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Saldaña-Villanueva K, González-Palomo AK, Méndez-Rodríguez KB, Gavilán-García A, Benítez-Arvizu G, Diaz-Barriga F, Alcantara-Quintana L, Pérez-Vázquez FJ. Serum levels of inflammatory cytokines in mercury mining workers in a precarious situation: A preliminary study. Toxicol Ind Health 2024; 40:134-143. [PMID: 38289205 DOI: 10.1177/07482337241229471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Abstract
Mercury is a ubiquitous environmental xenobiotic; the primary sources of exposure to this metal are artisanal gold mining and the direct production of mercury. In Mexico, artisanal mercury mining continues to be an important activity in different regions of the country. Exposure to mercury vapors releases can have severe health impacts, including immunotoxic effects such as alterations in cytokine profiling. Therefore, in the present work, we evaluated the inflammatory cytokines profile in the blood serum of miners exposed to mercury. A cross-sectional observational study was performed on 27 mining workers (exposed group) and 20 control subjects (nonexposed group) from central Mexico. The mercury urine concentration (U-Hg) was determined by atomic absorption spectrometry, and IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, and TNF-α were measured using a Multiplex Assay. The results showed that the U-Hg in the miners had a median value of 552.70 μg/g creatinine. All cytokines showed a significant increase in the miner group compared with the control group, except for TNF-α. In addition, we observed a positive correlation between U-Hg concentration and cytokine levels. In conclusion, mercury exposure correlated with cytokine levels (considered acute inflammatory marker) in miners; therefore, workers exposed to this metal show an acute systemic inflammation that could lead to alterations in other organs and systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelvin Saldaña-Villanueva
- Coordinación Para la Innovación y la Aplicación de la Ciencia y la Tecnología (CIACyT), Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, San Luis Potosí, México
| | - Ana K González-Palomo
- Coordinación Para la Innovación y la Aplicación de la Ciencia y la Tecnología (CIACyT), Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, San Luis Potosí, México
| | - Karen B Méndez-Rodríguez
- Coordinación Para la Innovación y la Aplicación de la Ciencia y la Tecnología (CIACyT), Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, San Luis Potosí, México
| | - Arturo Gavilán-García
- Instituto Nacional de Ecología y Cambio Climático, Secretaría de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Gamaliel Benítez-Arvizu
- Banco de Sangre Unidad Médica de Alta Especialidad (UMAE), Hospital de Especialidades Centro Medico Nacional Siglo XXI, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Fernando Diaz-Barriga
- Coordinación Para la Innovación y la Aplicación de la Ciencia y la Tecnología (CIACyT), Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, San Luis Potosí, México
| | - Luz Alcantara-Quintana
- Coordinación Para la Innovación y la Aplicación de la Ciencia y la Tecnología (CIACyT), Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, San Luis Potosí, México
| | - Francisco J Pérez-Vázquez
- Coordinación Para la Innovación y la Aplicación de la Ciencia y la Tecnología (CIACyT), Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, San Luis Potosí, México
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2
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Choi SH, Choi KH, Won JU, Kim H. Impact of multi-heavy metal exposure on renal damage indicators in Korea: An analysis using Bayesian Kernel Machine Regression. Medicine (Baltimore) 2023; 102:e35001. [PMID: 37832107 PMCID: PMC10578771 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000035001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Exposure to cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), and mercury (Hg) is associated with renal tubular damage. People living near refineries are often exposed to multiple heavy metals at high concentrations. This cross-sectional study investigated the association between combined urinary Cd, As, and Hg levels and renal damage markers in 871 residents living near the Janghang refinery plant and in a control area. Urinary Cd, As, Hg, N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase (NAG), and β2-microglobulin (β2-MG) levels were measured. The combined effects of Cd, As, and Hg on renal tubular damage markers were assessed using linear regression and a Bayesian Kernel Machine Regression (BKMR) model. The results of the BKMR model were compared using a stratified analysis of the exposure and control groups. While the linear regression showed that only Cd concentration was significantly associated with urinary NAG levels (β = 0.447, P value < .05), the BKMR model showed that Cd and Hg levels were also significantly associated with urinary NAG levels. The combined effect of the 3 heavy metals on urinary NAG levels was significant and stronger in the exposure group than in the control group. However, no relationship was observed between the exposure concentrations of the 3 heavy metals and urinary β2-MG levels. The results suggest that the BKMR model can be used to assess the health effects of heavy-metal exposure on vulnerable residents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sun-Haeng Choi
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Chungbuk National University Hospital, Cheongju, Republic of Korea
- Department of Public Health, Graduate School, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyung Hi Choi
- Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Republic of Korea
| | - Jong-Uk Won
- Department of Public Health, Graduate School, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Heon Kim
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Chungbuk National University Hospital, Cheongju, Republic of Korea
- Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Republic of Korea
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Basu N, Bastiansz A, Dórea JG, Fujimura M, Horvat M, Shroff E, Weihe P, Zastenskaya I. Our evolved understanding of the human health risks of mercury. AMBIO 2023; 52:877-896. [PMID: 36790578 PMCID: PMC10073381 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-023-01831-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) is a chemical of health concern worldwide that is now being acted upon through the Minamata Convention. Operationalizing the Convention and tracking its effectiveness requires empathy of the diversity and variation of mercury exposure and risk in populations worldwide. As part of the health plenary for the 15th International Conference on Mercury as a Global Pollutant (ICMGP), this review paper details how scientific understandings have evolved over time, from tragic poisoning events in the mid-twentieth century to important epidemiological studies in the late-twentieth century in the Seychelles and Faroe Islands, the Arctic and Amazon. Entering the twenty-first century, studies on diverse source-exposure scenarios (e.g., ASGM, amalgams, contaminated sites, cosmetics, electronic waste) from across global regions have expanded understandings and exemplified the need to consider socio-environmental variables and local contexts when conducting health studies. We conclude with perspectives on next steps for mercury health research in the post-Minamata Convention era.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niladri Basu
- McGill University, 204 CINE Building, Ste. Anne de Bellevue, Montreal, QC H9X 3V9 Canada
| | - Ashley Bastiansz
