title: Exposure to mercury in susceptible population groups living in the former mercury mining town of Idrija, Slovenia.
abstract: 500 years of mercury (Hg) mining in the town of Idrija has caused severe pollution in Idrija and its surroundings. Following the closure of the mine in 1995, the environment remains contaminated with Hg. Sources of elemental-, inorganic- and methyl Hg exposure were identified, potential environmental level of exposure to Hg was evaluated and actual internal exposure to Hg was assessed in selected susceptible population groups comprising school-age children and pregnant women living in Idrija and in control groups from rural and urban environments. The study of pregnant women (n=31) was conducted between 2003 and 2008, and the study of school-age children (n=176) in 2008. Potential interaction of Hg with selenium (Se) in plasma was assessed in both study populations, while in pregnant women antioxidative enzyme activity (glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase and catalase) in erythrocytes of maternal and cord blood was also assessed. Actual exposure to Hg as indicated by levels of Hg in children's blood (geometric mean (GM) 0.92µg/L), mother's blood (GM 1.86µg/L), children's urine (GM 1.08µg/g crea.), mother's urine (GM 2.51µg/L), children's hair (GM 241ng/g) and mother's hair (GM 251ng/g) was higher in the two study groups from Idrija than in the control groups from rural areas, but was still at the level of a "normal" population and reflects mainly exposure to elemental Hg (Hg°) from dental amalgam and, to a certain extent atmospheric Hg°. Furthermore, the internal doses of Hg received during pregnancy did not decrease the bioavailability of Se. Based on observation in children, the increase in Se protein expression is suggested to be a consequence of moderately elevated exposure to Hg°. The observed changes in activity of antioxidative enzymes, as biomarkers of oxidative stress, appear to be mainly associated with pregnancy per se and not with an increased exposure to Hg. In view of the continuing increased potential for Hg exposure and the low number of pregnant women studied, the results warrant a further longitudinal study of a larger group of pregnant women residing in the area of the former mercury mine.
authors.affiliation: Ex-Department of Occupational Health, Idrija Mercury Mine, Arkova 43, 5280 Idrija, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Alfred B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Kobal
authors.affiliation: 'Jožef Stefan' Institute, Department of Environmental Sciences, Ljubljana, Slovenia; 'Jožef Stefan' International Postgraduate School, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Janja
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Snoj Tratnik
authors.affiliation: 'Jožef Stefan' Institute, Department of Environmental Sciences, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Darja
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mazej
authors.affiliation: 'Jožef Stefan' Institute, Department of Environmental Sciences, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Vesna
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Fajon
authors.affiliation: 'Jožef Stefan' Institute, Department of Environmental Sciences, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Darija
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gibičar
authors.affiliation: 'Jožef Stefan' Institute, Department of Environmental Sciences, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Miklavčič
authors.affiliation: 'Jožef Stefan' Institute, Department of Environmental Sciences, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kocman
authors.affiliation: 'Jožef Stefan' Institute, Department of Environmental Sciences, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Jože
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kotnik
authors.affiliation: 'Jožef Stefan' Institute, Department of Environmental Sciences, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Alenka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sešek Briški
authors.affiliation: University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Institute for Clinical Chemistry and Biochemistry, University in Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Joško
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Osredkar
authors.affiliation: University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Institute for Clinical Chemistry and Biochemistry, University in Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Mladen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Krsnik
authors.affiliation: University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Institute for Clinical Chemistry and Biochemistry, University in Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Marija
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Prezelj
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology, Idrija Health Service, Otona Župančiča 3, 5280 Idrija, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Črtomir
authors.initials: Č
authors.lastname: Knap
authors.affiliation: Laboratory Department, Idrija Health Service, Otona Župančiča 3, 5280 Idrija, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Bojana
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Križaj
authors.affiliation: Cebam Analytical, Inc., 18804 North Creek Parkway, Bothell, WA 98011, USA.
authors.forename: Lian
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.affiliation: 'Jožef Stefan' Institute, Department of Environmental Sciences, Ljubljana, Slovenia; 'Jožef Stefan' International Postgraduate School, Ljubljana, Slovenia. Electronic address: milena.horvat@ijs.si.
authors.forename: Milena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Horvat
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism*; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D004798:Enzymes / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D017669:Mercury Compounds / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D008767:Methylmercury Compounds / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D008906:Mining; D011247:Pregnancy; D012643:Selenium / Q000378:metabolism*; D017524:Slovenia; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D004798:Enzymes; D017669:Mercury Compounds; D008767:Methylmercury Compounds; D008628:Mercury; D012643:Selenium
keywords: antioxidative enzymes; former mercury mine; mercury exposure; mercury intake/retention; selenium; susceptible population