Nutritional factors may modify the toxic action of methyl mercury in fish-eating populations
Nutritional factors may modify the toxic action of methyl mercury in fish-eating populations
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DOI：
10.1093/jn/133.5.1539s
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发表时间：
2003-05-01
影响因子：
4.2
通讯作者：
Strain, JJ
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Clarkson, TW;Strain, JJ
甲基汞中毒临床病例的历史记录可以追溯到第一次化学合成发生的19世纪。甲基和与其密切相关的乙基汞化合物的强效杀真菌特性随后被发现，这导致了广泛的农业应用，以预防种子谷物中的真菌感染。20世纪中期，当处理过的种子谷物被错误地用来制作自制面包时，发生了几起灾难性的中毒事件。最大的一次爆发发生在20世纪70年代初的伊拉克农村。由于甲基汞释放到淡水和海水中，日本也发生了人体中毒事件。其中最臭名昭著的爆发发生在水俣湾地区：甲基汞在不知不觉中被排放到海水中，在水生食物链中迅速积累，以至于食用鱼类的人严重中毒。今天，人类通过食用鱼类和海洋哺乳动物接触甲基汞。存在于水生沉积物中的无机汞被微生物甲基化并在水生食物链中积累。虽然没有临床中毒病例的报告，但进行了一些流行病学研究，提出了产前损害的可能性。以前的研究（特别是伊拉克的疫情）表明，生命周期的产前阶段是最脆弱的。然而，正在进行的对印度洋塞舌尔群岛大量食用鱼类的流行病学研究并未显示出不利影响。相反，对产前接触汞的儿童进行的一些发育测试结果表明，与怀孕期间的汞水平有关的有益结果。本文讨论了微量营养素在鱼类中的潜在作用，作为对这些发现的合理解释。
The historical record of clinical cases of methyl mercury poisoning dates back to the 19th century when the first chemical synthesis occurred. The potent fungicidal properties of both methyl and the closely related ethyl mercury compound were subsequently discovered, which led to widespread agricultural application for prevention of fungal infection in seed grain. Several catastrophic outbreaks of poisoning occurred in the mid-20th century when the treated seed grain was mistakenly used to prepare homemade bread. The largest outbreak took place in rural Iraq in the early 1970s. Human poisonings also occurred in Japan due to the release of methyl mercury into bodies of fresh and ocean water. Them most infamous outbreak occurred in the area of Minamata Bay: methyl mercury, which was unwittingly discharged into the ocean water, avidly accumulated in the aquatic food chain to such an extent that people who consumed fish were severely poisoned. Today, human exposure to methyl mercury occurs from consumption of fish and sea mammals. Inorganic mercury that is present in aquatic sediments is methylated by microorganisms and accumulates in the aquatic food chain. Although no cases of clinical poisoning have been reported, a number of epidemiological studies have been carried out that raise the possibility of prenatal damage. Previous studies (especially the Iraq outbreak) indicate that the prenatal stage of the life cycle is the most vulnerable. However, ongoing epidemiological studies of heavy fish consumers of the Seychelles Islands in the Indian Ocean do not reveal adverse effects. To the contrary, the results of some developmental tests that were conducted on prenatally exposed children indicate beneficial outcomes that correlate with mercury levels during pregnancy. This article discusses the potential role of micronutrients in fish as a plausible explanation for these findings.