Past mercury exposure and current symptoms of nervous system dysfunction in adults of a First Nation community (Canada)

Mercury concentrations in historic autopsies from Grassy Narrows First Nation

The Asubpeeschoseewagong Anishinabek (Grassy Narrows First Nation) have been engaged in a decades-long struggle to improve their health and environment after an industrial discharge of between 9000 and 11,000 kg of mercury (Hg) into their river system. Hg concentrations in freshwater fish, central to their cultural identity, livelihood and diet, were among the highest ever reported. Between 1972 and 1992, a Canadian government program measured Hg concentrations in routine autopsies from this community. In 2017, Grassy Narrows obtained their community's autopsy reports. The present study examined the distribution of total mercury (T-Hg) and inorganic mercury (I-Hg) in brain, organ, blood, and hair samples from 21 historic autopsy reports, spanning 1976 to 1986. T-Hg median in blood and hair were 6 ppb (range = 2.5-100) and 2.47 ppm (0.41-49.8), respectively. Hg was present in all brain regions (T-Hg median = 53 ppb, 13-299), with highest concentrations in the cerebellum (63 ppb, 16-365) and basal ganglia (58 ppb, 10-420). I-Hg constituted approximately 25 % of T-Hg in all brain regions. In organ samples, T-Hg was higher [renal medulla (290 ppb, 28-4400), renal cortex (1240 ppb, 100-6000), liver (300 ppb, 64-2400)], with greater proportion of I-Hg (82 %, 74 %, 63 %, respectively). Significant correlations were observed between T-Hg in hair and most brain regions (ρ = 0.70-0.77), blood (ρ = 0.56), and renal cortex (ρ = 0.61). While Hg accumulation in the cerebellum has been documented, the basal ganglia has seldom been an object of interest in the Hg scientific literature. The presence of Hg in the brain and other organs complement current studies on the long-term health consequences of Hg in this community. The findings further suggest the need for a closer examination of the role of basal ganglia in Hg-related disorders.

Mercury toxicity resulting from enzyme alterations- minireview

Mercury is widely known for its detrimental effects on living organisms, whether in its elemental or bonded states. Recent comparative studies have shed light on the biochemical implications of mercury ingestion, both in low, persistent concentrations and in elevated acute dosages. Studies have presented models that elucidate how mercury disrupts healthy cells. Mercury's unique ability to interfere with crucial enzymatic processes at deposition sites is a vital feature of these models. The strong affinity for the sulfhydryl moieties of enzyme catalytic sites leads to enzyme inactivation through permanent covalent modifications. This inactivation can have catastrophic effects on an organism's metabolic functions. Moreover, it has been found that mercury's binding to sulfhydryl moieties is highly nonspecific and can occur in various ways. This review aimed to explore the effects of mercury on a broad spectrum of enzymes with a specific focus on how these alterations can detrimentally affect several metabolic pathways.

Literature review of the potential harm and mechanisms of mercury poisoning related to cosmetics

Mercury content is a critical indicator for quality control in cosmetics. Historically, mercury poisoning was primarily linked to occupational exposures. However, with the widespread household exposure to mercury, especially in cosmetics, non-occupational mercury poisoning has become increasingly prevalent. Mercury poisoning can damage major organs such as the heart, liver, and kidneys. Therefore, this article intends to summarize current knowledge on the harms and underlying mechanisms associated with mercury poisoning from cosmetics, in order to provide clinical insight to enable tertiary prevention.

Characterizing visual field loss from past mercury exposure in an Indigenous riverine community (Grassy Narrows First Nation, Canada): a cluster-based approach

BACKGROUND

Between 1962 and 1975, a chlor-alkali plant in Canada discharged approximately 9 metric tons of mercury (Hg) into the Wabigoon River. Over the following decades, biomarkers of Hg exposure of persons from Grassy Narrows First Nation (Asubpeeschoseewagong Anishinabek), located downriver from the discharge, reflected Hg concentrations in fish. Hg exposure is known to target the calcarine fissure, resulting in visual field (VF) loss. Most studies and clinical reports focus solely on peripheral VF loss; little is known about the impact of Hg on the central and paracentral portions. The present study sought to characterize the patterns of VF loss with respect to past and current Hg.

