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Ming H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Wong
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D004032:Diet / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005399:Fishes / Q000378:metabolism; D005506:Food Contamination; D006723:Hong Kong / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008628:Mercury / Q000097:blood*; D008630:Mercury Poisoning / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D012737:Sex Factors; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D008628:Mercury
keywords: Blood plasma; Human exposure; Methylmercury