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Chong K, Basu N. Contaminated sites and Indigenous peoples in Canada and the United States: A scoping review. INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT 2024; 20:1306-1329. [PMID: 37994536 DOI: 10.1002/ieam.4869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023]
Abstract
Indigenous communities are disproportionately exposed to contaminated sites, and this poses unique challenges as many Indigenous peoples consider land as an integral part of their culture and economy. This scoping review aimed to identify and map information on contaminated sites and Indigenous peoples in Canada and the United States, namely (1) the relationship between contaminated sites and Indigenous peoples and their land and food systems; (2) strategies, challenges, and successes for contaminated sites assessment and management on Indigenous land; and (3) Indigenous leadership and inclusion in contaminated site assessment and management. We followed a PRISMA-ScR (Transparent Reporting of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses-Extension for Scoping Reviews) checklist to collect data that could be categorized into these three objectives. Between October 2021 and July 2023, information from three data streams was retrieved: a systematic literature search; a grey literature search; and federal site data retrieval (Canada's Federal Contaminated Sites Inventory, USEPA's contaminated sites databases, including Superfund). This search yielded 51 peer-reviewed articles, 21 grey literature articles, and 11 404 federal site records, evidencing the contamination of the lands of 875 Indigenous communities and the presence of 440 different contaminants or contaminant groups. The body of information was categorized into three themes within the above objectives: Objective 1: Indigenous communities and geographic patterns; Contaminated sites, sources, and media; Contaminated sites and Indigenous lands; Contaminated sites and Indigenous food systems; Contaminated sites and the health of Indigenous peoples; Objective 2: Site management and classification processes; Health risk assessment; Risk management; Long-term management; and Objective 3: Collaborative research, Collaborative site management; Traditional knowledge and contaminated sites. Results highlighted a need to prioritize holism, efficiency, and Indigenous leadership in site assessment, management, and research, including a focus on community-specific approaches to site assessment and management; a reconceptualization of risks that privileges Indigenous epistemologies; and greater collaboration between stakeholder networks. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2024;20:1306-1329. © 2023 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC).
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine Chong
- Center for Indigenous Peoples' Nutrition and Environment (CINE), Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Niladri Basu
- Center for Indigenous Peoples' Nutrition and Environment (CINE), Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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Sebai I, Deaconu A, Mobetty F, Nardocci M, Ing A, Batal M. Measurement of diet quality among First Nations peoples in Canada and associations with health: a scoping review. Nutr Rev 2024; 82:695-708. [PMID: 37421656 DOI: 10.1093/nutrit/nuad073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/10/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Given the increasing number and the diversity of dietary quality indices used for research, and the differences between settings, there is a need to identify valid indices of dietary quality in different contexts and populations and to identify their associations with health-related outcomes. OBJECTIVES The primary objective of this scoping review is to identify the tools used in determining dietary quality among First Nations and to describe the changes in diet. The second objective is to describe the associations identified in studies that have measured the relationship between health and dietary quality among First Nations; and the third objective is to identify factors associated with diet quality. METHODS PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, Global Health, and Web of Science were searched from inception to June 2021 and updated in February 2022. Articles were included if the research subjects were First Nations, or if articles reported disaggregated subset data for First Nations. Eligible studies focused on nutrition and diet and were published in English or French. RESULTS A total of 151 articles were included in the analysis. Studies used several indicators to measure if individuals adhered to dietary guidelines. Traditional food consumption was frequently used as an indicator of diet quality (n = 96). The consumption of store-bought foods was used as an indicator in 28 studies. Some studies used other diet quality indicators such as the Healthy Eating Index (n = 5) and ultra-processed food "NOVA" classification (n = 6). A trend for decreasing traditional food intake over time was apparent, alongside an increase in store-bought food intake. This trend was accompanied with declining health status, including the increased prevalence of overweight and obesity, diabetes, metabolic diseases, and dental caries. CONCLUSION This scoping review showed that diet quality among First Nations is improved when traditional foods are consumed. Reduced diet quality was associated with increased risk of noncommunicable diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ines Sebai
- Canada Research Chair in Nutrition and Health Inequalities (CIENS), Montreal, Canada
- TRANSNUT, Département de Nutrition, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Canada
- Centre de Recherche en Santé Publique, Université de Montréal et CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, Montreal, Canada
| | - Ana Deaconu
- Canada Research Chair in Nutrition and Health Inequalities (CIENS), Montreal, Canada
- TRANSNUT, Département de Nutrition, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Canada
| | - Fabrice Mobetty
- Canada Research Chair in Nutrition and Health Inequalities (CIENS), Montreal, Canada
- TRANSNUT, Département de Nutrition, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Canada
- Centre de Recherche en Santé Publique, Université de Montréal et CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, Montreal, Canada
| | - Milena Nardocci
- Canada Research Chair in Nutrition and Health Inequalities (CIENS), Montreal, Canada
- TRANSNUT, Département de Nutrition, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Canada
| | - Amy Ing
- Canada Research Chair in Nutrition and Health Inequalities (CIENS), Montreal, Canada
- TRANSNUT, Département de Nutrition, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Canada
| | - Malek Batal
- Canada Research Chair in Nutrition and Health Inequalities (CIENS), Montreal, Canada
- TRANSNUT, Département de Nutrition, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Canada
- Centre de Recherche en Santé Publique, Université de Montréal et CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, Montreal, Canada
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Mehmood A, Soliman MM, Almalki DA, Alotaibi KS, Youssef GBA, Althobaiti S. Ameliorative impacts of sinapic acid against mercuric chloride-induced renal toxicity: role of antioxidants and inflammatory cytokines. Toxicol Res (Camb) 2024; 13:tfae066. [PMID: 38660688 PMCID: PMC11036892 DOI: 10.1093/toxres/tfae066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2023] [Revised: 02/25/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Because of their beneficial properties, natural products, especially medicinal plants, are becoming increasingly popular worldwide and play a significant role in research. This study was aimed to evaluate the nephroprotective effect of sinapic acid against mercuric chloride-induced renal toxicity in mice. The mice were allocated to four groups named a normal group (G1), model group (G2; received HgCl2, 1 mg/kg bw), treatments groups (G3 and G4: received 50 and 100 mg/kg bw of sinapic acid together with HgCl2). Mice received HgCl2 remarkably showed alteration in all examined biochemical biomarkers (urea, creatinine, and bilirubin), and induced alteration in blood cell picture and anemia. HgCl2 intoxication decreased both systemic and renal antioxidant activity and induced over all oxidative stress as indicated by alteration in inflammation and oxidative stress associated markers. HgCl2 affected renal histology with leukocytic and inflammatory cell infiltration, fibrosis and tubular necrosis. Administration of sinapic acid (50 and 100 mg/kg bw) markedly restored the HgCl2-induced oxidative stress (serum and renal: MDA, GSH, CAT, SOD, and T-AOC), proinflammatory cytokines (serum and renal: TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, and PGE2) and restored the changes on biochemical markers, and hematological parameters (hemoglobin, erythrocytes, platelets, and leukocytes). Taken together, the results of the present study disclose that sinapic acid has the potential to attenuate HgCl2-induced renal toxicity and may be an ideal choice against mercury poisoning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arshad Mehmood
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, 301 Xuefu Road, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212013, China
| | - Mohamed Mohamed Soliman
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, Turabah University College, Turabah, Taif University, 21995, Saudi Arabia
| | - Daklallah A Almalki
- Biology department, Faculty of Science and Arts, Al-Mikhwah, Al-Baha University, Al-Baha 65528, Saudi Arabia
| | - Khalid S Alotaibi
- General Science and English Language Department, College of Applied Sciences, AlMaarefa University, Riyadh, 71666, Saudi Arabia
| | - Gehan Basiony Ahmed Youssef
- Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Benha University, PO 13736, Benha, Egypt
| | - Saed Althobaiti
- Department of Biology, Turabah University College, Taif University, Taif 21995, Saudi Arabia
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Chen L, Liu C, Han X, Liang Y, Li Y. Impacts of anthropogenic discharge on distribution, mass budget, and long-term risk of total mercury in coastal region: A case study of the Jiaozhou Bay, China. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 883:163718. [PMID: 37116807 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Revised: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) as a toxic pollutant in marine systems have been paid more attention. The Jiaozhou Bay (JZB) is located at the western coast of the Yellow Sea surrounded by Qingdao city, a developed city in China. >10 rivers and several sewage treatment plants carry lots of Hg input it, increasing the environmental risks JZB facing. However, there is still a lack of knowledge on its cycling in the JZB, limiting sound understanding of Hg fate in coastal regions. To address these needs, four cruises were conducted in different seasons, to investigate distribution, influencing factors, and mass budget of total Hg (THg) in the JZB. Higher THg concentrations were determined in seawater (22.8 ± 13.9 ng L-1) and sediment (148 ± 107 ng g-1), indicating serious Hg pollution in the JZB. Temperature, salinity in water and enrich factor (EF) in sediment were identified to be possible environmental factors influencing THg distribution in the JZB. Mass budget of THg showed that anthropogenic discharge (river, wastewater input, and atmospheric deposition) was dominant source of THg in the JZB. The results of statistical analyses and mass budget of THg also indicated that anthropogenic discharge plays important roles in long-term risk of THg in the JZB. These results suggested that anthropogenic discharge comprehensively affects distribution, mass budget, and long-term risk of THg in coastal systems. The outcomes highlighted that regular investigations of Hg cycling should be conducted to assess Hg pollution in coastal ecosystems. Our study also shed new light on control of long-term risk posed by Hg in marine systems according to investigations of Hg cycling and link between Hg contamination and other pollutant (e.g., nutrient).