METHODS

A 28-year hair-Hg (HHg) database, created from a 1970-97 government biomonitoring program, served to select study participants with ≥ 4 year-based HHg measurements (n = 81). Blood-Hg was assessed for current exposure. Light sensitivity thresholds across the VF were analyzed monocularly, using a Humphrey Field Analyzer (HFA). Following post-hoc exclusions, based on HFA interpretation indices, 65 participants were retained. Both eyes were combined for analyses (n = 130 eyes). Unsupervised hierarchical clustering of HFA plot data was used to identify patterns of VF loss. A series of mixed effects models (MEM) were performed to test the associations for current Hg exposure with respect to HFA interpretation indices and clusters, as well as for longitudinal past Hg exposure.

RESULTS

The clustering approach decomposed the light sensitivity deficits into 5 concentric clusters, with greatest loss in the peripheral clusters. No relation was observed between any of the cluster scores and current blood-Hg. VF deficits increased with past Hg exposure. Longitudinal MEM showed that HHg was significantly (p < 0.05) associated with all peripheral, paracentral, and central cluster scores, as well as with HFA interpretation indices.

CONCLUSIONS

Past Hg exposure in Grassy Narrows First Nation was associated with present day VF loss. The cluster-based location-specific approach identified patterns of VF loss associated with long-term Hg exposure, in both the peripheral and the central areas. The functional implications of this type of visual loss should be investigated.

Mercury cycling in contaminated coastal environments: modeling the benthic-pelagic coupling and microbial resistance in the Venice Lagoon

Anthropogenic activities have been releasing mercury for centuries, and despite global efforts to control emissions, concentrations in environmental media remain high. Coastal sediments can be a long-term repository for mercury, but also a secondary source, and competing processes in marine ecosystems can lead to the conversion of mercury into the toxic and bioaccumulative species methylmercury, which threatens ecosystem and human health. We investigate the fate and transport of three mercury species in a coastal lagoon affected by historical pollution using a novel high-resolution finite element model that integrates mercury biogeochemistry, sediment dynamics and hydrodynamics. The model resolves mercury dynamics in the seawater and the seabed taking into account partitioning, transport driven by water and sediment, and photochemical and microbial transformations. We simulated three years (early 2000s, 2019, and 2020) to assess the spatio-temporal distribution of mercury species concentrations and performed a sensitivity analysis to account for uncertainties. The modeled mercury species concentrations show high temporal and spatial variability, with water concentrations in some areas of the lagoon exceeding those of the open Mediterranean Sea by two orders of magnitude, consistent with available observations from the early 2000s. The results support conclusions about the importance of different processes in shaping the environmental gradients of mercury species. Due to the past accumulation of mercury in the lagoon sediments, inorganic mercury in the water is closely related to the resuspension of contaminated sediments, which is significantly reduced by the presence of benthic vegetation. The gradients of methylmercury depend on the combination of several factors, of which sediment resuspension and mercury methylation are the most relevant. The results add insights into mercury dynamics at coastal sites characterized by a combination of past pollution (i.e. sediment enrichment) and erosive processes, and suggest possible nature-based mitigation strategies such as the preservation of the integrity of benthic vegetation and morphology.

