title: Inorganic and methylmercury levels in plasma are differentially associated with age, gender, and oxidative stress markers in a population exposed to mercury through fish consumption.
abstract: This study aimed to determine the concentrations of plasma methylmercury (Me-Hg) and inorganic mercury (I-Hg) in a population exposed to Me-Hg. In addition, associations between each form of mercury (Hg) and gender, age, plasma selenium (Se), and oxidative stress markers were also investigated. The mean plasma I-Hg level was 5.7 μg/L while the mean for plasma Me-Hg was 3.6 μg/L, representing approximately 59 and 41% of the total Hg in blood, respectively. However, several plasma samples contained higher percentages of Me-Hg. Age displayed a direct linkage with plasma I-Hg levels, whereas gender did not correlate with any of the Hg species. In addition, fish intake was only correlated with and a predictor of plasma Me-Hg, suggesting that plasma I-Hg levels originated endogenously through a demethylation reaction that needs to be verified. Further, plasma Me-Hg was markedly correlated with adverse effects to a greater extent than plasma I-Hg and may be considered a valuable, reliable internal dose biomarker for Hg in chronically Me-Hg- exposed individuals.
authors.affiliation: a Laboratório de Toxicologia e Essencialidade de Metais, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto-USP, Monte Alegre , Ribeirão Preto , SP , Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria Fernanda Hornos
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Carneiro
authors.forename: Denise
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Grotto
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Barbosa
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001938:Brazil; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005260:Female; D005506:Food Contamination; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008628:Mercury / Q000097:blood* / Q000633:toxicity; D008767:Methylmercury Compounds / Q000097:blood* / Q000633:toxicity; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D017747:Seafood; D012737:Sex Factors; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000097:blood* / Q000633:toxicity; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D008767:Methylmercury Compounds; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D008628:Mercury