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Affiliation(s)
- Lufeng Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Blasting, Jianghan University, Wuhan, 430056, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Environmental and Health Effects of Persistent Toxic Substances, School of Environment and Health, Jianghan University, Wuhan, 430056, China; State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China.
| | - Chang Liu
- Frontiers Science Center for Deep Ocean Multispheres and Earth System, Key Laboratory of Marine Chemistry Theory and Technology, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266100, China; College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266100, China
| | - Xiaoxiao Han
- Shandong Institute for Food and Drug Control, Jinan, 250014, China
| | - Yong Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Blasting, Jianghan University, Wuhan, 430056, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Environmental and Health Effects of Persistent Toxic Substances, School of Environment and Health, Jianghan University, Wuhan, 430056, China
| | - Yanbin Li
- Frontiers Science Center for Deep Ocean Multispheres and Earth System, Key Laboratory of Marine Chemistry Theory and Technology, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266100, China; College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266100, China
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Sasaki S, Negishi T, Tsuzuki T, Yukawa K. Methylmercury-induced reactive oxygen species-dependent and independent dysregulation of MAP kinase-related signaling pathway in cultured normal rat cerebellar astrocytes. Toxicology 2023; 487:153463. [PMID: 36813253 DOI: 10.1016/j.tox.2023.153463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2022] [Revised: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023]
Abstract
Methylmercury (MeHg), a global environmental pollutant, could seriously damage the central nervous system (CNS) and cause neurological disorders such as cerebellar symptoms. Although numerous studies have revealed detailed toxicity mechanisms of MeHg in neurons, toxicity in astrocytes is barely known. Here, we tried to shed light on the toxicity mechanisms of MeHg exposure in cultured normal rat cerebellar astrocytes (NRA), focusing on the involvement of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in MeHg toxicity by assessing the effects of major antioxidants Trolox, a free-radical scavenger, N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC), a potent thiol-containing antioxidant, and glutathione (GSH), an endogenous thiol-containing antioxidant. Exposure to MeHg at just approximately 2 µM for 96 h increased cell viability, which was accompanied by the increase in intracellular ROS level and at ≥ 5 µM induced significant cell death and lowered ROS level. Trolox and NAC suppressed 2 µM MeHg-induced increases in cell viability and ROS level corresponding to control, although GSH with 2 µM MeHg induced significant cell death and ROS increase. On the contrary, against 4 µM MeHg-induced cell loss and ROS decrease, NAC inhibited both cell loss and ROS decrease, Trolox inhibited cell loss and further enhanced ROS decrease, and GSH moderately inhibited cell loss and increased ROS level above the control level. MeHg-induced oxidative stress was suggested by increases in the protein expression levels of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), Hsp70, and Nrf2, except for the decrease in SOD-1 and no change in catalase. Furthermore, MeHg exposure dose-dependently induced increases in the phosphorylation of MAP kinases (ERK1/2, p38MAPK, and SAPK/JNK) and phosphorylation and/or expression levels of transcription factors (CREB, c-Jun, and c-Fos) in NRA. NAC successfully suppressed 2 µM MeHg-induced alterations in all of the above-mentioned MeHg-responsive factors, whereas Trolox suppressed some MeHg-responsive factors but failed to suppress MeHg-induced increases in the protein expression levels of HO-1 and Hsp70 and increase in p38MAPK phosphorylation. Protein expression analyses in NRA exposed to 2 µM MeHg and GSH were excluded because of devastating cell death. These results suggested that MeHg could induce aberrant NRA activation, and ROS must be substantially involved in the toxicity mechanism of MeHg in NRA; however, other factors should be assumed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shoto Sasaki
- Department of Physiology, Graduate School of Pharmacy, Meijo University, 150 Yagotoyama, Tempaku-ku, Nagoya-shi, Aichi 468-8503, Japan
| | - Takayuki Negishi
- Department of Physiology, Graduate School of Pharmacy, Meijo University, 150 Yagotoyama, Tempaku-ku, Nagoya-shi, Aichi 468-8503, Japan; Department of Physiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Meijo University, 150 Yagotoyama, Tempaku-ku, Nagoya-shi, Aichi 468-8503, Japan.
| | - Takamasa Tsuzuki
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Meijo University, 150 Yagotoyama, Tempaku-ku, Nagoya-shi, Aichi 468-8503, Japan
| | - Kazunori Yukawa
- Department of Physiology, Graduate School of Pharmacy, Meijo University, 150 Yagotoyama, Tempaku-ku, Nagoya-shi, Aichi 468-8503, Japan; Department of Physiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Meijo University, 150 Yagotoyama, Tempaku-ku, Nagoya-shi, Aichi 468-8503, Japan
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Motawee ME, Damanhory AA, Sakr H, Khalifa MM, Atia T, Elfiky MM, Maher M, Sakr HI. An electron microscopic and biochemical study of the potential protective effect of ginger against Cadmium-induced testicular pathology in rats. Front Physiol 2022; 13:996020. [PMID: 36262262 PMCID: PMC9574188 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.996020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Cadmium (Cd) is a toxic heavy metal used in many industries. Since the second half of the 20th century, legislation on Cd use was put to limit the exponential rise in its environmental levels. This study aimed to investigate Cd’s functional and ultrastructural changes on rats’ reproductive systems and the role of Zingiber officinale (Ginger) in protecting against Cd-induced toxicity. Methods: Thirty adult male albino rats were randomly assigned into three equal groups (n = 10); control, Cd-exposed/untreated, and Cd-exposed/Gin-treated. Rat testes were weighed, and testicular tissue sections were examined under the electron microscope. Semen analysis, morphological examination of spermatozoa, and serum levels of luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and testosterone were measured. In addition, testicular tissue homogenates were analyzed for malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO), and reduced glutathione (GSH) levels. Results: Cd-induced significant reduction in the mean testicular weight and GSH levels and plasma testosterone, LH and FSH levels with a concomitant increase in testicular MDA and NO levels. There was also a deterioration in semen analysis parameters and spermatozoa morphology, with testicular structural damage in the form of architecture distortion and necrosis of seminiferous tubules and testicular interstitial cells. Daily administration of ginger for 4 weeks protected against CD-induced toxicity, preserving tissue architecture, improved plasma levels of testosterone, LH and FSH and testicular levels of GSH, and reduced testicular levels of MDA, NO. Conclusion: Ginger has a protective effect on Cd-induced deterioration of testicular tissue’s structural and functional integrity by improving testicular tissue antioxidant capacity and steroid production, which ameliorates sex hormone levels in the blood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moustafa E. Motawee
- Department of Histology and Cytology, Faculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt
- Medicine Program, Batterjee Medical College, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ahmed A. Damanhory
- Medicine Program, Batterjee Medical College, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Hany Sakr
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, VAMC, Northeast Ohio Health Care System, Louis Stokes, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Mohamed Mansour Khalifa
- Department of Medical Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
- Department of Medical Physiology, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Tarek Atia
- Department of Histology and Cytology, Faculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohamed M. Elfiky
- Medicine Program, Batterjee Medical College, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, Menoufia, Egypt
| | - Muhammad Maher
- Department of Medical Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Hader I. Sakr
- Medicine Program, Batterjee Medical College, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Medical Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
- *Correspondence: Hader I. Sakr,
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Basu N, Abass K, Dietz R, Krümmel E, Rautio A, Weihe P. The impact of mercury contamination on human health in the Arctic: A state of the science review. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 831:154793. [PMID: 35341859 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2022] [Revised: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The 2021 Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) Mercury (Hg) Assessment is motivated by Arctic populations, and most notably Indigenous Peoples in the region, who are particularly vulnerable to Hg pollution. The objective of this review paper is to answer the following AMAP policy-relevant question: what is the human health impact of Hg pollution in the Arctic? In doing so, this state of the science review paper builds on information published 10 years ago in the last AMAP Hg assessment. The synthesized results demonstrate that: a) global influences (e.g., sources and transport pathways, biogeochemical processes, climate change, globalization) drive Hg exposures into human communities; b) Hg exposures are realized through dietary intake of certain country food items, and that new exposure science approaches are helping to deepen understandings; c) the nutritional and cultural benefits of country foods are immense, though a dietary transition is underway raising concerns over metabolic syndrome and broader issues of food security as well as cultural and social well-being; d) blood Hg measures are among the highest worldwide based on the results of human biomonitoring studies; e) Hg exposures are associated with adverse health outcomes across life stages (e.g., neurodevelopmental outcomes in young children to cardiovascular disease in adults); and f) risk communication needs to be balanced, targeted and clear, culturally appropriate, and be done collaboratively. These synthesized findings are particularly timely and policy-relevant given that the Minamata Convention entered into legal force worldwide in 2017 as a regulatory scheme to reduce the use and environmental release of Hg in order to protect human health and the environment. The Convention was influenced by health concerns raised by northern populations as indicated in the preamble text which makes reference to "the particular vulnerabilities of Arctic ecosystems and Indigenous communities".