- McGill University, 204 CINE Building, Ste. Anne de Bellevue, Montreal, QC H9X 3V9 Canada
| | - José G. Dórea
- Faculdade de Ciencias da Saude, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, 70919-970 Brazil
| | - Masatake Fujimura
- National Institute for Minamata Disease, Minamata, Kumamoto 867-0008 Japan
| | - Milena Horvat
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Jožef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Emelyn Shroff
- Public Health Authority of Seychelles, Mont Fleuri, Mahe, Seychelles
| | - Pál Weihe
- Department of Occupational Medicine and Public Health, Sigmundargøta 5, 100 Tórshavn, Faroe Islands
| | - Irina Zastenskaya
- WHO European Centre for Environment and Health, Platz Der Vereinten Nationen 1, 53113 Bonn, Germany
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Rodriguez-Villamizar LA, Medina OM, Flórez-Vargas O, Vilanova E, Idrovo AJ, Araque-Rodriguez SA, Henao JA, Sánchez-Rodríguez LH. Chemical Element Mixtures and Kidney Function in Mining and Non-Mining Settings in Northern Colombia. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:2321. [PMID: 36767692 PMCID: PMC9914985 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20032321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
The exposure to chemical mixtures is a problem of concern in developing countries and it is well known that the kidney is the major target organ for toxic elements. This cross-sectional study aimed to estimate the individual and composite mixture effect of a large number of chemical elements on kidney function in gold-mining and surrounding non-mining populations in northeast Colombia. We measured concentrations of 36 chemical elements in hair as indicators of chronic exposure from 199 adult participants. We estimated the effect of exposure to mixtures of chemical elements on estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) using weighted quantile sum regression (WQS). The WQS index of the mixture was associated with reduced eGFR (Coefficient -2.42; 95%CI: -4.69, -0.16) being Be, Cd, Pb, As, and Mn, the principal contributors of the toxic mixture. Mining activities and Hg concentration were not associated with decreased kidney function. Our results suggest that complex mixtures of chemical elements, mainly heavy metals, act as nephrotoxic in these populations and therefore the analysis of chemical element mixtures is a better approach to identify environmental and occupational chemical risks for kidney damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura A. Rodriguez-Villamizar
- Departamento de Salud Pública, Escuela de Medicina, Universidad Industrial de Santander, Bucaramanga 680002, Colombia
| | - Olga M. Medina
- Escuela de Microbiología, Universidad Industrial de Santander, Bucaramanga 68002, Colombia
| | - Oscar Flórez-Vargas
- Escuela de Microbiología, Universidad Industrial de Santander, Bucaramanga 68002, Colombia
| | - Eugenio Vilanova
- Instituto de Bioingeniería, Universidad Miguel Hernández de Elche, 03202 Elche, Spain
| | - Alvaro J. Idrovo
- Departamento de Salud Pública, Escuela de Medicina, Universidad Industrial de Santander, Bucaramanga 680002, Colombia
| | - Santiago A. Araque-Rodriguez
- Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud Programa de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Bucaramanga, Bucaramanga 681003, Colombia
| | - José A. Henao
- Escuela de Química, Universidad Industrial de Santander, Bucaramanga 680006, Colombia
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5
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Girgin G, Palabiyik-Yücelik SS, Sipahi H, Kilicarslan B, Ünüvar S, Tutkun E, Yilmaz ÖH, Baydar T. Mercury exposure, neopterin profile, and tryptophan degradation in dental technicians. Pteridines 2022. [DOI: 10.1515/pteridines-2022-0040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Amalgam has been widely used as a restorative dental material for over 150 years. Most standard dental amalgam formulations contain approximately 50% elemental mercury in a mixture of copper, tin, silver, and zinc. Mercury is a highly volatile metal, which can easily vaporize to a colorless and odorless gas. It has been demonstrated that mercury is released from dental amalgam, which is increased by chewing, eating, brushing, and drinking hot liquids. Besides this, amalgam is the main occupational exposure source of mercury for dental workers. It is known that mercury exposure causes immune modulation in humans. In this study, it was aimed to evaluate the changes in neopterin levels and tryptophan (Trp) degradation in dental technicians. It was observed that low levels of occupational mercury exposure resulted in decreased neopterin, kynurenine (Kyn), and Kyn/Trp levels. Moreover, mercury and neopterin levels had a significant positive correlation in workers. The lower neopterin levels and Kyn/Trp in dental technicians compared to an unexposed group indicates a possible immune suppression with low level of occupational mercury exposure during amalgam preparation. The relationship between urinary mercury levels as an indicator of occupational mercury exposure and neopterin reminded an effect on T-cell-mediated immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gözde Girgin
- Department of Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Hacettepe University , Ankara , Turkey
| | | | - Hande Sipahi
- Department of Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Yeditepe University , Istanbul , Turkey
| | - Bilge Kilicarslan
- Department of Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Hacettepe University , Ankara , Turkey
| | - Songül Ünüvar
- Department of Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Inönü University , Malatya , Turkey
| | - Engin Tutkun
- Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Bozok University , Yozgat , Turkey
| | - Ömer Hinc Yilmaz
- Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Yildirim Beyazit University , Ankara , Turkey
| | - Terken Baydar
- Department of Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Hacettepe University , Ankara , Turkey
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Pócsi I, Dockrell ME, Price RG. Nephrotoxic Biomarkers with Specific Indications for Metallic Pollutants: Implications for Environmental Health. Biomark Insights 2022; 17:11772719221111882. [PMID: 35859925 PMCID: PMC9290154 DOI: 10.1177/11772719221111882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Environmental and occupational exposure to heavy metals and metalloids is a major global health risk. The kidney is often a site of early damage. Nephrotoxicity is both a major consequence of heavy metal exposure and potentially an early warning of greater damage. A paradigm shift occurred at the beginning of the 21st century in the field of renal medicine. The medical model of kidney failure and treatment began to give way to a social model of risk factors and prevention with important implications for environmental health. This development threw into focus the need for better biomarkers: markers of exposure to known nephrotoxins; markers of early damage for diagnosis and prevention; markers of disease development for intervention and choice of therapy. Constituents of electronic waste, e-waste or e-pollution, such as cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), mercury (HG), arsenic (As) and silica (SiO2) are all potential nephrotoxins; they target the renal proximal tubules through distinct pathways. Different nephrotoxic biomarkers offer the possibility of identifying exposure to individual pollutants. In this review, a selection of prominent urinary markers of tubule damage is considered as potential tools for identifying environmental exposure to some key metallic pollutants.
