Sell J L, Deitz F D, Buchanan M L
Arch Environ Contam Toxicol. 1975;3(3):278-88. doi: 10.1007/BF02220741.
Total mercury (Hg) was determined in milk, eggs, beef, pork, human head hair, soil and water obtained from four geographical areas of North Dakota. The sampling areas were selected on the basis of differences in prevalent agricultural practices, climate and topography. Statewide average Hg concentrations in ppb were milk, 0.8; eggs, 12; beef muscle, 5; beef liver, 10; pork muscle, 11; pork liver, 15; head hair, 1708; soil, 30; rainwater and well water, less than one. There were no significant differences observed among areas in Hg content of any substance sampled except beef muscle. Beef muscle obtained from areas 2 and 4 contained significantly (P less than or equal to 0.05) higher levels of Hg than beef muscle from the other two areas. However, the magnitudes of differences were small (4 to 6 ppb). Considerable variation among individual beef and swine were noted but only six beef of 453 sampled and three swine of 156 sampled had tissue Hg exceeding 50 ppb. Appreciable variation was observed in Hg in eggs with respect to farms within an area, eggs from the same farm, and sampling times within a year. Few eggs sampled contained more than 50 ppb. Significantly (P less than or equal to 0.01) higher levels of Hg were found in head hair of women as compared with men and relatively large differences among individuals were observed. Average Hg in hair was generally low irrespective of sex of donor or area of the state as compared with data given in the literature. Soil Hg levels were consistently low in all areas of the state, and no relationship between cropping practices and soil Hg was detected.
对从北达科他州四个地理区域采集的牛奶、鸡蛋、牛肉、猪肉、人发、土壤和水进行了总汞（Hg）含量测定。采样区域是根据普遍的农业实践、气候和地形差异选定的。以十亿分比（ppb）计的全州汞浓度平均值如下：牛奶，0.8；鸡蛋，12；牛肉肌肉，5；牛肉肝脏，10；猪肉肌肉，11；猪肉肝脏，15；头发，1708；土壤，30；雨水和井水，低于1。除牛肉肌肉外，所采样的任何物质的汞含量在各区域之间均未观察到显著差异。从区域2和区域4获取的牛肉肌肉中的汞含量显著（P小于或等于0.05）高于其他两个区域的牛肉肌肉。然而，差异幅度较小（4至6 ppb）。注意到个体牛肉和猪肉之间存在相当大的差异，但在453份采样牛肉中只有6份以及在156份采样猪肉中只有3份的组织汞含量超过50 ppb。在一个区域内的不同农场、同一农场的鸡蛋以及一年中的不同采样时间采集的鸡蛋中，汞含量存在明显差异。很少有采样鸡蛋的汞含量超过50 ppb。与男性相比，女性头发中的汞含量显著（P小于或等于0.01）更高，并且观察到个体之间存在相对较大的差异。与文献中的数据相比，无论供体性别或该州的区域如何，头发中的平均汞含量通常较低。该州所有区域的土壤汞含量一直较低，并且未检测到种植方式与土壤汞之间的关系。