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Affiliation(s)
- Niladri Basu
- Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Canada.
| | - Khaled Abass
- Arctic Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland; Department of Pesticides, Menoufia University, Menoufia, Egypt
| | - Rune Dietz
- Aarhus University, Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Department of Ecoscience, P.O. Box 358, Frederiksbirgvej 399, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Eva Krümmel
- Inuit Circumpolar Council - Canada, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Arja Rautio
- Thule Institute and Faculty of Medicine, University of Oulu and University of the Arctic, Oulu, Finland
| | - Pal Weihe
- Department of Occupational Medicine and Public Health, Sigmundargøta 5, 100 Tórshavn, Faroe Islands; Center of Health Science, University of The Faroe Islands, J.C. Svabosgøta 14, 100 Tórshavn, Faroe Islands
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Gui Y, Wang X, Chen X, Wang Q, Yin Y, Song C. Balancing the health effect between risks of methylmercury and benefits of nutrients in consumption of Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis) in China. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:38527-38534. [PMID: 35079974 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-18822-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Aquatic products contain both beneficial substances such as polyunsaturated fatty acids and harmful compounds such as methylmercury, and their combined health effects should be assessed at a common end point for a rational analysis. We used a risk-benefit model to assess net IQ point gain from consumption of Chinese mitten crabs (Eriocheir sinensis) from Jiangsu Province. Levels of methylmercury in the edible parts of the crabs ranged from 0.79 to 69.47 μg/kg (mean: 26.88 ± 15.09 μg/kg). Levels of methylmercury did not differ by sampling location. In aquaculture experiments, we simulated artificial pond farming using either iced trash fish or formulated feed. Crabs fed iced trash fish contained 28.72 ± 2.30 mg/g of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid and crabs fed formulated feed contained 19.64 ± 3.62 mg/g of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid. Model calculations estimated a gain of 7.52 IQ points from consumption of crabs fed formulated feed and 11.00 IQ points from consumption of crabs fed iced trash fish. They are all above the maximum theoretical IQ point gain value. Chinese mitten crab is a kind of high-quality food which is beneficial to the neural development of infants. Our findings may assist in improving crab farming methods and consumption patterns, accelerating the sustainable development of the Chinese mitten crab industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Gui
- Wuxi Fishery College of Nanjing Agricultural University, Wuxi, People's Republic of China
- Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Wuxi, People's Republic of China
- Laboratory of Quality & Safety Risk Assessment for Aquatic Products On Environmental Factors (Wuxi), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Wuxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Xinchi Wang
- Wuxi Fishery College of Nanjing Agricultural University, Wuxi, People's Republic of China
- Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Wuxi, People's Republic of China
- Laboratory of Quality & Safety Risk Assessment for Aquatic Products On Environmental Factors (Wuxi), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Wuxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Xi Chen
- Wuxi Fishery College of Nanjing Agricultural University, Wuxi, People's Republic of China
- Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Wuxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Qian Wang
- Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Wuxi, People's Republic of China
- Laboratory of Quality & Safety Risk Assessment for Aquatic Products On Environmental Factors (Wuxi), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Wuxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuting Yin
- Wuxi Fishery College of Nanjing Agricultural University, Wuxi, People's Republic of China
- Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Wuxi, People's Republic of China
- Laboratory of Quality & Safety Risk Assessment for Aquatic Products On Environmental Factors (Wuxi), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Wuxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Chao Song
- Wuxi Fishery College of Nanjing Agricultural University, Wuxi, People's Republic of China.
- Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Wuxi, People's Republic of China.
- Laboratory of Quality & Safety Risk Assessment for Aquatic Products On Environmental Factors (Wuxi), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Wuxi, People's Republic of China.
- Key Laboratory of Control of Quality and Safety for Aquatic Products, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
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Parajuli RP, Goodrich JM, Chan HM, Lemire M, Ayotte P, Hegele RA, Basu N. Variation in biomarker levels of metals, persistent organic pollutants, and omega-3 fatty acids in association with genetic polymorphisms among Inuit in Nunavik, Canada. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2021; 200:111393. [PMID: 34062203 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.111393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2020] [Revised: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 05/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Biomarker measures of contaminant exposure and nutrient status can help increase understanding of the risks and benefits associated with the consumption of traditional foods by Inuit. While gene-environment and gene-nutrient interactions may help explain variations in biomarker measures, the role of genetic polymorphisms is largely understudied especially for vulnerable sub-populations. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to characterize the relationship between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in key genes and blood concentrations of environmental chemicals and nutrients among Inuit. METHODS Blood samples from 665 individuals who participated in the Qanuippitaa Survey (Nunavik, Canada) in 2004 were analyzed for toxicants and nutrients. DNA was extracted and 140 SNPs in classes relevant to the toxicokinetics and/or toxicodynamics of the target contaminants and nutrients, and/or are involved in cardiovascular health and lipid metabolism were genotyped using the Sequenom iPLEX Gold platform. RESULTS Geometric means (μg/L) of mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), DDE, PCB-153, and selenium (Se) were 11.1, 2.8, 39.9, 2.9, 1.1 and 301.2, respectively. Red blood cell membrane levels of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) were 5.1%/total fatty acid (TFA) and 1.3%/TFA respectively. Out of 106 SNPs which met our inclusion criteria, biomarker levels for Hg, Cd, Pb, DDE, PCB-153, DHA, and EPA differed (p < 0.05) by genotype for 20, 13, 12, 19, 21, 9 and 8 SNPs, respectively. Following Bonferroni correction (p < 0.0005), only 9 SNPs remained significant (rs2274976 in MTHFR, rs174602 in FADS2, rs7115739 and rs74771917 in FADS3, rs713041 in GPX4, rs2306283 and rs4149056 in SLCO1B1, rs1885301 in ABCC2/MRP2, and rs4244285 in CYP2C19; 5 associated with Hg, 2 with Pb, 2 with DDE, 4 with PCB-153, 1 with DHA). CONCLUSIONS The findings suggest that polymorphisms in environmentally-responsive genes can influence biomarker levels of key toxicants and nutrients. While there are no immediate clinical or public health implications of these findings, we believe that such gene-environment and gene-nutrient studies provide a foundation that will inform and provide direction to future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajendra Prasad Parajuli
- Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Department of Zoology, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Jaclyn M Goodrich
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Hing Man Chan
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Melanie Lemire
- Département de Médecine Sociale et Préventive, Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval, QC, Canada
| | - Pierre Ayotte
- Département de Médecine Sociale et Préventive, Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval, QC, Canada
| | - Robert A Hegele
- Department of Medicine and Robarts Research Institute, Western University, ON, Canada
| | - Niladri Basu
- Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
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Li B, Qiao C, Jin X, Chan HM. Characterizing the Low-Dose Effects of Methylmercury on the Early Stages of Embryo Development Using Cultured Human Embryonic Stem Cells. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2021; 129:77007. [PMID: 34328791 PMCID: PMC8323991 DOI: 10.1289/ehp7349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2020] [Revised: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 07/02/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Global concerns of methylmercury (MeHg) exposure have been raised, especially on its effects on pregnant women. Recent epidemiological studies have revealed associations between maternal blood/hair MeHg concentrations, adverse pregnancy outcomes, and developmental deficits. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. OBJECTIVES In this study, we characterized the effects of MeHg exposure on undifferentiated human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) and extrapolated the effects to human embryonic development. METHODS hESCs were exposed to 0, 1, 5, 10, 50, 100 or 200nM MeHg for 24 h or 6 d. Cell adherence and colony formation and expansion were examined under the microscope. Cell attachment, viability/proliferation, apoptosis, stress response, cell cycle, autophagy, and expression of cell lineage marker genes and proteins were measured at the end of exposures. RESULTS Our results indicated that exposure to nanomolar concentrations of MeHg was associated with a) higher levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and hemeoxygenase-1 (HO-1), suggesting increased stress and adaptive responses; b) lower cellular adhesion, viability/proliferation, and colony formation and expansion; c) higher levels of apoptosis, reflected by higher cleaved caspase-3 expression and Annexin V binding; d) higher levels of cytoskeleton protein α-tubulin expression; e) higher rates of G1/S phase cell cycle arrest; and f) autophagy inhibition, as shown by a lower LC3BII/LC3BI ratio and accumulation of SQSTM1 (p62). These outcomes were accompanied by higher expressions of self-renewal genes or proteins or both, including OCT4, SOX2, NANOG, and cytokine receptor IL6ST, as well as pluripotency and the cell fate regulator cyclin D1. DISCUSSION These results revealed that under the selection pressure of exposure to low doses of MeHg, some hESCs underwent apoptosis, whereas others adapted and survived with enhanced self-renewal gene expression and specific morphological phenotypes. Findings from the present study provide in vitro evidence that low doses of MeHg adversely affect hESCs when exposed during a period of time that models embryonic pre-, during, and early postimplantation stages. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP7349.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bai Li
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Cunye Qiao
- Biostatistics and Modeling Division, Bureau of Food Surveillance and Science Integration, Food Directorate, Health Products and Food Branch (HPFB), Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Xiaolei Jin
- Regulatory Toxicology Research Division, Bureau of Chemical Safety, Food Directorate, HPFB, Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Hing Man Chan
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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11
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Tikhonov C, Schwartz H, Marushka L, Chan HM, Batal M, Sadik T, Ing A, Fediuk K. Regionally representative hair mercury levels in Canadian First Nations adults living on reserves. CANADIAN JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH = REVUE CANADIENNE DE SANTE PUBLIQUE 2021; 112:97-112. [PMID: 34181227 PMCID: PMC8239105 DOI: 10.17269/s41997-021-00508-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2020] [Accepted: 03/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The primary objective of this participatory study was to assess the current body burden of mercury among First Nations adults. METHODS The First Nations Food, Nutrition and Environment Study (2008-2018) collected regionally representative data from First Nations adults living on reserves south of the 60th parallel. Mercury was analyzed in hair as a preferred biomarker for prolonged exposure. Hair samples, a 5 mm bundle cut from the occipital region, were collected from the participants who gave consent and measured for total mercury concentrations using cold vapor atomic fluorescence spectrophotometry. RESULTS In total, 3404 First Nations adults living in 92 communities provided hair samples. This represents 52.5% of the respondents to the household surveys. The mean hair mercury concentrations were 0.56 μg/g among all participants and 0.34 μg/g among women of childbearing age (WCBA). There were 64 exceedances of Health Canada's mercury biomonitoring guidelines (44 WCBA, 8 women aged 51+ years, 3 men aged 19-50 years, and 9 men aged 51+ years). CONCLUSION Current mercury exposure no longer presents a significant clinical health risk in most of the First Nations population south of the 60th parallel across Canada. However, mercury exposure continues to be an ongoing environmental public health concern that requires continued monitoring and assessment. Women of childbearing age (19-50 years) and older individuals living in northern ecozones and Quebec have higher mercury exposures, often exceeding Health Canada's guidelines. Careful risk communication and risk management programs need to focus on northern ecozones and Quebec.