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Affiliation(s)
- István Pócsi
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Microbiology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Mark E Dockrell
- SWT Institute of Renal Research, Carshalton, London, UK.,Department of Molecular and Clinical Sciences, St George's University, London, UK
| | - Robert G Price
- Department of Nutrition, Franklin-Wilkins Building, King's College, London, UK
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7
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Lim S, Yoon JH. Exposure to environmental pollutants and a marker of early kidney injury in the general population: Results of a nationally representative cross-sectional study based on the Korean National Environmental Health Survey (KoNEHS) 2012-2014. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 681:175-182. [PMID: 31103655 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.04.081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2018] [Revised: 03/07/2019] [Accepted: 04/06/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to environmental pollutants may lead to early kidney injury, chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage renal disease (ESRD). This study investigated the early renal effects associated with exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and heavy metals using general Korean population data. We used data from the Second Korean National Environmental Health Survey (2012-2014). As exposure markers, the concentrations of EDCs, such as triclosan (TCS), bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalate metabolites (DEHP, MnBP and MBzP), and heavy metals, such as cadmium, lead and mercury were analyzed. As an early kidney injury marker, the urinary concentration of β2-microglobulin (β2M) was measured. Multiple linear regression was used to analyze the relationship between environmental pollutants and β2M. A total of 5489 people (male: 2538, female: 2951) aged 19 years and older were enrolled. The geometric mean (GM) concentration of β2M in the total population was 1.88 μg/g creatinine (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.85-1.91). The β2M concentrations were significantly higher in cases of female, old age, low income, and presence of a history of diabetes mellitus or hypertension. The GM concentrations of urinary TCS and cadmium were 1.16 μg/g creatinine (95% CI 1.11-1.21) and 0.57 μg/g creatinine (95% CI 0.57-0.59), respectively. TCS, DEHP, cadmium, lead, and mercury exposure was significantly positively related to urinary β2M in the multiple regression analysis. β2M levels increased significantly with increases in the cadmium, mercury, and lead levels (p for trend <0.0001). The higher the DEHP, MnBP, and TCS concentrations, the higher the β2M level (p for trend <0.01). Environmental pollutants exposure significantly increased urinary β2M levels in the general Korean population. To prevent the development of early kidney injury and CKD, it is important to reduce environmental pollutants exposure through regulatory measures, and cooperation between related bodies in both developing and developed countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sinye Lim
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, College of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Kyung Hee University Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jin-Ha Yoon
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea; The Institute for Occupational Health, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
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8
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De Craemer S, Baeyens W, Leermakers M. Biomonitoring of total mercury in urine: method validation and sample stability. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018. [DOI: 10.1515/bimo-2018-0001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
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.
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Vervaet BA, D’Haese PC, Verhulst A. Environmental toxin-induced acute kidney injury. Clin Kidney J 2017; 10:747-758. [PMID: 29225803 PMCID: PMC5716161 DOI: 10.1093/ckj/sfx062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2016] [Accepted: 05/24/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Human beings are exposed to various potentially toxic agents and conditions in their natural and occupational environments. The kidney, due to its concentrating ability and excretory function, is highly vulnerable to the effects of environmental toxins. Identifying the precise cause and mechanisms of environmentally induced renal injury remains a challenge for which various scientific disciplines need to be involved. Investigations in this field are confronted with the apparent infinite types of toxins, their mutual interaction, handling/metabolization by the body, ways of exposure, etc. Although interdisciplinary efforts and persistence are required to identify, mechanistically unravel and tackle environmental toxin-induced pathologies, research eventually pays off in ameliorated working/living conditions and development of preventive/therapeutic strategies. This review was compiled to particularly emphasize the need for a maintained awareness of environmental threats in general and those targeting the kidney. Different mechanisms of renal toxicity are illustrated and discussed, thereby focusing on three types of environmental toxins, namely aristolochic acid, melamine and heavy metals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin A Vervaet
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Laboratory of Pathophysiology, University Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Patrick C D’Haese
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Laboratory of Pathophysiology, University Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Anja Verhulst
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Laboratory of Pathophysiology, University Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
