High exposure of Chinese mercury mine workers to elemental mercury vapor and increased methylmercury levels in their hair
High exposure of Chinese mercury mine workers to elemental mercury vapor and increased methylmercury levels in their hair
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DOI：
10.1007/bf02898151
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发表时间：
2007-03-01
影响因子：
4.7
通讯作者：
Murata, Katsuyuki
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Sakamoto, Mineshi;Feng, Xinbin;Murata, Katsuyuki
目的：本研究的目的是确定汞（Hg）矿工和冶炼工人的接触水平，元素汞（Hg-0）蒸气在中国，谁在汞矿工作，没有使用保护设备，以防止Hg-0蒸气。方法：对26名汞矿和汞冶炼工人（汞冶炼厂工人、汞冶炼厂工人）进行尿总汞（THg）、发总汞（THg）和甲基汞（MeHg）的测定，并对26名汞冶炼工人的尿总汞（THg）、发总汞（THg）和发甲基汞（MeHg）的含量进行分析。结果：接触组尿和头发中THg浓度的几何平均值分别为258 ng/ml和226 μ g/g肌酐，头发中THg浓度为20.0 μ g/g肌酐。特别是冶炼厂工人的尿THg浓度极高（尿中338 μ g/g肌酐）。尿THg浓度最高达4577 μ g/g肌酐。暴露组尿液和头发中THg浓度呈显著相关（r=0.62），表明汞蒸气与头发有一定的粘附性。然而，在未暴露组中没有发现这种显著相关性。暴露组头发中甲基汞浓度（1.97 μ g/g）是未暴露组（0.60 μ g/g）的3倍左右。结论：我国某汞矿冶炼工人暴露于极高浓度的Hg-0蒸气中，汞矿工人的甲基汞浓度高于未暴露组。暴露组头发中甲基汞浓度较高的原因有待进一步研究。
Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the level of exposure of mercury (Hg) miners and smelter workers to elemental mercury (Hg-0) vapor in China, who work in Hg mines without using protective equipment against Hg-0 vapor. In addition, the level of methylmercury (MeHg) intake by the workers was estimated from the MeHg concentration in their hair.Methods: Urinary total mercury (THg) and hair THg and MeHg concentrations were measured in 26 Hg miners and smelter workers (i.e., exposed group), and 48 unexposed people (unexposed group).Results: The exposed group showed high geometric mean THg concentrations in urine (258 ng/ml, 226 mu g/g creatinine) and hair (20.0 mu g/g). The urinary THg concentration of the smelter workers in particular was extremely high (338 mu g/g creatinine in urine). The highest urine THg concentration reached 4577 mu g/g creatinine. THg concentrations in urine and hair showed a significant correlation in the exposed group (r=0.62), indicating the adhesion of Hg-0 vapor to hair. However, no such significant correlation was found in the unexposed group. Hair MeHg concentration in the exposed group (1.97 mu g/g) was about threefold higher than that in the unexposed group (0.60 mu g/g).Conclusions: This study shows that smelter workers in a Chinese Hg mine are exposed to extremely high levels of Hg-0 vapor, and that Hg miners are exposed to higher levels of MeHg than the unexposed subjects. Further study is needed to determine the cause of the higher hair MeHg concentration in the exposed group.