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Affiliation(s)
- Constantine Tikhonov
- First Nations and Inuit Health Branch, Indigenous Services Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
| | - Harold Schwartz
- First Nations and Inuit Health Branch, Indigenous Services Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Lesya Marushka
- First Nations and Inuit Health Branch, Indigenous Services Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Hing Man Chan
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, 30 Marie Curie, Ottawa, ON, K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Malek Batal
- Département de Nutrition, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Montréal, Pavillon Liliane de Stewart, C.P. 6128, succ. Centre-Ville, Montréal, QC, H3T 1A8, Canada
- Centre de recherche en santé publique de l'Université de Montréal et du CIUSS du Centre-sud-de-l'Île-de-Montréal (CReSP), 7101 Avenue du Parc, Montréal, QC, H3N 1X7, Canada
| | - Tonio Sadik
- Assembly of First Nations, 55 Metcalfe Street, Suite 1600, Ottawa, ON, K1P 6L5, Canada
| | - Amy Ing
- Département de Nutrition, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Montréal, Pavillon Liliane de Stewart, C.P. 6128, succ. Centre-Ville, Montréal, QC, H3T 1A8, Canada
| | - Karen Fediuk
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, 30 Marie Curie, Ottawa, ON, K1N 6N5, Canada
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12
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Lukina AO, Fisher M, Khoury C, Than J, Guay M, Paradis JF, Arbuckle TE, Legrand M. Temporal variation of total mercury levels in the hair of pregnant women from the Maternal-Infant Research on Environmental Chemicals (MIREC) study. CHEMOSPHERE 2021; 264:128402. [PMID: 33022505 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.128402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2020] [Revised: 09/09/2020] [Accepted: 09/20/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Prenatal exposure to total mercury (T-Hg) comes from both natural and anthropogenic sources. T-Hg can cross the blood-brain and placental barriers, and may be associated with future neurological and physiological dysfunctions. Scalp hair is an optimal and non-invasive indicator of chronic T-Hg exposure. As part of the Maternal-Infant Research on Environmental Chemicals (MIREC) Study, hair samples from 350 women were collected within weeks after giving birth, to determine temporal variations in T-Hg levels from preconception to delivery, and to compare these levels to corresponding levels measured in other matrices (maternal and umbilical cord blood, and infant's meconium). A maximum of 12 one-cm hair segments were cut starting at the scalp; segments closer to the scalp reflected recent exposure (within the last month). For proper comparison, the hair segments were matched with the collection dates for other matrices. GM hair T-Hg levels greatly decreased during pregnancy, from 0.26 μg g-1 (preconception or full-length hair) to 0.18 μg g-1 (at delivery or segments closer to the scalp). A similar decreasing trend was found for T-Hg in maternal blood: 1st trimester (0.60 μg L-1) to 3rd trimester (0.47 μg L-1). The median hair-to-blood ratios of T-Hg levels varied from 364 (1st trimester), to 408 (3rd trimester), to 229 (cord blood). Very low T-Hg levels were detected in meconium. Mercury levels in blood and hair correlated with consumption of large predatory fish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna O Lukina
- Environmental Health Science & Research Bureau, Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
| | - Mandy Fisher
- Environmental Health Science & Research Bureau, Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Cheryl Khoury
- Environmental Health Science & Research Bureau, Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
| | - John Than
- Environmental Health Science & Research Bureau, Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Mireille Guay
- Environmental Health Science & Research Bureau, Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Jean-François Paradis
- Health Products and Food Laboratories, Regulatory Operations and Regions Branch, Health Canada, Longueuil, QC, Canada
| | - Tye E Arbuckle
- Environmental Health Science & Research Bureau, Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Melissa Legrand
- Family Physician, GMF Wakefield, 777 Riverside Dr., Wakefield, QC, Canada
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13
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Moriarity RJ, Liberda EN, Tsuji LJS. Subsistence fishing in the Eeyou Istchee (James Bay, Quebec, Canada): A regional investigation of fish consumption as a route of exposure to methylmercury. CHEMOSPHERE 2020; 258:127413. [PMID: 32947681 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.127413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2020] [Revised: 06/10/2020] [Accepted: 06/11/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Fishing is part of the traditional activities of Indigenous people in Canada. However, it is also a route of exposure to methylmercury, a known neurotoxicant, and this is a concern for those who rely on fish as part of their diet. The probable weekly intake (PWI) of methylmercury from six species of fish was calculated for Indigenous community members (N = 1406), grouped by age and sex, and compared to Canadian and international provisional reference doses to assess exposure. Mixed-effects regression models were also used to estimate the input of methylmercury into the blood, and Hazard Quotients (HQ) were used to assess potential effects. Of the species of fish in our study, walleye and lake trout contributed the most to methylmercury intake. There was a positive association between the consumption of walleye and the total blood mercury concentrations of mercury in women and men (R2A = 0.40 and 0.47, respectively), and to a lesser extent, children. Similar results were observed for the consumption of lake trout. The 95th-percentile HQ for girls (3.16) and boys (3.18) from the consumption of lake trout was relatively high, and to a lesser extent, so was the HQ for walleye and pike. The consumption of some species of fish increases the exposure to methylmercury, however, taking a balanced approach, there are health benefits associated with the consumption of fish that must be considered. To mitigate future exposure to methylmercury, we recommend follow-up blood monitoring and local-geospatial-based assessments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert J Moriarity
- Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
| | - Eric N Liberda
- School of Occupational and Public Health, Ryerson University, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Leonard J S Tsuji
- Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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14
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Liu C, Chen L, Liang S, Li Y. Distribution of total mercury and methylmercury and their controlling factors in the East China Sea. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2020; 258:113667. [PMID: 31810718 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2019.113667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2019] [Revised: 11/13/2019] [Accepted: 11/21/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) is among contaminants of public concern due to its prevalent existence, high toxicity, and bioaccumulation through food chains. Elevated Hg has been detected in seafood from the East China Sea (ECS), which is one of the largest marginal seas and an important fishing region in the northwestern Pacific Ocean. However, there is still a lack of knowledge on the distribution of Hg species and their controlling factors in the ECS water column, thus preventing the understanding of Hg cycling and the assessment of Hg risks in the ECS. In this study, two cruises were conducted in October 2014 and June 2015 in order to investigate the distribution of total Hg (THg) and methylmercury (MeHg) and their controlling factors in the ECS. The concentrations of THg and MeHg were determined to be 4.2 ± 2.8 ng/L (THg) and 0.25 ± 0.13 ng/L (MeHg) in water from the ECS. The level of Hg in the ECS occupied the higher rank among the marginal seas, thus indicating significant Hg contamination in this system. Both the THg and MeHg presented complicated spatial distribution patterns in the ECS, with high concentration areas located in both the nearshore and offshore areas. Statistical analyses suggest that temperature (T) and Hg in sediment may be the controlling factors for THg distribution, while dissolved organic matter (DOM), T, and MeHg in the sediment may be the controlling factors for MeHg distribution in the seawater of the ECS. The relative importance of these environmental factors in Hg distribution depends on the water depth. T-salinity (S) diagram analyses showed that water mass mixing may also play an important role in controlling THg and MeHg distribution in the coastal ECS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang Liu
- Key Laboratory of Marine Chemistry Theory and Technology (Ocean University of China), Ministry of Education, Qingdao, 266100, China; College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266100, China
| | - Lufeng Chen
- Institute of Environment and Health, Jianghan University, Wuhan, 430056, China
| | - Shengkang Liang
- Key Laboratory of Marine Chemistry Theory and Technology (Ocean University of China), Ministry of Education, Qingdao, 266100, China; College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266100, China
| | - Yanbin Li
- Key Laboratory of Marine Chemistry Theory and Technology (Ocean University of China), Ministry of Education, Qingdao, 266100, China; College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266100, China.
