Title of article :
Human accumulation of mercury in Greenland
Author/Authors :
Poul Johansen، نويسنده , , ?، نويسنده , , Gert Mulvad، نويسنده , , c، نويسنده , , Henning Sloth Pedersen، نويسنده , , c، نويسنده , , Jens C. Hansen، نويسنده , , Frank Riget، نويسنده ,
Issue Information :
روزنامه با شماره پیاپی سال 2007
Abstract :
In the Arctic, the traditional diet exposes its people to a high intake of mercury especially from marine mammals. To determine
whether the mercury is accumulated in humans, we analyzed autopsy samples of liver, kidney and spleen from adult ethnic
Greenlanders who died between 1990 and 1994 from a wide range of causes, natural and violent. Liver, kidney and spleen samples
from between 33 and 71 case subjects were analyzed for total mercury and methylmercury, and liver samples also for selenium.
Metal levels in men and women did not differ and were not related to age except in one case, i.e. for total mercury in liver, where a
significant declining concentration with age was observed. The highest total mercury levels were found in kidney followed by liver
and spleen. Methylmercury followed the same pattern, but levels were much lower, constituting only 19% of the total mercury
concentration in liver and spleen and as little as 3% in kidney. In liver selenium was found in surplus to mercury on a molar basis.
Mercury concentrations in the liver and kidneys of Greenlanders were elevated compared to levels in the general population in
Japan, Korea and several European countries, except in the Faroe Islands where mercury levels were 2–3 times higher. This is in
accordance with the expected exposure of mercury in the diet.
Keywords :
Autopsy , Man , mercury , diet , liver , kidney
Journal title :
Science of the Total Environment
Journal title :
Science of the Total Environment