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Al-Saleh I, Al-Rouqi R, Elkhatib R, Abduljabbar M, Al-Rajudi T. Risk assessment of environmental exposure to heavy metals in mothers and their respective infants. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2017; 220:1252-1278. [PMID: 28869188 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2017.07.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2017] [Revised: 07/26/2017] [Accepted: 07/31/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Exposure to heavy metals can cause renal injury, which has been well documented in occupational exposure. Studies of low exposure in the general population, however, are still scarce, particularly for vulnerable populations such as mothers and young children. This study evaluated exposure to heavy metals, and biomarkers of renal function and oxidative stress in 944 lactating mothers and their infants and investigated the role of the interaction between heavy metals and oxidative stress in altering renal function. Mother and infant urine samples were analyzed to measure mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), and lead (Pb) concentrations for determining body-burden exposure; N-acetyl-β-d-glucosaminidase (NAG), α1-microglobulin (α1-MG), albumin (ALB), and creatinine (Cr) concentrations for determining early renal injury; and 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations for determining oxidative stress. The median concentrclearlyations in mothers presented as μg/g Cr (infants as μg/l) for Hg, Cd, and Pb were 0.695 (0.716), 0.322 (0.343), and 3.97 (5.306) respectively. The mothers and their infants had clearly been exposed to heavy metals and had levels higher than the reference values reported for the general populations of USA, Germany, and Canada. Multiple regression analyses clearly demonstrated associations between urinary heavy metals in quartiles and several renal and oxidative biomarkers in mothers and to a lesser extent their infants. ß coefficients for urinary excretions of MDA, 8-OHdG, ALB, α1-MG, NAG, and Cr in mothers were high in the highest quartile of Hg (1.183-51.29μg/g Cr or 1.732-106.95μg/l), Cd (0.565-765.776μg/g Cr or 0.785-1347.0μg/l), and Pb (6.606-83.937μg/g Cr or 9.459-80.826μg/l), except Pb was not associated with ALB. Infants in the highest Pb quartile (9.293-263.098μg/l) had the highest ß coefficients of urinary excretion of MDA, 8-OHdG, ALB, NAG, and Cr. Significant increasing trend in biomarkers across the quartiles of the three metals was seen in both mothers and infants (ptrend <0.001). A receiver operating characteristic analysis supported the predictive abilities of the four renal biomarkers in discriminating between low versus high metal quartiles. The interaction between heavy metals and oxidative stress contributed to the high excretions of renal biomarkers, but the mechanism remains unclear. These findings add to the limited evidence that low exposure to heavy metals in the general population is associated with alterations in renal function that could eventually progress to renal damage if exposure continues and that children are more susceptible due to the immaturity of their body organs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iman Al-Saleh
- Environmental Health Program, Research Centre, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, P.O. Box: 3354, Riyadh 11211, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Reem Al-Rouqi
- Environmental Health Program, Research Centre, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, P.O. Box: 3354, Riyadh 11211, Saudi Arabia
| | - Rola Elkhatib
- Environmental Health Program, Research Centre, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, P.O. Box: 3354, Riyadh 11211, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mai Abduljabbar
- Environmental Health Program, Research Centre, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, P.O. Box: 3354, Riyadh 11211, Saudi Arabia
| | - Tahreer Al-Rajudi
- Environmental Health Program, Research Centre, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, P.O. Box: 3354, Riyadh 11211, Saudi Arabia
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Branco V, Caito S, Farina M, Teixeira da Rocha J, Aschner M, Carvalho C. Biomarkers of mercury toxicity: Past, present, and future trends. JOURNAL OF TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. PART B, CRITICAL REVIEWS 2017; 20:119-154. [PMID: 28379072 PMCID: PMC6317349 DOI: 10.1080/10937404.2017.1289834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 130] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) toxicity continues to represent a global health concern. Given that human populations are mostly exposed to low chronic levels of mercurial compounds (methylmercury through fish, mercury vapor from dental amalgams, and ethylmercury from vaccines), the need for more sensitive and refined tools to assess the effects and/or susceptibility to adverse metal-mediated health risks remains. Traditional biomarkers, such as hair or blood Hg levels, are practical and provide a reliable measure of exposure, but given intra-population variability, it is difficult to establish accurate cause-effect relationships. It is therefore important to identify and validate biomarkers that are predictive of early adverse effects prior to adverse health outcomes becoming irreversible. This review describes the predominant biomarkers used by toxicologists and epidemiologists to evaluate exposure, effect and susceptibility to Hg compounds, weighing on their advantages and disadvantages. Most importantly, and in light of recent findings on the molecular mechanisms underlying Hg-mediated toxicity, potential novel biomarkers that might be predictive of toxic effect are presented, and the applicability of these parameters in risk assessment is examined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vasco Branco
- a Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculdade de Farmácia , Universidade de Lisboa , Lisboa , Portugal
| | - Sam Caito
- b Department of Molecular Pharmacology , Albert Einstein College of Medicine , Bronx , New York , USA
| | - Marcelo Farina
- c Departamento de Bioquímica, Centro de Ciências Biológicas , Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina , Florianópolis , Brazil
| | - João Teixeira da Rocha
- d Departamento Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular , Universidade Federal de Santa Maria , Santa Maria , RS , Brazil