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15
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Chang J, Yang B, Zhou Y, Yin C, Liu T, Qian H, Xing G, Wang S, Li F, Zhang Y, Chen D, Aschner M, Lu R. Acute Methylmercury Exposure and the Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1α Signaling Pathway under Normoxic Conditions in the Rat Brain and Astrocytes in Vitro. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2019; 127:127006. [PMID: 31850806 PMCID: PMC6957278 DOI: 10.1289/ehp5139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2019] [Revised: 11/07/2019] [Accepted: 11/18/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND As a ubiquitous environmental pollutant, methylmercury (MeHg) induces toxic effects in the nervous system, one of its main targets. However, the exact mechanisms of its neurotoxicity have not been fully elucidated. Hypoxia-inducible factor- 1 α (HIF- 1 α ), a transcription factor, plays a crucial role in adaptive and cytoprotective responses in cells and is involved in cell survival, proliferation, apoptosis, inflammation, angiogenesis, glucose metabolism, erythropoiesis, and other physiological activities. OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to explore the role of HIF- 1 α in response to acute MeHg exposure in rat brain and primary cultured astrocytes to improve understanding of the mechanisms of MeHg-induced neurotoxicity and the development of effective neuroprotective strategies. METHODS Primary rat astrocytes were treated with MeHg (0 - 10 μ M ) for 0.5 h . Cell proliferation and cytotoxicity were assessed with a 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and a lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release assay, respectively. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were analyzed to assess the level of oxidative stress using 2',7'-dichlorofluorescin diacetate (DCFH-DA) fluorescence. HIF- 1 α , and its downstream proteins, glucose transporter 1 (GLUT-1), erythropoietin (EPO), and vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) were analyzed by means of Western blotting. Real-time PCR was used to detect the expression of HIF- 1 α mRNA. Pretreatment with protein synthesis inhibitor (CHX), proteasome inhibitor (MG132), or proline hydroxylase inhibitor (DHB) were applied to explore the possible mechanisms of HIF- 1 α inhibition by MeHg. To investigate the role of HIF- 1 α in MeHg-induced neurotoxicity, cobalt chloride (CoC l 2 ), 2-methoxyestradiol (2-MeOE2), small interfering RNA (siRNA) transfection and adenovirus overexpression were used. Pretreatment with N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) and vitamin E (Trolox) were used to investigate the putative role of oxidative stress in MeHg-induced alterations in HIF- 1 α levels. The expression of HIF- 1 α and related downstream proteins was detected in adult rat brain exposed to MeHg (0 - 10 mg / kg ) for 0.5 h in vivo. RESULTS MeHg caused lower cell proliferation and higher cytotoxicity in primary rat astrocytes in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. In comparison with the control cells, exposure to 10 μ M MeHg for 0.5 h significantly inhibited the expression of astrocytic HIF- 1 α , and the downstream genes GLUT-1, EPO, and VEGF-A (p < 0.05 ), in the absence of a significant decrease in HIF- 1 α mRNA levels. When protein synthesis was inhibited by CHX, MeHg promoted the degradation rate of HIF- 1 α . MG132 and DHB significantly blocked the MeHg-induced decrease in HIF- 1 α expression (p < 0.05 ). Overexpression of HIF- 1 α significantly attenuated the decline in MeHg-induced cell proliferation, whereas the inhibition of HIF- 1 α significantly increased the decline in cell proliferation (p < 0.05 ). NAC and Trolox, two established antioxidants, reversed the MeHg-induced decline in HIF- 1 α protein levels and the decrease in cell proliferation (p < 0.05 ). MeHg suppressed the expression of HIF- 1 α and related downstream target proteins in adult rat brain. DISCUSSION MeHg induced a significant reduction in HIF- 1 α protein by activating proline hydroxylase (PHD) and the ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS) in primary rat astrocytes. Additionally, ROS scavenging by antioxidants played a neuroprotective role via increasing HIF- 1 α expression in response to MeHg toxicity. Moreover, we established that up-regulation of HIF- 1 α might serve to mitigate the acute toxicity of MeHg in astrocytes, affording a novel therapeutic target for future exploration. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP5139.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Chang
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health Laboratory Sciences, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Bobo Yang
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health Laboratory Sciences, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Yun Zhou
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health Laboratory Sciences, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Changsheng Yin
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health Laboratory Sciences, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
- Institute of Life Sciences, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Tingting Liu
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health Laboratory Sciences, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Hai Qian
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health Laboratory Sciences, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Guangwei Xing
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health Laboratory Sciences, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Suhua Wang
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health Laboratory Sciences, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Fang Li
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health Laboratory Sciences, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Yubin Zhang
- Department of Occupational Health and Toxicology, School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Da Chen
- School of Environment, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Michael Aschner
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
| | - Rongzhu Lu
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health Laboratory Sciences, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
- Center for Experimental Research, Kunshan Hospital Affiliated to Jiangsu University, Kunshan, China
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Mercury Exposure in Mother-Children Pairs in A Seafood Eating Population: Body Burden and Related Factors. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2019; 16:ijerph16122238. [PMID: 31242636 PMCID: PMC6617287 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16122238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2019] [Revised: 06/21/2019] [Accepted: 06/22/2019] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Background: Mercury is a neurotoxin that affects neurodevelopment in children; however, its association at the lowest concentration is not clear. The main objective of this study is to measure and evaluate mercury concentrations in mother–child pairs and its association demographics, lifestyle, and dietary factors within the Pacific Island Families living in Auckland, New Zealand. Methods: Mercury exposure was assessed in a sub-sample of mother–child pairs who were a part of the Pacific Island Families birth cohort, in Auckland, New Zealand at the 6-year phase. Hair samples were collected from both mothers and their children to determine mercury concentrations. Total mercury was measured using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry for hair samples. An interviewer-based reliable food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) examined the frequency of seafood by all the participants. Other variables such as sociodemographic (ethnicity and gender), lifestyle factors (income, education, and smoking status) and health outcomes (child behaviour and obesity) were also collected. Results: In this study, 41% of both mothers and their children had mercury concentrations above the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommended value of 1 µg/g. Most of the participants ate fish 3 or more times a week. A significant correlation was observed between mother and child hair mercury concentrations (Spearman Rho 0.79 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.65, 0.88)). Conclusions: Mercury levels in children can be affected by their mothers’ levels due to similar eating patterns.
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Calder RSD, Bromage S, Sunderland EM. Risk tradeoffs associated with traditional food advisories for Labrador Inuit. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2019; 168:496-506. [PMID: 30477821 PMCID: PMC6317887 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2018.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2018] [Revised: 08/04/2018] [Accepted: 09/05/2018] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
The traditional Inuit diet includes wild birds, fish and marine mammals, which can contain high concentrations of the neurotoxicant methylmercury (MeHg). Hydroelectric development may increase MeHg concentrations in traditional foods. Consumption advisories are often used to mitigate such risks and can result in reduced intake of traditional foods. Data from a dietary survey, MeHg exposure assessment and risk analysis for individuals in three Inuit communities in Labrador, Canada (n = 1145) in 2014 indicate reducing traditional food intake is likely to exacerbate deficiencies in n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and vitamins B12 and B2. Traditional foods accounted for < 5% of per-capita calories but up to 70% of nutrients consumed. Although consumption advisories could lower neurodevelopmental risks associated with an increase in MeHg exposure (90th-percentile ∆IQ = - 0.12 vs. - 0.34), they may lead to greater risks of cardiovascular mortality (90th-percentile increase: + 58% to + 116% vs. + 25%) and cancer mortality (90th-percentile increase + 2% to + 4% vs. no increase). Conversely, greater consumption of locally caught salmon mostly unaffected by hydroelectric flooding would lower all these risks (90th-percentile ∆IQ = + 0.4; cardiovascular risk: - 45%; cancer risk: - 1.4%). We thus conclude that continued consumption of traditional foods is essential for Inuit health in these communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan S D Calder
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
| | - Sabri Bromage
- Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Elsie M Sunderland
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
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Lavoie RA, Bouffard A, Maranger R, Amyot M. Mercury transport and human exposure from global marine fisheries. Sci Rep 2018; 8:6705. [PMID: 29712952 PMCID: PMC5928114 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-24938-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2017] [Accepted: 04/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Human activities have increased the global circulation of mercury, a potent neurotoxin. Mercury can be converted into methylmercury, which biomagnifies along aquatic food chains and leads to high exposure in fish-eating populations. Here we quantify temporal trends in the ocean-to-land transport of total mercury and methylmercury from fisheries and we estimate potential human mercury intake through fish consumption in 175 countries. Mercury export from the ocean increased over time as a function of fishing pressure, especially on upper-trophic-level organisms. In 2014, over 13 metric tonnes of mercury were exported from the ocean. Asian countries were important contributors of mercury export in the last decades and the western Pacific Ocean was identified as the main source. Estimates of per capita mercury exposure through fish consumption showed that populations in 38% of the 175 countries assessed, mainly insular and developing nations, were exposed to doses of methylmercury above governmental thresholds. Our study shows temporal trends and spatial patterns of Hg transport by fisheries. Given the high mercury intake through seafood consumption observed in several understudied yet vulnerable coastal communities, we recommend a comprehensive assessment of the health exposure risk of those populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raphael A Lavoie
- Groupe de Recherche Interuniversitaire en Limnologie et environnement aquatique (GRIL), Département de Sciences Biologiques, Université de Montréal, Pavillon Marie-Victorin, CP6128, Succ. Centre-ville, Montréal, Québec, H3C 3J7, Canada.
| | - Ariane Bouffard
- Groupe de Recherche Interuniversitaire en Limnologie et environnement aquatique (GRIL), Département de Sciences Biologiques, Université de Montréal, Pavillon Marie-Victorin, CP6128, Succ. Centre-ville, Montréal, Québec, H3C 3J7, Canada
| | - Roxane Maranger
- Groupe de Recherche Interuniversitaire en Limnologie et environnement aquatique (GRIL), Département de Sciences Biologiques, Université de Montréal, Pavillon Marie-Victorin, CP6128, Succ. Centre-ville, Montréal, Québec, H3C 3J7, Canada
| | - Marc Amyot
- Groupe de Recherche Interuniversitaire en Limnologie et environnement aquatique (GRIL), Département de Sciences Biologiques, Université de Montréal, Pavillon Marie-Victorin, CP6128, Succ. Centre-ville, Montréal, Québec, H3C 3J7, Canada
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Girard C, Charette T, Leclerc M, Shapiro BJ, Amyot M. Cooking and co-ingested polyphenols reduce in vitro methylmercury bioaccessibility from fish and may alter exposure in humans. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2018; 616-617:863-874. [PMID: 29096961 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.10.236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2017] [Revised: 10/21/2017] [Accepted: 10/22/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Fish consumption is a major pathway for mercury exposure in humans. Current guidelines and risk assessments assume that 100% of methylmercury (MeHg) in fish is absorbed by the human body after ingestion. However, a growing body of literature suggests that this absorption rate may be overestimated. We used an in vitro digestion method to measure MeHg bioaccessibility in commercially-purchased fish, and investigated the effects of dietary practices on MeHg bioaccessibility. Cooking had the greatest effect, decreasing bioaccessibility on average to 12.5±5.6%. Polyphenol-rich beverages also significantly reduced bioaccessibility to 22.7±3.8% and 28.6±13.9%, for green and black tea respectively. We confirmed the suspected role of polyphenols in tea as being a driver of MeHg's reduced bioaccessibility, and found that epicatechin, epigallocatechin gallate, rutin and cafeic acid could individually decrease MeHg bioaccessibility by up to 55%. When both cooking and polyphenol-rich beverage treatments were combined, only 1% of MeHg remained bioaccessible. These results call for in vivo validation, and suggest that dietary practices should be considered when setting consumer guidelines for MeHg. More realistic risk assessments could promote consumption of fish as a source of fatty acids, which can play a protective role against cardiovascular disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine Girard
- Center for Northern Studies (CEN), Département de Sciences Biologiques, Université de Montréal, 90 Vincent-d'Indy, Montreal H2V2S9, Canada
| | - Tania Charette
- ÉcoLac, Département de Sciences Biologiques, Université de Montréal, 90 Vincent-d'Indy, Montreal H2V2S9, Canada; Groupe de Recherche Interuniversitaire en Limnologie et en Environnement Aquatique (GRIL), Département de Sciences Biologiques, Université de Montréal, 90 Vincent-d'Indy, Montreal H2V2S9, Canada
| | - Maxime Leclerc
- ÉcoLac, Département de Sciences Biologiques, Université de Montréal, 90 Vincent-d'Indy, Montreal H2V2S9, Canada; Groupe de Recherche Interuniversitaire en Limnologie et en Environnement Aquatique (GRIL), Département de Sciences Biologiques, Université de Montréal, 90 Vincent-d'Indy, Montreal H2V2S9, Canada
| | - B Jesse Shapiro
- Groupe de Recherche Interuniversitaire en Limnologie et en Environnement Aquatique (GRIL), Département de Sciences Biologiques, Université de Montréal, 90 Vincent-d'Indy, Montreal H2V2S9, Canada
| | - Marc Amyot
- Center for Northern Studies (CEN), Département de Sciences Biologiques, Université de Montréal, 90 Vincent-d'Indy, Montreal H2V2S9, Canada; ÉcoLac, Département de Sciences Biologiques, Université de Montréal, 90 Vincent-d'Indy, Montreal H2V2S9, Canada; Groupe de Recherche Interuniversitaire en Limnologie et en Environnement Aquatique (GRIL), Département de Sciences Biologiques, Université de Montréal, 90 Vincent-d'Indy, Montreal H2V2S9, Canada.
