Interdisciplinary Research Center for Agriculture Green Development in Yangtze River Basin, College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China.
Interdisciplinary Research Center for Agriculture Green Development in Yangtze River Basin, College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China; Department of Environment and Quality Test, Chongqing Chemical Industry Vocational College, Chongqing, 401220, China.
Environ Pollut. 2021 Aug 1;282:117041. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.117041. Epub 2021 Apr 1.
Three Gorges Dam (TGD) is the largest hydroelectric construction in the world, and its potential impacts on the ecological environment and human health risks have invoked considerable global concern. However, as a mercury (Hg) sensitive system, limited work was conducted on the Hg exposure level of local residents around the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR). Thus, 540 human hair samples and 22 species of local food samples were collected to assess the Hg exposure and human health risk to the residents located in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region (TGRR) and to investigate their dietary exposure to Hg. The results showed that the geometric mean concentrations of total mercury (THg) and methylmercury (MeHg) in hair were 0.42 ± 0.43 μg g and 0.23 ± 0.32 μg g, respectively, lower than the reference level (1.0 μg g) recommended by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), indicating a low level Hg exposure for residents around the TGR. No significant difference in the accumulation of Hg in hair between the gender subgroups was observed, whereas age difference, smoking and alcohol drinking behavior, and fish consumption frequency were significant predictors of hair Hg level. Besides, THg and MeHg of all the investigated food samples did not exceed the corresponding Chinese national standard. The average probable daily intakes (PDIs) of THg and MeHg were 0.032 μg kg day and 0.007 μg kg day, which were obviously below the recommended values of 0.57 μg kg day and 0.1 μg kg day, respectively. The cereal (mainly rice) contribution of THg (76.0%) and MeHg (74.4%) intakes to the local residents around the TGR was much higher than that of fish (10.7% and 22.9%, respectively) due to the considerable rice consumption. Overall, residents around the TGR were at a low Hg exposure and rice consumption was the major pathway for Hg exposure.
三峡大坝（TGD）是世界上最大的水电工程，其对生态环境和人类健康风险的潜在影响引起了全球的广泛关注。然而，作为一个汞（Hg）敏感系统，对三峡水库周边地区居民的 Hg 暴露水平的研究工作相对较少。因此，采集了 540 个人体头发样本和 22 种当地食物样本，以评估位于三峡库区（TGRR）的居民的 Hg 暴露水平和健康风险，并调查他们通过饮食摄入 Hg 的情况。结果表明，头发中总汞（THg）和甲基汞（MeHg）的几何平均值分别为 0.42 ± 0.43μg/g 和 0.23 ± 0.32μg/g，低于美国环保署（US EPA）推荐的参考值（1.0μg/g），表明居民的 Hg 暴露水平较低。头发中 Hg 积累在性别亚组之间没有显著差异，而年龄差异、吸烟和饮酒行为以及鱼类消费频率是头发 Hg 水平的显著预测因子。此外，所有调查食物样本中的 THg 和 MeHg 均未超过相应的中国国家标准。THg 和 MeHg 的平均可能日摄入量（PDI）分别为 0.032μg/kg·day 和 0.007μg/kg·day，明显低于 0.57μg/kg·day 和 0.1μg/kg·day 的推荐值。由于大米的大量食用，当地居民对 THg（76.0%）和 MeHg（74.4%）的摄入量中，谷类（主要是大米）的贡献率明显高于鱼类（分别为 10.7%和 22.9%）。总体而言，三峡库区周边居民的 Hg 暴露水平较低，大米消费是 Hg 暴露的主要途径。
