Children with amalgam dental restorations have significantly elevated blood and urine mercury levels

Human exposure to organic mercury (Hg) as methylmercury (MeHg) from seafood consumption is widely considered a health risk because pure methylmercury is extremely neurotoxic. In contrast, the clinical significance of Hg exposure from amalgam (AMG) dental restorations, the only other major non-occupational source of Hg exposure, has long been debated. Here we examined data from the two most recent National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) on 14,181 subjects to assess the contributions of seafood consumption versus AMG to blood total mercury (THg), inorganic mercury (IHg), and methyl mercury (MeHg) and to urine creatinine corrected mercury (UTHg). All subjects were also classified as to their self-reported qualitative consumption of seafood (59% fish and 44% shellfish). Subjects with restorations were grouped into three groups, (0) those without AMG (64.4%), (1) those with 1-5 dental AMG restorations (19.7%), (2) those with more than five AMG (16%). Seafood consumption increased total mercury in urine (UTHg) and total mercury (THg) and methyl mercury (MeHg) in blood, but unlike AMG, seafood did not increase blood inorganic mercury (IHg). Using stratified covariate (ANOVA) and multivariate (GLM) analyses revealed a strong correlation of blood (THg and IHg) and urine (UTHg) levels with the number of AMGs. In a subpopulation without fish consumption, having more than five AMG restorations raised blood THg (103%), IHg (221%), and urine UTHg (221%) over the group without AMG. The most striking difference was noted in classification by age: subjects under six years old with more than five AMG restorations had the highest blood IHg and urine UTHg among all age groups. Elevation of bivalent IHg on a large scale in children warrants urgent in-depth risk assessment with specific attention to genetic- and gender-associated vulnerabilities.

The relationship of mercury exposure with neurological problems in artisanal gold in Makassar city

ObjectivesThis research aims to analyse the relationship between urine mercury levels and neurological problems.MethodsThis research is an observational study with a cross-sectional approach. There are 44 goldsmiths in the gold jewellery small scale industry involved in this study. Urine mercury levels were measured using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Neurological problems were assessed by a medician. Data collected includes age, time of exposure, work duration, smoking behaviour and nutrition status of the goldsmiths which were obtained by interview.ResultsThe results showed that the concentration of mercury in the goldsmith’s urine was around 0.93–64.59 μg/L. The analysis showed that there were 63% of goldsmiths experiencing neurological problems, such as tremors (9.1%) and knee pass reflex (6.8%). The bivariate analysis showed that there is no significant relationship between the concentration of mercury (p=0.133), age (p=0.155), time of exposure (p=0.702), time of working (p=0.354), smoking behaviour (p=0.169) and nutrition status (p=0.541) with neurological problems.ConclusionsThe goldsmiths who had high levels of mercury in urine samples were diagnosed with at least one of the neurological symptoms. It is recommended that the goldsmith use personal protective equipment during work such as mask, glasses and gloves.

Measuring mercury in urine among students & professors at the faculty of dentistry exposed to mercury vapor by cold vapor atomic absorption technique

Introduction: Dentists are exposed to mercury vapor due to the occupational exposure to amalgam, which can endanger their health. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of mercury vapor on urinary mercury concentration of dental students and the restorative specialists in one of the dental schools of Iran. Methods: The study population consisted40 dental students and 10 restoration specialists. Sample urine at the end of work time was collected, and the concentration of mercury in urine was measured by cold vapor atomic absorption spectrophotometry. A questionnaire was completed to determine the effects of some personal and environmental factors on the amount of urinary mercury. Data were analyzed using SPSS-22 software. Results: The mean concentration of urinary mercury in dental students was 15.18±4.34μg/L and the restoration specialists were 4.11±1.05μg/l. In addition, there was a significant difference between the concentrations of urinary mercury in the two groups (P <0.001). At specialist professors there was a negative correlation between urinary mercury and working hours per day (r=-0.78, p=0.007). Also, in this study, there was a significant relationship between urine mercury and sex, age, type of amalgam consumed, consumption of smoking and the number of amalgam restorations. Conclusion: The level of urine mercury in all samples was lower the recommended amount of ACGIH. The study is recommended mercury level monitoring for regularly evaluation of the workplace.