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Eagles-Smith CA, Silbergeld EK, Basu N, Bustamante P, Diaz-Barriga F, Hopkins WA, Kidd KA, Nyland JF. Modulators of mercury risk to wildlife and humans in the context of rapid global change. AMBIO 2018; 47:170-197. [PMID: 29388128 PMCID: PMC5794686 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-017-1011-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 193] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Environmental mercury (Hg) contamination is an urgent global health threat. The complexity of Hg in the environment can hinder accurate determination of ecological and human health risks, particularly within the context of the rapid global changes that are altering many ecological processes, socioeconomic patterns, and other factors like infectious disease incidence, which can affect Hg exposures and health outcomes. However, the success of global Hg-reduction efforts depends on accurate assessments of their effectiveness in reducing health risks. In this paper, we examine the role that key extrinsic and intrinsic drivers play on several aspects of Hg risk to humans and organisms in the environment. We do so within three key domains of ecological and human health risk. First, we examine how extrinsic global change drivers influence pathways of Hg bioaccumulation and biomagnification through food webs. Next, we describe how extrinsic socioeconomic drivers at a global scale, and intrinsic individual-level drivers, influence human Hg exposure. Finally, we address how the adverse health effects of Hg in humans and wildlife are modulated by a range of extrinsic and intrinsic drivers within the context of rapid global change. Incorporating components of these three domains into research and monitoring will facilitate a more holistic understanding of how ecological and societal drivers interact to influence Hg health risks.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ellen K. Silbergeld
- Johns Hopkin Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N. Wolfe Street, E6644, Baltimore, MD 21205 USA
| | - Niladri Basu
- McGill University, 204-CINE Building, Montreal, QC H9X 3V9 Canada
| | - Paco Bustamante
- University of La Rochelle, laboratory of Littoral Environment and Societies, Littoral Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), LIENSs UMR 7266 CNRS-Université de La Rochelle, 2 rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000 La Rochelle, France
| | - Fernando Diaz-Barriga
- Center for Applied Research in Environment and Health at, Universidad Autonoma de San Luis Potosi, Avenida Venustiano Carranza No. 2405, Col Lomas los Filtros Código Postal, 78214 San Luis Potosí, SLP Mexico
| | - William A. Hopkins
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, 310 West Campus Drive Virginia Tech, Cheatham Hall, Room 106 (MC 0321), Blacksburg, VA 24061 USA
| | - Karen A. Kidd
- Department of Biology & School of Geography and Earth Sciences, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street W., Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1 Canada
| | - Jennifer F. Nyland
- Department of Biological Sciences, 1101 Camden Ave, Salisbury, MD 21801 USA
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21
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Kusanagi E, Takamura H, Chen SJ, Adachi M, Hoshi N. Children's Hair Mercury Concentrations and Seafood Consumption in Five Regions of Japan. ARCHIVES OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY 2018; 74:259-272. [PMID: 29313075 DOI: 10.1007/s00244-017-0502-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2017] [Accepted: 12/28/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to methylmercury (MeHg) during the foetal and postnatal periods is known to have adverse effects on children's development. However, little attention has been paid to MeHg exposure during early childhood in Japan. To examine the regional differences in MeHg exposure and seafood consumption and the association between MeHg exposure and seafood consumption and dental metal restorations, we measured the total mercury (T-Hg) concentration in hair as an MeHg exposure index, and using questionnaires, we measured the frequency and amount of seafood consumption and the presence of dental metal restorations in 118 children aged 3-6 years in five regions of Japan. The arithmetic and geometric means of the T-Hg concentrations in hair were 1.03 and 0.87 ppm, respectively, and approximately 40% of the children exceeded the United States Environmental Protection Agency recommendation of 1.0 ppm. Significant regional differences in the hair T-Hg concentrations were found among the five regions, and the regional differences were consistent with the traditional regional patterns of eating fatty fish. According to the regression analysis, the consumption of fatty fish, particularly tuna/swordfish, had a significant effect on hair T-Hg concentrations, whereas age, sex, the materials used for dental metal restorations, and other types of seafood or fish/shellfish had no significant effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emiko Kusanagi
- Kokugakuin University Hokkaido Junior College, Takikawa, 073-0014, Japan.
| | | | - Shing-Jen Chen
- Koen Gakuen Women's Junior College, Sapporo, 005-0012, Japan
| | | | - Nobuko Hoshi
- Junior College of Sapporo Otani University, Sapporo, 065-8567, Japan
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22
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Lackner J, Weiss M, Müller-Graf C, Greiner M. Disease burden of methylmercury in the German birth cohort 2014. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0190409. [PMID: 29324759 PMCID: PMC5764270 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0190409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2017] [Accepted: 12/14/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to estimate the disease burden of methylmercury for children born in Germany in the year 2014. Humans are mainly exposed to methylmercury when they eat fish or seafood. Prenatal methylmercury exposure is associated with IQ loss. To quantify this disease burden, we used Monte Carlo simulation to estimate the incidence of mild and severe mental retardation in children born to mothers who consume fish based on empirical data. Subsequently, we calculated the disease burden with the disability-adjusted life years (DALY)-method. DALYs combine mortality and morbidity in one measure and quantify the gap between an ideal situation, where the entire population experiences the standard life expectancy without disease and disability, and the actual situation. Thus, one DALY corresponds to the loss of one year of life in good health. The methylmercury-induced burden of disease for the German birth cohort 2014 was an average of 14,186 DALY (95% CI 12,915-15,440 DALY). A large majority of the DALYs was attributed to morbidity as compared to mortality. Of the total disease burden, 98% were attributed to mild mental retardation, which only leads to morbidity. The remaining disease burden was a result of severe mental retardation with equal proportions of premature death and morbidity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Lackner
- Department of Exposure, Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, Berlin, Germany
| | - Michael Weiss
- Department of Exposure, Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Matthias Greiner
- Department of Exposure, Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, Berlin, Germany
- Institute for Food Quality and Safety, University of Veterinary Medicine, Foundation, Hannover, Germany
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23
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Guo G, Yumvihoze E, Poulain AJ, Man Chan H. Monomethylmercury degradation by the human gut microbiota is stimulated by protein amendments. J Toxicol Sci 2018; 43:717-725. [DOI: 10.2131/jts.43.717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Galen Guo
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada K1N 9B4
| | - Emmanuel Yumvihoze
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada K1N 9B4
| | - Alexandre J. Poulain
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada K1N 9B4
| | - Hing Man Chan
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada K1N 9B4
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Liu Y, Buchanan S, Anderson HA, Xiao Z, Persky V, Turyk ME. Association of methylmercury intake from seafood consumption and blood mercury level among the Asian and Non-Asian populations in the United States. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2018; 160:212-222. [PMID: 29020643 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2017.09.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2017] [Revised: 09/25/2017] [Accepted: 09/28/2017] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND MeHg is a well-established neurotoxicant for fetal brain growth and development and has been shown to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease in aging populations. In the U.S., Asian populations are of particular concern because of their seafood consumption behaviors. OBJECTIVES Our objective was to calculate the average daily MeHg intake (ADMI) from seafood and to assess the relationship between ADMI with blood methylmercury (BMeHg) concentrations, specifically among women of reproductive age (WORA) and adults ≥ 50 years of age. METHODS We estimated ADMI from seafood using the 30-day fish consumption data from the NHANES 2011-2014 datasets. Using multivariable linear regression, we estimated the proportional change in mean BMeHg associated with a doubling of the ADMI. Further, correlations between ADMI and BMeHg were compared between Asians and other racial/ethnic groups. RESULTS Our analysis found both Asian WORA and Asian adults age ≥ 50 years old had significantly higher BMeHg levels and ADMI than their Non-Asian counterparts. Correlations between ADMI from seafood and blood Hg levels were stronger among Asian WORA than among Non-Asian WORA. Key fish species that influenced the dietary MeHg intake for Asians were mackerel, tuna, and "other known/unknown fish species". CONCLUSION We confirmed that Asian populations have higher MeHg intake than the Non-Asian population in the U.S. and seafood intake is a key predictor of blood Hg concentration, especially among Asian women of reproductive age. Future studies should incorporate information on other known and unknown fish species that are frequently consumed by Asian populations and different parts and fish organs eaten to better understand determinants of MeHg exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yangyang Liu
- University of Illinois at Chicago, School of Public Health, Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, 1603 West Taylor Street, Chicago, IL, USA.