| | - Michael Aschner
- b Department of Molecular Pharmacology , Albert Einstein College of Medicine , Bronx , New York , USA
| | - Cristina Carvalho
- a Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculdade de Farmácia , Universidade de Lisboa , Lisboa , Portugal
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Langeland AL, Hardin RD, Neitzel RL. Mercury Levels in Human Hair and Farmed Fish near Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining Communities in the Madre de Dios River Basin, Peru. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2017; 14:ijerph14030302. [PMID: 28335439 PMCID: PMC5369138 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph14030302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2016] [Revised: 02/24/2017] [Accepted: 03/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) has been an important source of income for communities in the Madre de Dios River Basin in Peru for hundreds of years. However, in recent decades, the scale of ASGM activities in the region has increased dramatically, and exposures to a variety of occupational and environmental hazards related to ASGM, including mercury, are becoming more widespread. The aims of our study were to: (1) examine patterns in the total hair mercury level of human participants in several communities in the region and compare these results to the 2.2 µg/g total hair mercury level equivalent to the World Health Organization (WHO) Expert Committee of Food Additives (JECFA)’s Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake (PTWI); and (2), to measure the mercury levels of paco (Piaractus brachypomus) fish raised in local aquaculture ponds, in order to compare these levels to the EPA Fish Tissue Residue Criterion of 0.3 µg Hg/g fish (wet weight). We collected hair samples from 80 participants in four communities (one control and three where ASGM activities occurred) in the region, and collected 111 samples from fish raised in 24 local aquaculture farms. We then analyzed the samples for total mercury. Total mercury levels in hair were statistically significantly higher in the mining communities than in the control community, and increased with increasing geodesic distance from the Madre de Dios headwaters, did not differ by sex, and frequently exceeded the reference level. Regression analyses indicated that higher hair mercury levels were associated with residence in ASGM communities. The analysis of paco fish samples found no samples that exceeded the EPA tissue residue criterion. Collectively, these results align with other recent studies showing that ASGM activities are associated with elevated human mercury exposure. The fish farmed through the relatively new process of aquaculture in ASGM areas appeared to have little potential to contribute to human mercury exposure. More research is needed on human health risks associated with ASGM to discern occupational, residential, and nutritional exposure, especially through tracking temporal changes in mercury levels as fish ponds age, and assessing levels in different farmed fish species. Additionally, research is needed to definitively determine that elevated mercury levels in humans and fish result from the elemental mercury from mining, rather than from a different source, such as the mercury released from soil erosion during deforestation events from mining or other activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aubrey L Langeland
- School of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
| | - Rebecca D Hardin
- School of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
| | - Richard L Neitzel
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
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Moro AM, Brucker N, Charão MF, Baierle M, Sauer E, Goethel G, Barth A, Nascimento SN, Gauer B, Durgante J, Amaral BS, Neto FR, Gioda A, Garcia SC. Biomonitoring of gasoline station attendants exposed to benzene: Effect of gender. MUTATION RESEARCH-GENETIC TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL MUTAGENESIS 2017; 813:1-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mrgentox.2016.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2016] [Revised: 09/17/2016] [Accepted: 11/03/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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Rodríguez LHS, Rodríguez-Villamizar LA, Flórez-Vargas O, Fiallo YV, Ordoñez Á, Gutiérrez MDC. No effect of mercury exposure on kidney function during ongoing artisanal gold mining activities in Colombia. Toxicol Ind Health 2016; 33:67-78. [PMID: 27449026 DOI: 10.1177/0748233716659031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
This cross-sectional study examined whether people who are exposed to mercury (Hg) vapours in ongoing artisanal gold mining activities have alteration in kidney function monitoring parameters. The study enrolled 164 miners and 127 participant controls. The Hg concentrations for miners and control participants were measured in blood (B-Hg; median 7.0 vs. 2.5 µg/L), urine (U-Hg; median 3.9 vs. 1.5 µg/g creatinine) and hair (H-Hg; median 0.8 vs. 0.4 µg/g hair). The biomarkers of renal function were creatinine, albumin and excretion of β-2 microglobulin. Glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was calculated using the chronic kidney disease epidemiology collaboration equation. Significant statistical differences were found in Hg concentrations and eGFR levels between the two study groups ( p < 0.01) but not with the other biomarkers of renal function. A multiple regression model was applied to explore the relationship of eGFR levels and Hg concentrations. However, no association was found between the prevalence of reduced eGFR (<71.96 mL/min/1.73 m2) and the B-Hg or U-Hg levels after adjustment for covariates. Nevertheless, it was observed that having B-Hg levels above 10 µg Hg/L decreased the eGFR by 1.7 mL/min/1.73 m2 (confidence interval 95% -5.1 to 1.7) compared to having levels below 2.0 µg Hg/L. Our results found no support for kidney damage associated with Hg vapour exposure in ongoing artisanal gold mining, whose population has a level of Hg exposure from low to moderate (B-Hg from 3.4 to 11.0 µg/L and U-Hg from 1.3 to 9.6 µg/g creatinine).
