Li Ping, Feng Xinbin, Qiu Guangle, Shang Lihai, Wang Shaofeng
State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang, 550002, China.
Sci Total Environ. 2008 Jun 1;395(2-3):72-9. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2008.02.006. Epub 2008 Mar 25.
Mercury (Hg) exposure in the population from Wuchuan mercury mining area (WMMA), Guizhou, China, was evaluated by human hair Hg investigation. Total gaseous mercury (TGM) in the ambient air and Hg in rice were measured to assess human risk of Hg exposure. High TGM concentrations in the ambient air were found near smelting workshop. Rice not only contained high total mercury (T-Hg) which ranged from 6.0-113 ng/g, but also contained highly elevated methylmercury (Me-Hg) which ranged from 3.1-13.4 ng/g. The means of hair T-Hg concentrations were 33.9 microg/g and 21.5 microg/g at YQG and JXC sites, respectively. Residents from other sites also reflected a certain level of Hg exposure. Age had no significant effect on hair Hg levels, but male had higher hair T-Hg concentrations due to occupational exposure and also higher Me-Hg levels which might be related to larger amount of rice consumption. Hair may be a useful tool for monitoring human exposure of Hg vapor in Hg-mining areas. By a preliminary estimation, the inhalation of Hg polluted air was the main route of inorganic Hg exposure to the smelting workers and vicinal residents; but the population in the study area was also at a potential risk of Me-Hg exposure via rice intake.
通过人体头发汞含量调查，对中国贵州务川汞矿区（WMMA）人群的汞（Hg）暴露情况进行了评估。测量了环境空气中的总气态汞（TGM）和大米中的汞，以评估人体汞暴露风险。在冶炼车间附近发现环境空气中TGM浓度较高。大米不仅总汞（T-Hg）含量高，范围为6.0 - 113 ng/g，而且甲基汞（Me-Hg）含量也大幅升高，范围为3.1 - 13.4 ng/g。在YQG和JXC站点，头发T-Hg浓度均值分别为33.9 μg/g和21.5 μg/g。其他站点的居民也反映出一定程度的汞暴露。年龄对头发汞含量无显著影响，但男性由于职业暴露头发T-Hg浓度较高，且Me-Hg含量也较高，这可能与大米摄入量较大有关。头发可能是监测汞矿区人群汞蒸气暴露的有用工具。初步估计，冶炼工人和附近居民吸入汞污染空气是无机汞暴露的主要途径；但研究区域内的人群也存在通过摄入大米而暴露于甲基汞的潜在风险。
