title: Marine diet and tobacco exposure affects mercury concentrations in pregnant women (I) from Baja California Sur, Mexico.
abstract: Seafood provides essential polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and other nutrients to pregnant women and their fetus(es) while a diet rich in finfish can be a major pathway of monomethyl mercury (MeHg+) exposure. We measured total mercury concentration ([THg]) in hair samples provided by 75 women in Baja California Sur (BCS) to assess its relationship with age, parity, tobacco smoke exposure, and diet based on survey methodologies. Generalized linear models (GLM) were used to explain the possible association of the different variables with [THg] in hair. Median [THg] in hair was 1.52 µgg-1, ranging from 0.12 to 24.19 µgg-1and varied significantly by segment. Approximately 72% (54/75) of those evaluated exceed 1 µgg-1[THg] and 8% (6/75) exceed 5 µgg-1[THg] in hair. Although frequency of fish consumption contributed significantly to explaining hair [THg], fish consumption only explained 43% of [THg] in a GLM incorporating tobacco exposure and body mass index. This study establishes possible relationships among multiple potential sources of exposure and other factors related to [THg] in hair of women in the prenatal period. A more detailed examination of other sources of exposure and factors contributing to [THg] is warranted.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste, S.C. Instituto Politécnico Nacional 195, Playa Palo Santa Rita Sur, La Paz C.P. 23096, Baja California Sur, Mexico; Hospital General de Zona No. 1, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico.
authors.forename: Ramón
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gaxiola-Robles
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Natural Science and Mathematics, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 900 Yukon Dr., Rm 348, P.O. Box 755940, Fairbanks, AK 99775-5940, USA.
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bentzen
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste, S.C. Instituto Politécnico Nacional 195, Playa Palo Santa Rita Sur, La Paz C.P. 23096, Baja California Sur, Mexico.
authors.forename: Tania
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zenteno-Savín
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste, S.C. Instituto Politécnico Nacional 195, Playa Palo Santa Rita Sur, La Paz C.P. 23096, Baja California Sur, Mexico; Center for Stock Assessment Research, University of California Santa Cruz, Fisheries Ecology Division, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, NOAA, 110 Shaffer Rd., Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA.
authors.forename: Vanessa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Labrada-Martagón
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Natural Science and Mathematics, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 900 Yukon Dr., Rm 348, P.O. Box 755940, Fairbanks, AK 99775-5940, USA; School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 905 N. Koyukuk Dr., 245 O'Neill Building, P.O. Box 757220, Fairbanks, AK 99775-7220, USA.
authors.forename: J Margaret
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Castellini
authors.affiliation: Departmento de Salud Pública, Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Guadalajara, Sierra Mojada #950, Puerta #1, Edificio "N", planta alta, Colonia Independencia, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico.
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Celis
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Natural Science and Mathematics, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 900 Yukon Dr., Rm 348, P.O. Box 755940, Fairbanks, AK 99775-5940, USA; Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 902 N. Koyukuk Dr., P.O. Box 757000, Fairbanks, AK 99775-7000, USA.
authors.forename: Todd
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: O'Hara
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste, S.C. Instituto Politécnico Nacional 195, Playa Palo Santa Rita Sur, La Paz C.P. 23096, Baja California Sur, Mexico.
authors.forename: Lía
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Celina Méndez-Rodríguez
keywords: Hair; Mercury; Piscivory; Pregnancy; Tobacco