Estimation of the Biological Half-Life of Methylmercury Using a Population Toxicokinetic Model.
Methylmercury is well known for causing adverse health effects in the brain and nervous system. Estimating the elimination constant derived from the biological half-life of methylmercury in the blood or hair is an important part of calculating guidelines for methylmercury intake. Thus, this study was conducted to estimate the biological half-life of methylmercury in Korean adults. We used a one-compartment model with a direct relationship between methylmercury concentrations in the blood and daily dietary intake of methylmercury. We quantified the between-person variability of the methylmercury half-life in the population, and informative priors were used to estimate the parameters in the model. The population half-life of methylmercury was estimated to be 80.2 ± 8.6 days. The population mean of the methylmercury half-life was 81.6 ± 8.4 days for men and 78.9 ± 8.6 days for women. The standard deviation of the half-life was estimated at 25.0 ± 8.6 days. Using the direct relationship between methylmercury concentrations in blood and methylmercury intake, the biological half-life in this study was estimated to be longer than indicated by the earlier studies that have been used to set guideline values.
Molecular Epidemiology Branch, National Cancer Center, Goyang 410-769, Korea. joseongil@gmail.com.
Seongil
S
Jo
Molecular Epidemiology Branch, National Cancer Center, Goyang 410-769, Korea. hdwoo@ncc.re.kr.
Hae Dong
HD
Woo
Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Dankook University, Cheonan 330-714, Korea. hojangkwon@gmail.com.
Ho-Jang
HJ
Kwon
Department of Food and Nutrition, College of Human Ecology, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 130-701, Korea. seyoung@khu.ac.kr.
Se-Young
SY
Oh
Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Chung-Ang University, Seoul 156-756, Korea. jdpark@cau.ac.kr.
Jung-Duck
JD
Park
Department of Preventive Medicine and Heavy Metal Exposure Environmental Health Center, Dong-A University, Busan 602-714, Korea. yshong@dau.ac.kr.
Young-Seoub
YS
Hong
Molecular Recognition Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul 130-722, Korea. phs3692@kist.re.kr.
Heesoo
H
Pyo
Advanced Analysis Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul 130-722, Korea. pks6475@kist.re.kr.
Kyung Su
KS
Park
Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Dankook University, Cheonan 330-714, Korea. minaha@dku.edu.
Mina
M
Ha
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public health, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742, Korea. hokim@snu.ac.kr.
Ho
H
Kim
Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 501-746, Korea. sohnsjx@chonnam.ac.kr.
Seok-Joon
SJ
Sohn
Department of Preventive Medicine and Heavy Metal Exposure Environmental Health Center, Dong-A University, Busan 602-714, Korea. kimyumi@dau.ac.kr.
Yu-Mi
YM
Kim
Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Dankook University, Cheonan 330-714, Korea. limjiae@gmail.com.
Ji-Ae
JA
Lim
Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 200-701, Korea.
Sang-Ah
SA
Lee
Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 362-763, Korea.
Sang-Yong
SY
Eom
Department of Preventive Medicine and Heavy Metal Exposure Environmental Health Center, Dong-A University, Busan 602-714, Korea. medikim@dau.ac.kr.
Byoung-Gwon
BG
Kim
Department of Environmental Health, Korea National Open University, Seoul 110-791, Korea.
Kyoung-Mu
KM
Lee
Institute of Environmental Safety and Protection, NeoEnBiz Co., Bucheon 420-130, Korea. seyoung@khu.ac.kr.
Jong-Hyeon
JH
Lee
Food Safety Risk Assessment Division, National Institute of Food and Drug Safety Evaluation, Cheongwon 363-700, Korea. jdpark@cau.ac.kr.
Myung Sil
MS
Hwang
Molecular Epidemiology Branch, National Cancer Center, Goyang 410-769, Korea. jskim@ncc.re.kr.
Jeongseon
J
Kim
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D006207:Half-Life; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008767:Methylmercury Compounds / Q000097:blood* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D056910:Republic of Korea; D066007:Toxicokinetics; D055815:Young Adult
D008767:Methylmercury Compounds
biological half-life; dietary exposure; methylmercury; one-compartment toxicokinetic model; population model