Repurposing an antimicrobial peptide for the development of a dual ion channel/molecular receptor-like platform for metal ion detection

The presence of non-essential metals in the environment as contaminants is prone to cause hazardous health problems following accumulation in the human body and the ensuing toxic effects. This calls for continuous discovery and innovation in the realm of developing easy-to-operate, cheap and sensitive sensors. Herein, we describe the proof of concept approach for designing a molecular receptor-like, chimeric sensor based on the pore-forming peptide alamethicin (Alm), tethered via a linker with an ultrashort peptide nucleic acid (PNA) moiety, capable of generating functional ion channel oligomers in planar lipid membranes. The working principle of the sensor exploits the ability of Hg2+ ions to complex mismatching thymine-thymine sequences between the PNA receptor moiety on Alm oligomers and free, thymine-based, single-stranded DNAs (ssDNAs) in solution, thus creating a stable base pair at the oligomer entrance. This generates a transducing mechanism which converts the metal ion complexation into a specific electrical signature of the self-assembled Alm oligomers, enabling selective Hg2+ ion detection. The platform is programmable, whereby the simple exchange of the PNA sequence and its ssDNA counterpart in solution rendered the system selective for Cu2+ ion detection. With further optimization, the presented solution has the potential to translate into miniaturized, cost-effective biosensors suitable for the real-time, label-free and continuous detection of metal ions or other biomolecules.

Advancements in mercury detection using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) and ion-imprinted polymers (IIPs): a review

Mercury (Hg) contamination remains a major environmental concern primarily due to its presence at trace levels, making monitoring the concentration of Hg challenging. Sensitivity and selectivity are significant challenges in the development of mercury sensors. Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) and ion-imprinted polymers (IIPs) are two distinct analytical methods developed and employed for mercury detection. In this review, we provide an overview of the key aspects of SERS and IIP methodologies, focusing on the recent advances in sensitivity and selectivity for mercury detection. By examining the critical parameters and challenges commonly encountered in this area of research, as reported in the literature, we present a set of recommendations. These recommendations cover solid and colloidal SERS substrates, appropriate Raman reporter/probe molecules, and customization of IIPs for mercury sensing and removal. Furthermore, we provide a perspective on the potential integration of SERS with IIPs to achieve enhanced sensitivity and selectivity in mercury detection. Our aim is to foster the establishment of a SERS-IIP hybrid method as a robust analytical tool for mercury detection across diverse fields.

The evolution of symptoms of nervous system dysfunction in a First Nation community with a history of mercury exposure: a longitudinal study

BACKGROUND

Since the 1960's, mercury (Hg) contamination of the aquatic environment of Asubpeeschoseewagong Anishinabek (Grassy Narrows First Nation) territories has impacted the community members' traditions, culture, livelihood, diet and health. Despite decreasing Hg exposure over time, a recent study suggested that long-term exposure contributed to later-life symptom clusters of nervous system dysfunction. Here, the objective was to evaluate, 5 years later, the prevalence and progression of these symptoms and examine the contribution of long-term, past Hg exposure.

METHODS

The symptom questionnaire, applied in the 2016/17 Grassy Narrows Community Health Assessment (GN-CHA) (Time 1), was re-administered in the 2021/22 Niibin study (Time 2). A total of 85 adults (median age: 47y; range: 29-75y) responded at both times. Paired statistics were used to test the differences (Time 2 - Time 1) in self-reported symptom frequencies. The symptom clustering algorithm, derived from the entire study group of the GN-CHA (n = 391), which had yielded 6 clusters, was applied at Time 1 and 2. Equivalent hair Hg measurements (HHg) between 1970 and 1997 were used in Longitudinal Mixed Effects Models (LMEM), with a sub-group with ≥ 10 repeated HHg mesurements (age > 40y), to examine its associations with symptom cluster scores and their progression.

RESULTS

For most symptoms, paired analyses (Time 2 - Time 1) showed a significant increase in persons reporting " very often" or "all the time", and in the mean Likert scores for younger and older participants (< and ≥ 50y). The increase in cluster scores was not associated with age or sex, except for sensory impairment where a greater increase in symptom frequency was observed for younger persons. LMEM showed that, for the sub-group, long-term past Hg exposure was associated with most cluster scores at both times, and importantly, for all clusters, with their rate of increase over time (Time 2 - Time 1).

