title: Mercury health risk assessment among a young adult Lebanese population.
abstract: Mercury (Hg) exposure represents a significant public health concern at a global level. This study aims at assessing Hg exposure and risk among Lebanese young adults based on Hg biomonitoring and seafood intake. A group of 166 young adults were administered a questionnaire to assess Hg exposure and were asked to provide a hair sample. Risk assessment was performed: (1) using the US Environmental Protection Agency Hazard Quotient (HQ) model based on fish intake and previously studied local fish Hg concentrations, and (2) by determining the total hair Hg concentration (THHg) using continuous flow-chemical vapor generation atomic absorption spectrometry. Differences in THHg across demographic and exposure subgroups were tested using t test or ANOVA. Correlations between THHg concentrations, fish consumption, and HQ were determined by computing Pearson's r. Higher THHg correlated with higher consumption of Mediterranean rabbitfish/spinefoots (r = 0.27; p = 0.001) and geographical location (p < 0.001) in the bivariate analysis, and remained significant in the adjusted multivariable linear regression model (geographical location: ß = 0.255, 95%CI 0.121-0.388; rabbitfish/spinefoots consumption: ß = 0.016, 95%CI 0.004-0.027). No significant correlations were found between HQ and THHg. In conclusion, this is the first study examining hair Hg levels and fish consumption in a young adult Lebanese population. Our findings constitute valuable baseline data for a local fish advisory and Hg monitoring.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Balamand, Al Kurah, Balamand, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Pierre J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Obeid
authors.affiliation: Hariri School of Nursing, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Souha A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Fares
authors.affiliation: Hubert Department of Global Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Ghada N
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Farhat
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Balamand, Al Kurah, Balamand, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Bilal
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: El-Khoury
authors.affiliation: Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Balamand, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Rana M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Nassif
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Balamand, Al Kurah, Balamand, Lebanon.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: El-Nakat
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut, P.O. Box 11-0236, Riad El-Solh, Beirut, 1107 2020, Lebanon. hd24@aub.edu.lb.
authors.forename: Hassan R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Dhaini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005399:Fishes; D005506:Food Contamination; D006197:Hair / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D008628:Mercury; D018570:Risk Assessment; D017747:Seafood; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D008628:Mercury
keywords: Fish consumption; Hair mercury concentrations; Lebanese youth; Mediterranean; Mercury; Risk assessment