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Affiliation(s)
- Luz Helena Sánchez Rodríguez
- 1 Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology and Toxicogenomics, Group of Immunology and Molecular Epidemiology, Faculty of Health, Universidad Industrial de Santander, Bucaramanga, Colombia.,2 School of Microbiology, Universidad Industrial de Santander, Bucaramanga, Colombia
| | | | - Oscar Flórez-Vargas
- 1 Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology and Toxicogenomics, Group of Immunology and Molecular Epidemiology, Faculty of Health, Universidad Industrial de Santander, Bucaramanga, Colombia
| | - Yolanda Vargas Fiallo
- 4 Laboratory of Industrial Consulting, School of Chemistry, Universidad Industrial de Santander, Bucaramanga, Colombia
| | - Álvaro Ordoñez
- 5 Renal Clinic, Hospital Universitario de Santander, Bucaramanga, Colombia
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Wyatt LH, Diringer SE, Rogers LA, Hsu-Kim H, Pan WK, Meyer JN. Antagonistic Growth Effects of Mercury and Selenium in Caenorhabditis elegans Are Chemical-Species-Dependent and Do Not Depend on Internal Hg/Se Ratios. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2016; 50:3256-64. [PMID: 26938845 PMCID: PMC4964607 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.5b06044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
The relationship between mercury (Hg) and selenium (Se) toxicity is complex, with coexposure reported to reduce, increase, and have no effect on toxicity. Different interactions may be related to chemical compound, but this has not been systematically examined. Our goal was to assess the interactive effects between the two elements on growth in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, focusing on inorganic and organic Hg (HgCl2 and MeHgCl) and Se (selenomethionine, sodium selenite, and sodium selenate) compounds. We utilized aqueous Hg/Se dosing molar ratios that were either above, below, or equal to 1 and measured the internal nematode total Hg and Se concentrations for the highest concentrations of each Se compound. Observed interactions were complicated, differed between Se and Hg compounds, and included greater-than-additive, additive, and less-than-additive growth impacts. Biologically significant interactions were only observed when the dosing Se solution concentration was 100-25,000 times greater than the dosing Hg concentration. Mitigation of growth impacts was not predictable on the basis of internal Hg/Se molar ratio; improved growth was observed at some internal Hg/Se molar ratios both above and below 1. These findings suggest that future assessments of the Hg and Se relationship should incorporate chemical compound into the evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren H. Wyatt
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - Sarah E. Diringer
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - Laura A. Rogers
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - Heileen Hsu-Kim
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - William K. Pan
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
- Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - Joel N. Meyer
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
- Corresponding Author. Phone: 919-613-8109;
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Pollack AZ, Mumford SL, Mendola P, Perkins NJ, Rotman Y, Wactawski-Wende J, Schisterman EF. Kidney biomarkers associated with blood lead, mercury, and cadmium in premenopausal women: a prospective cohort study. JOURNAL OF TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. PART A 2015; 78:119-31. [PMID: 25424620 PMCID: PMC4246415 DOI: 10.1080/15287394.2014.944680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Certain metals are harmful to the kidney and liver at high levels, but associations with functional biomarkers at low exposure levels among premenopausal women apparently has not been evaluated. Healthy, regularly menstruating women (n = 259) were followed for up to 2 menstrual cycles with up to 16 visits. Renal and liver biomarkers were measured in serum at each clinic visit. Cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and mercury (Hg) were measured in whole blood at baseline. Linear mixed models were adjusted for age, body mass index (BMI), race, average calories, alcohol intake, smoking, and cycle day. Median levels of Cd, Pb, and Hg were 0.31 μg/L, 0.88 μg/dl, and 1.1 μg/L, respectively. One-third of women had diminished glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) (<90 ml/min/1.73 m(2)). Each twofold increase in Cd was associated with a negative 4.9% change in blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and bilirubin. Each twofold rise in Pb was associated with decreased eGFR and increased creatinine. A twofold elevation in Hg was associated with higher protein and reduced alkaline phosphatase. In healthy, predominantly nonsmoking women, low levels of Cd, Pb, and Hg were associated with changes in select biomarkers of kidney and liver function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Z. Pollack
- Epidemiology Branch, Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, 6100 Executive Blvd. Suite 7B03 Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
- Department of Global and Community Health, George Mason University, 4400 University Drive, MS 5B7, Fairfax, VA 22030, USA
| | - Sunni L. Mumford
- Epidemiology Branch, Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, 6100 Executive Blvd. Suite 7B03 Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Pauline Mendola
- Epidemiology Branch, Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, 6100 Executive Blvd. Suite 7B03 Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Neil J. Perkins
- Epidemiology Branch, Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, 6100 Executive Blvd. Suite 7B03 Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Yaron Rotman
- Liver Diseases Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, NIDDK, National Institutes of Health, Building 10 , Room 9C434, 10 Center Dr., Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
| | - Jean Wactawski-Wende
- Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, University at Buffalo, School of Public Health and Health Professions, 270C Farber Hall, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14214 USA
| | - Enrique F. Schisterman
- Epidemiology Branch, Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, 6100 Executive Blvd. Suite 7B03 Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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Višnjevec AM, Kocman D, Horvat M. Human mercury exposure and effects in Europe. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2014; 33:1259-70. [PMID: 24375779 DOI: 10.1002/etc.2482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2013] [Revised: 07/16/2013] [Accepted: 10/31/2013] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