CONCLUSIONS

The persistence of reported symptoms and their increase in frequency over the short 5-year period underline the need for adequate health care services. Results of the sub-group of persons > 40y, whose HHg reflects exposure over the 28-year sampling period, suggest that there may be a progressive impact of Hg on nervous system dysfunction.

The Contribution across Three Generations of Mercury Exposure to Attempted Suicide among Children and Youth in Grassy Narrows First Nation, Canada: An Intergenerational Analysis

BACKGROUND

For 60 y, the people of Asubpeeschoseewagong Anishinabek (Grassy Narrows First Nation) have endured the effects of massive mercury (Hg) contamination of their river system, central to their traditions, culture, livelihood, and diet. In the years following the Hg discharge into the English-Wabigoon River system by a chloralkali plant in the early 1970s, there was a dramatic increase in youth suicides. Several authors attributed this increase solely to social disruption caused by the disaster.

OBJECTIVE

This research examined the possible contribution of Hg exposure across three generations on attempted suicides among today's children (5-11 y old) and youth (12-17 y old), using a matrilineal intergenerational paradigm.

METHODS

Information from the 2016-2017 Grassy Narrows Community Health Assessment (GN-CHA) survey was merged with Hg biomonitoring data from government surveillance programs (1970-1997). Data from 162 children/youth (5-17 years of age), whose mothers (n=80) had provided information on themselves, their parents, and children, were retained for analyses. Direct and indirect indicators of Hg exposure included a) grandfather had worked as a fishing guide, and b) mother's measured and estimated umbilical cord blood and childhood hair Hg and her fish consumption during pregnancy with this child. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to examine significant links from grandparents (G0) to mothers' exposure and mental health (G1) and children/youth (G2) risk for attempted suicide.

RESULTS

Mothers' (G1) median age was 33 y, 86.3% of grandmothers (G0) had lived in Grassy Narrows territory during their pregnancy, and 52.5% of grandfathers (G0) had worked as fishing guides. Sixty percent of children (G2) were <12 years of age. Mothers reported that among teenagers (G2: 12-17 years of age), 41.2% of girls and 10.7% of boys had ever attempted suicide. The SEM suggested two pathways that significantly linked grandparents (G0) to children's (G2) attempted suicides: a) through mothers' (G1) prenatal and childhood Hg exposure and psychological distress, and b) through maternal fish consumption during pregnancy (G1/G2), which is an important contributor to children's emotional state and behavior.

DISCUSSION

Despite minimal individual information on G0 and G1 past life experiences, the findings support the hypothesis that Hg exposure over three generations contributes to the mental health of today's children and youth. The prevalence of Grassy Narrows youth ever having attempted suicide is three times that of other First Nations in Canada. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP11301.

Visual Characteristics of Adults with Long-Standing History of Dietary Exposure to Mercury in Grassy Narrows First Nation, Canada

Since the 1960s, Grassy Narrows First Nation (Ontario, Canada) has been exposed to methyl mercury (Hg) through fish consumption, resulting from industrial pollution of their territorial waters. This cross-sectional study describes the visual characteristics of adults with documented Hg exposure between 1970 and 1997. Oculo-visual examinations of 80 community members included visual acuity, automated visual fields, optical coherence tomography [OCT], color vision and contrast sensitivity. Median age was 57 years (IQR 51-63) and 55% of participants were women. Median visual acuity was 0.1 logMAR (Snellen 6/6.4; IQR 0-0.2). A total of 26% of participants presented a Visual Field Index inferior to 62%, and qualitative losses assessment showed concentric constriction (18%), end-stage concentric loss (18%), and complex defects (24%). On OCT, retinal nerve fiber layer scans showed 74% of participants within normal/green range. For color testing with the Hardy, Rand, and Rittler test, 40% presented at least one type of color defect, and with the Lanthony D-15 test, median color confusion index was 1.59 (IQR 1.33-1.96). Contrast sensitivity showed moderate loss for 83% of participants. These findings demonstrate important loss of visual field, color vision, and contrast sensitivity in older adults in a context of long-term exposure to Hg in Grassy Narrows First Nation.