Atomic absorption determination of mercury in urine by cold steam method using mercury- hydride prefix

Mercury is one of the most common in various industries and at the same time dangerous chemicals. It is able to be deposited in the body and have a toxic effect for a long time after the cessation of contact. Under the influence of mercury, workers can develop various intoxications, as a result of which pathological changes in the nervous, cardiovascular, endocrine, immune and reproductive systems are possible.Under production conditions, mercury enters the body, usually in the form of vapors (absorbed about 80%) and suspended particles. Inorganic forms of mercury are excreted mainly in the urine (60%). However, insufficient attention is currently being paid to the problem of determining the mercury content in urine samples. To date, in world practice there is no systematic approach to the determination of small doses of mercury in the body, as a result of which it is difficult to timely identify public health disorders. This is largely due to the lack of highly sensitive and highly effective methods of analysis, allowing routine measurements with minimal cost and high accuracy. The methods currently used are either quite expensive or have low accuracy/sensitivity.The aim of the study was to develop a method of atomic absorption determination of mercury in urine by cold steam, which would allow at minimal cost to increase the accuracy and sensitivity of mercury detection in the body.Materials and methods. Quantitative measurement of mercury in urine samples was carried out on an atomic absorption spectrometer with a mercury-hydride prefix using model solutions of different concentrations.Results. The study determined the optimal conditions for sample preparation of urine samples, set the range of concentrations for the construction of the calibration schedule, studied the effect of the matrix on the accuracy of the analysis by the “introduced-found” method. The lower limit of detection of the developed technique was 0.05 mcg/l, the upper limit–100 mcg/l (if necessary, it can be increased by additional dilution). The relative error of determination depending on the concentration varied from 3 to 15%.Conclusions. A highly sensitive, affordable and relatively inexpensive method for the determination of mercury in urine has been developed, which will allow to diagnose with high accuracy the background contents of mercury in urine, which is especially important when inspecting workers of industries associated with the use of mercury and its compounds, as well as the population living in areas close to these industries.

Correlated Between Whitening Cream Mercury Level and Urine Mercury Level Users Whitening Cream in FKM Unair

Whitening cream containing mercury exposure can leads high levels mercury in urine and skin health complained. The aim of this study was to analyze correlation between whitening mercury levels and urine mercury levels among student users whitening cream in FKM Unair. This was a observasional study with cross sectional approach. This study was conducted in 11 undergraduated students of FKM Unair as sample from 12 students who are population by using simple random sampling. Moreover, facial whitening cream measurement used by respondents. Results showed that facial whitening cream as a whole containing mercury with an average 16,325 ppm. Levels mercury in urine of respondents an average 22,455 µg/g creatinin urine. Then the correlated between levels mercury in urine and levels mercury in cream has a value of 0,119. The conclusion of this study is not correlation whitening cream mercury levels with mercury levels in creatinin urine. Users of facial whitening cream is recomended to stop use facial whitening cream containing mercury and replace with natural produk like a mask of the fruit.

Biomonitoring of total mercury in urine: method validation and sample stability

Biomonitoring of mercury (Hg) in urine can provide valuable information on environmental exposure to inorganic and elemental Hg. However, this requires a method with a sufficiently low detection limit, and in addition, sample stability during storage needs to be addressed. We adapted a method described in the literature to obtain lower detection limits by decreasing dilution and optimizing the amount of reagents used, while also investigating matrix effects, within- and between measurement variability, and accuracy. We tested Hg stability in urine under different storage conditions and using different stabilizers suggested in the literature. A five-fold dilution of the urine sample with addition of optimized amounts of BrCl gave the best results regarding detection limits, which could be further improved by using a gold amalgamation preconcentration step (Autrap). Application of the method in a biomonitoring study allowed detection of Hg in 95% of the samples without Au trap, and resulted in mercury levels that were comparable to similar populations and influenced by expected variables (age, dental amalgam). Regardless of the sample storage conditions of urine samples in polypropylene bottles, Hg decreased during the first days of storage, then slowly regained or exceeded the originally measured concentration. From these experiments, it appears that storage of the samples frozen at -20°C for several weeks prior to analysis, without the addition of additives is the preferred method.