The effects of human exposure to mercury (Hg) and its compounds in Europe have been the focus of numerous studies that differed in their design, including recruiting different population groups at different levels of exposure and using different protocols and recruitment strategies. The objective of the present study was to review current studies of Hg exposure in Europe, taking into account the potential routes of Hg exposure, actual Hg exposure levels assessed by different biomarkers, and the effects of Hg to Europeans. All published studies from 2000 onward were reviewed, and exposure and effects studies were compared with known Hg levels in environmental compartments by mapping the various population groups studied and taking into account known sources of Hg. A study of the spatial distribution trends confirmed that the highest exposure levels to Hg, mostly as methylmercury (MeHg), are found in coastal populations, which consume more fish than inland populations. Fewer studies addressed exposure to elemental Hg through inhalation of Hg in air and inorganic Hg in food, particularly in highly contaminated areas. Overall, at the currently low exposure levels of Hg prevalently found in Europe, further studies are needed to confirm the risk to European populations, taking into consideration exposure to various Hg compounds and mixtures of stressors with similar end-points, nutritional status, and a detailed understanding of Hg in fish present in European markets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Miklavčič Višnjevec
- Department of Environmental Sciences, "Jožef Stefan" Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia; International postgraduate School Jožef Stefan, Ljubljana, Slovenia
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18
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Mercury exposure and omega-3 fatty acid intake in relation to renal function in the US population. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2014; 217:465-72. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2013.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2013] [Revised: 09/13/2013] [Accepted: 09/16/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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Agha FE, Youness ER, Selim MMH, Ahmed HH. Nephroprotective potential of selenium and taurine against mercuric chloride induced nephropathy in rats. Ren Fail 2014; 36:704-16. [DOI: 10.3109/0886022x.2014.890012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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20
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Scientific Opinion on the risk for public health related to the presence of mercury and methylmercury in food. EFSA J 2012. [DOI: 10.2903/j.efsa.2012.2985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 276] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
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21
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Al-Saleh I, Al-Sedairi AA, Elkhatib R. Effect of mercury (Hg) dental amalgam fillings on renal and oxidative stress biomarkers in children. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2012; 431:188-96. [PMID: 22683759 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2012.05.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2011] [Revised: 05/10/2012] [Accepted: 05/10/2012] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
We examined the effect of mercury (Hg) associated with dental amalgam fillings on biomarkers of renal and oxidative stress in children between the ages of 5-15.5 years. Urine samples were analyzed for N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase (NAG), α(1)-microglobulin (α(1)-MG), β(2)-microglobulin (β(2)-MG), retinol binding protein (RBP), albumin (ALB), 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) and malondialdehyde (MDA). The level of urinary Hg (UHg-C) was calculated as μg/g creatinine. Multiple regression analyses revealed that the excretion of urinary NAG was significantly associated with the presence of dental amalgam fillings (β=0.149, P=0.03) and the levels of UHg-C (β=0.531, P=0), with an interaction between the two (P=0). The increase in urinary NAG in relation to UHg-C levels had a dose-effect pattern. The lowest observed effect was seen at UHg-C levels above 1.452 μg/g creatinine, which is lower than previously reported. In contrast, α(1)-MG was negatively associated with the presence of dental amalgam fillings (β=-0.270, P=0), but positively with UHg-C levels (β=0.393, P=0). There were 7 children without, and one child with, dental amalgam fillings with urinary α(1)-MG levels above the reference limit of >7 mg/g creatinine. Even though α(1)-MG seems to be a reliable biomarker for early changes in renal functions, it might exert its effect only at a higher level of exposure. An inverse relationship was also observed between urinary 8-OHdG levels and the presence of dental amalgam fillings. This might suggest that the dental amalgam does not increase DNA damage but reduces the capacity to repair DNA, leading to lower urinary excretion of 8-OHdG. On the other hand, we found that Hg affected the excretion of urinary 8-OHdG in a dose-related pattern that was mostly associated with long-term exposure to low Hg levels. Urinary NAG levels were positively associated with urinary MDA levels (β=0.516, P=0) but not with 8-OHdG (β=0.134, P=0.078) after adjustment for potential confounders. Both UHg-C and the presence of dental amalgam fillings remained predictors of the NAG model. Our data provide evidence that low exposure to Hg from dental amalgam fillings exerts an effect on kidney tubular functions in children. Oxidative stress may have played a role in this mechanism. The results of this study would also suggest that urinary NAG is the most sensitive of all the investigated renal biomarkers. These results should be confirmed with further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iman Al-Saleh
- Biological & Medical Research Department, King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre, PO Box: 3354, Riyadh 11211, Saudi Arabia.
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Dose-response relationship between cumulative mercury exposure index and specific uptake ratio in the striatum on Tc-99m TRODAT SPECT. Clin Nucl Med 2011; 36:689-93. [PMID: 21716022 DOI: 10.1097/rlu.0b013e3181e9fa93] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Tc-99m TRODAT is an agent for dopamine transporters and measuring dopamine innervation of the striatum. An association between Parkinson disease and body burden mercury level has been reported in the scientific published data. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of mercury exposure on dopamine transporters in the striatum measured by Tc-99m TRODAT single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). METHOD AND MATERIALS Study subjects included 17 workers who worked in a lamp factory at risk for mercury vapor exposure and 15 age-matched healthy controls. All subjects received Tc-99m TRODAT SPECT, brain computed tomography scan, and neurologic examinations. Biologic urine mercury levels at the end of a work week were assessed for workers. RESULTS There were significant differences in specific uptake ratio (SUR) in the striatum, caudate, and putamen between mercury exposure workers and healthy controls on Tc-99m TRODAT SPECT (all P < 0.001). The results showed a significantly negative correlation between urine and cumulative mercury levels and SUR in the striatum on Tc-99m TRODAT SPECT by Pearson analysis (r = -0.501, P = 0.040; r = -0.563, P = 0.019). After adjusting for age, gender, and body mass index, cumulative mercury exposure index (Cum Hg) was demonstrated to be the statistically significant predictor for SUR in the striatum, caudate, and putamen on Tc-99m TRODAT SPECT by multiple linear regression analysis (β = -0.543, P = 0.018; β = -0.521, P = 0.033; β = -0.465, P = 0.048). CONCLUSION Mercury exposure has significantly negative effect on dopamine transporters in the striatum. There is dose-response relationship between cumulative mercury exposure index (Cum Hg) and SUR in the striatum on Tc-99m TRODAT brain SPECT.