| | - Susan Buchanan
- University of Illinois at Chicago, School of Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, 2121 West Taylor Street, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Henry A Anderson
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Population Health Sciences, 614 Walnut Street, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Zhiwen Xiao
- University of Illinois at Chicago, School of Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, 2121 West Taylor Street, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Victoria Persky
- University of Illinois at Chicago, School of Public Health, Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, 1603 West Taylor Street, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Mary E Turyk
- University of Illinois at Chicago, School of Public Health, Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, 1603 West Taylor Street, Chicago, IL, USA
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25
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Kim BM, Chen MH, Chen PC, Park H, Ha M, Kim Y, Hong YC, Kim YJ, Ha EH. Path analysis of prenatal mercury levels and birth weights in Korean and Taiwanese birth cohorts. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2017; 605-606:1003-1010. [PMID: 28693105 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.06.151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2017] [Revised: 06/07/2017] [Accepted: 06/19/2017] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Prospective cohort studies of the effect of mercury (Hg) exposure on birth weight have shown conflicting results. We combined data from Taiwanese and Korean birth cohorts, and assessed the effects of Hg exposure on birth weight. The first cohort was drawn from the Mothers and Children's Environmental Health (MOCEH) study performed in Korea from 2006 to 2010. The second cohort was enrolled from 2004 to 2005 and included singleton term births from the Taiwan Birth Panel Study (TBPS). In total, 1147 pregnant women were included in this study. A pooled analysis was performed to obtain combined estimates of the association between prenatal total Hg exposure and birth weight. A significant negative association between maternal and cord blood Hg and birth weight in the high-Hg group (Hg level>25th percentile) was detected (maternal blood: β=-0.056; 95% CI, -0.100 to -0.013, cord blood: β=-0.075; 95% CI, -0.121 to -0.028). Hg level showed a negative coefficient in the path analysis, indicating an adverse effect on birth weight (total effects: β=-0.177, P=0.01 in MOCEH, β=-0.204, P=0.03 in TBPS), but fish consumption exhibited a strong positive coefficient. In addition, fish consumption exerted a significant indirect effect on birth weight through exposure to cord blood Hg. Exposure to hazardous contaminants and beneficial nutrients may be highly correlated in those who frequently consume fish. Moreover, Hg in cord blood may adversely affect birth weight.
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Affiliation(s)
- Byung-Mi Kim
- Division of Cancer Prevention, National Cancer Control Institute, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Republic of Korea
| | - Mei-Huei Chen
- Institute of Population Health Sciences, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli, Taiwan; Department of Pediatrics, National Taiwan University Hospital Yun-Lin Branch, Yunlin County, Taiwan; Department of Pediatrics, National Taiwan University College of Medicine and Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Pau-Chung Chen
- Occupational Health Section, Environmental Protection Center, National Taiwan University, Taiwan
| | - Hyesook Park
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Ewha Medical Research Center, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Mina Ha
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Dankook University College of Medicine, Cheonan, Republic of Korea
| | - Yangho Kim
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Ulsan University Hospital, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Ulsan, Republic of Korea
| | - Yun-Chul Hong
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Young Ju Kim
- Department of Obstetrics Medicine, School of Medicine, Ewha Medical Research Center, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun-Hee Ha
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Ewha Medical Research Center, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
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Tong Y, Wang M, Bu X, Guo X, Lin Y, Lin H, Li J, Zhang W, Wang X. Mercury concentrations in China's coastal waters and implications for fish consumption by vulnerable populations. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2017; 231:396-405. [PMID: 28818815 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2017.08.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2017] [Revised: 08/04/2017] [Accepted: 08/07/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
We assessed mercury (Hg) pollution in China's coastal waters, including the Bohai Sea, the Yellow Sea, the East China Sea and the South China Sea, based on a nationwide dataset from 301 sampling sites. A methylmercury (MeHg) intake model for humans based on the marine food chain and human fish consumption was established to determine the linkage between water pollutants and the pollutant intake by humans. The predicted MeHg concentration in fish from the Bohai Sea was the highest among the four seas included in the study. The MeHg intake through dietary ingestion was dominant for the fish and was considerably higher than the MeHg intake through water respiration. The predicted MeHg concentrations in human blood in the coastal regions of China ranged from 1.37 to 2.77 μg/L for pregnant woman and from 0.43 to 1.00 μg/L for infants, respectively, based on different diet sources. The carnivorous fish consumption advisory for pregnant women was estimated to be 288-654 g per week to maintain MeHg concentrations in human blood at levels below the threshold level (4.4 μg/L established by the US Environmental Protection Agency). With a 50% increase in Hg concentrations in water in the Bohai Sea, the bioaccumulated MeHg concentration (4.5 μg/L) in the fish consumers will be higher than the threshold level. This study demonstrates the importance in controlling Hg pollution in China's coastal waters. An official recommendation guideline for the fish consumption rate and its sources will be necessary for vulnerable populations in China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yindong Tong
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
| | - Mengzhu Wang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
| | - Xiaoge Bu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
| | - Xin Guo
- Tianjin Environmental Sanitation Engineering Design Institute, Tianjin, 300201, China
| | - Yan Lin
- Norwegian Institute for Water Research, Oslo, 0349, Norway
| | - Huiming Lin
- College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Jing Li
- College of Urban and Environment Science, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, 300387, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- School of Environment and Natural Resources, Renmin University of China, Beijing, 100872, China
| | - Xuejun Wang
- College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
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Juric AK, Batal M, David W, Sharp D, Schwartz H, Ing A, Fediuk K, Black A, Tikhonov C, Chan HM. A total diet study and probabilistic assessment risk assessment of dietary mercury exposure among First Nations living on-reserve in Ontario, Canada. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2017; 158:409-420. [PMID: 28689032 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2017.06.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2017] [Revised: 06/19/2017] [Accepted: 06/21/2017] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Methyl Mercury (MeHg) exposure is a global environmental health concern. Indigenous peoples around the world are susceptible to MeHg exposure from often higher fish consumption compared to general populations. The objective of this study was to estimate dietary exposure to methylmercury (MeHg) among First Nations living on-reserve in the province of Ontario, Canada. A total diet study was constructed based on a 24-h recall from the First Nations Food, Nutrition, and Environment Study (FNFNES), and measured contaminant concentrations from Health Canada for market foods, and FNFNES for traditional foods. A probabilistic assessment of annual and seasonal traditional food consumptions was conducted for 1429 adult participants. Results were compared to exposures in the general Canadian population and reference values from Health Canada for adults and women of childbearing age (ages 19-50). Results indicated traditional foods to be the primary contributor to the dietary total MeHg intake (72%). The average dietary total MeHg exposure in the First Nations population in Ontario (0.039μg/kg/d) was 1.6 times higher than the general Canadian population; however, the majority (97.8%) of the population was below the reference values. Mercury concentrations in participants' hair samples (n = 744) ranged from 0.03 to 13.54µg/g, with an average of 0.64µg/g (geometric average of 0.27µg/g). Less than 1% of the population had a hair mercury value above the 6µg/g level, and 1.3% of women of child bearing age had values greater than 2µg/g. Fish species contributing to the MeHg intake included pickerel-walleye, pike, perch and trout. Only 7.9% of the population met the recommended fish consumption rate of two, 3.5oz servings per week from the American Heart Association. Therefore, consumption of lower trophic level fish can be promoted to provide the maximum nutritional benefit with minimal risk of MeHg exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Harold Schwartz
- Health Canada, Environmental Public Health Division, First Nations and Inuit Health Branch (FNIHB), Canada
| | - Amy Ing
- Université de Montréal, Canada
| | - Karen Fediuk
- Dietitian and Nutrition Researcher, British Columbia, Canada
| | | | - Constantine Tikhonov
- Health Canada, Environmental Public Health Division, First Nations and Inuit Health Branch (FNIHB), Canada
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Joshi D, Srivastav SK, Belemkar S, Dixit VA. Zingiber officinale and 6-gingerol alleviate liver and kidney dysfunctions and oxidative stress induced by mercuric chloride in male rats: A protective approach. Biomed Pharmacother 2017; 91:645-655. [PMID: 28494418 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2017.04.108] [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: 03/24/2017] [Revised: 04/21/2017] [Accepted: 04/24/2017] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Mercury toxicity is an emerging problem in the world as its concentration is rising continuously due to increased industrial, medicinal and domestic uses. Exposure to mercury represents a serious challenge to humans and other living biomes. The aim of the present study was to assess the protective effect of natural products as Zingiber officinale extract and its active compound (6-gingerol) against mercuric chloride-induced hepatorenal toxicity and oxidative stress in male rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats (150±10g, n=6 per group) were administered HgCl2 (12μmol/kg, ip; once only) the treatment of Zingiber officinale Rosc. extract (ZO: 125mg/kg, po) and 6-gingerol (GG: 50mg/kg, po) for three days after 24h of HgCl2 administration. Acute HgCl2 administration altered various biochemical parameters, including transaminases, alkaline phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase, bilirubin, gamma-glutamyl transferase, triglycerides and cholesterol, urea, creatinine, uric acid and blood urea nitrogen contents with a concomitant decline in protein and albumin concentration in serum. In addition, a significant rise in lipid peroxidation level with concomitant decrease in reduced glutathione content and the antioxidant enzymes activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione reductase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione-S-transferase after acute HgCl2 exposure. Results of the present investigation clearly showed that both treatments as Zingiber officinale extract and 6-gingerol provide protection against acute mercuric chloride-intoxication by preventing oxidative degradation of a biological membrane from metal mediated free radical attacks. Biochemical data were well supported by histopathological findings. In conclusion, natural products may be an ideal choice against oxidative damage induced by mercury poisoning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deepmala Joshi
- Department of Zoology, DDU Gorakhpur University, Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, India.
| | | | - Sateesh Belemkar
- School of Pharmacy and Technology Management (SPTM), Shri Vile Parle Kelavani Mandal's (SVKM's), Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS), Shirpur, Maharashtra, India, India
| | - Vaibhav A Dixit
- School of Pharmacy and Technology Management (SPTM), Shri Vile Parle Kelavani Mandal's (SVKM's), Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS), Shirpur, Maharashtra, India, India
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Protective effects of synbiotic diets of Bacillus coagulans, Lactobacillus plantarum and inulin against acute cadmium toxicity in rats. BMC COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2017; 17:291. [PMID: 28583137 PMCID: PMC5460540 DOI: 10.1186/s12906-017-1803-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2016] [Accepted: 05/22/2017] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cadmium is a heavy metal that causes oxidative stress and has toxic effects in humans. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of two probiotics along with a prebiotic in preventing the toxic effects of cadmium in rats. METHODS Twenty-four male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups namely control, cadmium only, cadmium along with Lactobacillus plantarum (1 × 109 CFU/day) and inulin (5% of feedstuff) and cadmium along with Bacillus coagulans (1 × 109 spore/day) and inulin (5% of feedstuff). Cadmium treated groups received 200 μg/rat/day CdCl2 administered by gavage. During the 42-day experimental period, they were weighed weekly. For evaluation of changes in oxidative stress, the levels of some biochemicals and enzymes of serum including SOD, GPX, MDA, AST, ALT, total bilirubin, BUN and creatinine, and also SOD level of livers were measured at day 21 and 42 of treatment. The cadmium content of kidney and liver was determined by using atomic absorption mass spectrophotometry. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Duncan's post hoc test. RESULTS Treatment of cadmium induced rats with synbiotic diets significantly improved the liver enzymes and biochemical parameters that decreased AST, ALT, total bilirubin, BUN and metal accumulation in the liver and kidney and increased body weight, serum and liver SOD values in comparison with the cadmium-treated group. No significant differences were observed with MDA and GPX values between all groups (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS This study showed that synbiotic diets containing probiotics (L. plantarum and B. coagulans) in combination with the prebiotic (inulin) can reduce the level of cadmium in the liver and kidney, preventing their damage and recover antioxidant enzymes in acute cadmium poisoning in rat.