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Bråtveit M, Magerøy N, Gundersen H, Vahter M, Moen BE. Biomarker of chronic cadmium exposure in a population residing in the vicinity of a zinc producing plant. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2011; 409:4222-4228. [PMID: 21831408 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2011.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2011] [Revised: 06/27/2011] [Accepted: 07/05/2011] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Measurements of cadmium (Cd) in air, soil and moss have shown elevated concentrations in residential areas close to a zinc smelter in Norway. This study aimed to evaluate whether men and women residing in the area with elevated Cd concentrations in air and soil had increased levels of Cd and microproteins in urine. An invitation to participate was mailed to 200 persons residing close to the zinc smelter and to 200 controls from an area more than 4 km away from the smelter. They were asked to complete a questionnaire, and to deliver a urine sample for analysis of cadmium (CdU), mercury (HgU), lead (PbU) and α1-microglobulin (ProteinHC). Two hundred and six participants (response rate 52%), between 19 and 88 years of age, were included. Results were analysed by multiple-adjusted linear and logistic regression. CdU was not significantly different between individuals in the two residence areas. Only ten individuals had CdU concentrations exceeding European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) critical value of 1 μg/g creatinine, whereas 35 persons (22% of the women vs. 11% of the men) had CdU concentrations higher than 0.66 μg/g creatinine, which EU suggested to be sufficiently protective for the general population. Smoking was the predominant contributing factor to values of elevated CdU. There was a tendency of higher CdU, although not statistically significant, amongst people regularly consuming fruit, berries and vegetables grown in their own garden near the smelter area. Home address in the polluted area was not a significant determinant. There was a positive correlation between CdU and ProteinHC in urine, but no significant difference was found for ProteinHC between residents from polluted area and controls. In spite of demonstrated industrial emissions of cadmium, the results do not indicate elevated cadmium exposure or kidney damage in the polluted area compared to the control area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magne Bråtveit
- Department for Public Health and Primary Health Care, Occupational and Environmental Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
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Gibb H, Haver C, Kozlov K, Centeno JA, Jurgenson V, Kolker A, Conko KM, Landa ER, Xu H. Biomarkers of mercury exposure in two eastern Ukraine cities. JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE 2011; 8:187-93. [PMID: 21391063 DOI: 10.1080/15459624.2011.556984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
This study evaluates biomarkers of mercury exposure among residents of Horlivka, a city in eastern Ukraine located in an area with geologic and industrial sources of environmental mercury, and residents of Artemivsk, a nearby comparison city outside the mercury-enriched area. Samples of urine, blood, hair, and nails were collected from study participants, and a questionnaire was administered to obtain data on age, gender, occupational history, smoking, alcohol consumption, fish consumption, tattoos, dental amalgams, home heating system, education, source of drinking water, and family employment in mines. Median biomarker mercury concentrations in Artemivsk were 0.26 μg/g-Cr (urine), 0.92 μg/L (blood), 0.42 μg/g (hair), 0.11 μg/g (toenails), and 0.09 μg/g (fingernails); median concentrations in Horlivka were 0.15 μg/g-Cr (urine), 1.01 μg/L (blood), 0.14 μg/g (hair), 0.31 μg/g (toenails), and 0.31 μg/g (fingernails). Biomarkers of mercury exposure for study participants from Horlivka and Artemivsk are low in comparison with occupationally exposed workers at a mercury recycling facility in Horlivka and in comparison with exposures known to be associated with clinical effects. Blood and urinary mercury did not suggest a higher mercury exposure among Horlivka residents as compared with Artemivsk; however, three individuals living in the immediate vicinity of the mercury mines had elevated blood and urinary mercury, relative to overall results for either city. For a limited number of residents from Horlivka (N = 7) and Artemivsk (N = 4), environmental samples (vacuum cleaner dust, dust wipes, soil) were collected from their residences. Mercury concentrations in vacuum cleaner dust and soil were good predictors of blood and urinary mercury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Herman Gibb
- Tetra Tech Sciences, Arlington, Virginia, USA.
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25
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Samir AM, Aref WM. Impact of occupational exposure to elemental mercury on some antioxidative enzymes among dental staff. Toxicol Ind Health 2011; 27:779-86. [PMID: 21427135 DOI: 10.1177/0748233710397420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of elemental mercury exposure on renal function and antioxidative enzymes activity as a possible mechanism of renal affection among dental staff. METHODS This study was performed on a group of dental staff exposed to elemental mercury (N = 32) and matched control group (N = 37). Urinary and blood level of mercury, albumin α1 microgloblin in urine, glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase blood level were measured for the exposed and control group. RESULTS Compared to the control group, urinary and blood mercury were significantly higher in the exposed group. Glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase activities in blood were significantly decreased and were negatively correlated with duration of work. CONCLUSION Oxidative stress is an important molecular mechanism for renal dysfunction in mercury exposure, manifested by decreased activities of antioxidant enzymes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aisha Mohamed Samir
- Industrial Medicine and Occupational Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Egypt.
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Li SJ, Zhang SH, Chen HP, Zeng CH, Zheng CX, Li LS, Liu ZH. Mercury-induced membranous nephropathy: clinical and pathological features. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol 2010; 5:439-44. [PMID: 20089494 DOI: 10.2215/cjn.07571009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Long-term contact with mercury may induce membranous nephropathy (MN); however, the clinical pathologic features and pathogenesis of mercury-induced MN have not been investigated. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS The present study retrospectively evaluated 11 cases of mercury-induced MN to analyze its causes and its clinical and pathologic features. RESULTS A total of 10 women and 1 man ages 15 to 45 years were enrolled in the present study. Mercury exposure was caused by mercury-containing pills (five patients), skin lightening cream (four patients), hair-dyeing agents (one patient), and mercury vapor (one patient). The duration of contact with mercury ranged from 2 to 60 months, and the urinary mercury concentrations were 1.5 to 50 times higher than reference values. All patients presented with proteinuria and normal renal function; three had nephrotic syndrome. Light microscopy revealed thickened glomerular basement membrane and mildly proliferative mesangial cells. Acute tubulointerstitial injury occurred in three patients. The immunofluorescence findings showed granular deposits of IgG and C3 along the glomerular capillary wall, mostly accompanied by deposits of C4 and C1q. IgG1 and IgG4 (predominantly IgG1) deposits were observed along the glomerular capillary loops. Nine patients reached complete remission in follow-up after withdrawal from mercury exposure. CONCLUSIONS Deposits of IgG1 subclasses in renal tissues indicated that the pathogenesis of mercury-induced MN differs from that of idiopathic MN. It is important that clinicians are aware that mercury exposure should be considered a possible cause of membranous nephropathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shi-Jun Li
- Professor of Medicine, Research Institute of Nephrology, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of Medicine, Nanjing 21002, China
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