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Hu XF, Laird BD, Chan HM. Mercury diminishes the cardiovascular protective effect of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in the modern diet of Inuit in Canada. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2017; 152:470-477. [PMID: 27297029 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2016.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2016] [Revised: 05/30/2016] [Accepted: 06/01/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Inuit in Canada have low reported incidence of myocardial infarction (MI) because of their traditional rich n-3 fatty acids marine diet. They are experiencing rapid nutrition transition and ischemic heart disease is now becoming a health concern. OBJECTIVES Our goal was to describe the modern Inuit diet, the eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and methyl mercury (MeHg) intake and estimate their contributions to the risk of MI. We also estimated the effect of promoting the consumption of more traditional food on Inuit's MI risk. METHODS We estimated the effect of Inuit diet on MI risk with modelling. Model formulas and assumptions were extracted from various epidemiology studies and literatures. International Polar Year Inuit Health Survey (IHS) was a comprehensive health and nutrition survey conducted in 2007-8 with 2072 participants (aged 18-79) in Canada. Traditional food intake, blood biomarkers values from the IHS served as the baseline parameters of model input. RESULTS Inuit traditional diet contained both high level of EPA, DHA and MeHg and their combined net effect was estimated to reduce the relative risk of MI by 1% for men and 2% for women. Arctic char meat provided the largest amount of EPA and DHA. Ringed seal liver was the main source for MeHg. Increase intake of selected fish, like salmon, herring and Arctic char by 75g per day can reduce the relative risk of MI (RR 0.70, 0.78 and 0.90 respectively). CONCLUSIONS In the Inuit diet, the beneficial effect on MI of EPA and DHA is diminished by the adverse effect of MeHg. Promoting the increase consumption of fish species with high EPA+DHA and low MeHg may help to prevent MI among Inuit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue Feng Hu
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Canada; Center for Advanced Research in Environmental Genomics, University of Ottawa, Canada
| | - Brian D Laird
- School of Public Health and Health Systems, University of Waterloo, Canada
| | - Hing Man Chan
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Canada; Center for Advanced Research in Environmental Genomics, University of Ottawa, Canada.
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Ha E, Basu N, Bose-O'Reilly S, Dórea JG, McSorley E, Sakamoto M, Chan HM. Current progress on understanding the impact of mercury on human health. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2017; 152:419-433. [PMID: 27444821 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2016.06.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 208] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2016] [Revised: 06/22/2016] [Accepted: 06/25/2016] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Mercury pollution and its impacts on human health is of global concern. The authors of this paper were members of the Plenary Panel on Human Health in the 12th International Conference on Mercury as a Global Pollutant held in Korea in June 2015. The Panel was asked by the conference organizers to address two questions: what is the current understanding of the impacts of mercury exposure on human health and what information is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of the Minamata Convention in lowering exposure and preventing adverse effects. The authors conducted a critical review of the literature published since January 2012 and discussed the current state-of-knowledge in the following areas: environmental exposure and/or risk assessment; kinetics and biomonitoring; effects on children development; effects on adult general populations; effects on artisanal and small-scale gold miners (ASGM); effects on dental workers; risk of ethylmercury in thimerosal-containing vaccines; interactions with nutrients; genetic determinants and; risk communication and management. Knowledge gaps in each area were identified and recommendations for future research were made. The Panel concluded that more knowledge synthesis efforts are needed to translate the research results into management tools for health professionals and policy makers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eunhee Ha
- Ewha Womans University, College of Medicine, Department of Preventive Medicine, South Korea
| | - Niladri Basu
- Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University, Canada
| | - Stephan Bose-O'Reilly
- University Hospital Munich, Institute and Outpatient Clinic for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, WHO Collaborating Centre for Occupational Health, Germany; University for Health Sciences, Medical Informatics and Technology (UMIT), Department of Public Health, Health Services Research and Health Technology Assessment, Austria
| | - José G Dórea
- Department of Nutrition, University of Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
| | - Emeir McSorley
- Northern Ireland Centre for Food and Health, Ulster University, United Kingdom
| | - Mineshi Sakamoto
- Department of Epidemiology, National Institute for Minamata Disease, Japan
| | - Hing Man Chan
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Canada.
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Maternal methylmercury from a wild-caught walleye diet induces developmental abnormalities in zebrafish. Reprod Toxicol 2016; 65:272-282. [DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2016.08.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2016] [Revised: 08/03/2016] [Accepted: 08/16/2016] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
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Bonsignore M, Andolfi N, Barra M, Madeddu A, Tisano F, Ingallinella V, Castorina M, Sprovieri M. Assessment of mercury exposure in human populations: A status report from Augusta Bay (southern Italy). ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2016; 150:592-599. [PMID: 26806294 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2016.01.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2015] [Revised: 09/08/2015] [Accepted: 01/12/2016] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Here we investigate mercury concentrations in the blood (HgB), urine (HgU) and human hair (HgH) of 224 individuals from a coastal area (Eastern Sicily, SE Italy) strongly affected by Hg contamination from one of the largest chlor-alkali plants in Europe. The factors affecting the distribution of Hg and the extent of the exposure of individuals have been explored with a multidisciplinary approach. Multiple regression analyses, together with evidence of high levels of HgB (exceeding the HBMI recommended levels in 50% of cases) and HgH (exceeding the EPA reference dose in 70% of cases), primarily suggest that the consumption of local fish is the main source of Hg for humans. no. significant exposure to inorganic mercury was identified. Toxicokinetic calculations produced a provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) level that, in most cases, exceeds international recommendations, particularly for residents in the studied area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Bonsignore
- Institute for Coastal and Marine Environment (IAMC - CNR), Via del Mare, 3, 91021 Torretta 10 Granitola, Campobello di Mazara, TP, Italy
| | - Nunzia Andolfi
- Laboratory of Public Health - ASP of Syracuse, Corso Gelone, 17, 96100, Syracuse, Italy
| | - Marco Barra
- Institute for Coastal and Marine Environment (IAMC - CNR), Calata Porta di Massa, Interno Porto di Napoli, 80133 Naples, Italy
| | - Anselmo Madeddu
- Laboratory of Public Health - ASP of Syracuse, Corso Gelone, 17, 96100, Syracuse, Italy
| | - Francesco Tisano
- Laboratory of Public Health - ASP of Syracuse, Corso Gelone, 17, 96100, Syracuse, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Ingallinella
- Laboratory of Public Health - ASP of Syracuse, Corso Gelone, 17, 96100, Syracuse, Italy
| | - Maria Castorina
- Laboratory of Public Health - ASP of Syracuse, Corso Gelone, 17, 96100, Syracuse, Italy
| | - Mario Sprovieri
- Institute for Coastal and Marine Environment (IAMC - CNR), Via del Mare, 3, 91021 Torretta 10 Granitola, Campobello di Mazara, TP, Italy.
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Parajuli RP, Goodrich JM, Chou HN, Gruninger SE, Dolinoy DC, Franzblau A, Basu N. Genetic polymorphisms are associated with hair, blood, and urine mercury levels in the American Dental Association (ADA) study participants. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2016; 149:247-258. [PMID: 26673400 PMCID: PMC4897752 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2015.11.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2015] [Revised: 11/25/2015] [Accepted: 11/26/2015] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIMS Mercury (Hg) is a potent toxicant of concern to the general public. Recent studies suggest that several genes that mediate Hg metabolism are polymorphic. We hypothesize that single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in such genes may underline inter-individual differences in exposure biomarker concentrations. METHODS Dental professionals were recruited during the American Dental Association (ADA) 2012 Annual Meeting. Samples of hair, blood, and urine were collected for quantifying Hg levels and genotyping (88 SNPs in classes relevant to Hg toxicokinetics including glutathione metabolism, selenoproteins, metallothioneins, and xenobiotic transporters). Questionnaires were administrated to obtain information on demographics and sources of Hg exposure (e.g., fish consumption and use of dental amalgam). Here, we report results for 380 participants with complete genotype and Hg biomarker datasets. ANOVA and linear regressions were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS Mean (geometric) Hg levels in hair (hHg), blood (bHg), urine (uHg), and the average estimated Hg intake from fish were 0.62µg/g, 3.75µg/L, 1.32µg/L, and 0.12µg/kg body weight/day, respectively. Out of 88 SNPs successfully genotyped, Hg biomarker levels differed by genotype for 25 SNPs, one of which remained significant following Bonferroni correction in ANOVA. When the associations between sources of Hg exposure and SNPs were analyzed with respect to Hg biomarker concentrations, 38 SNPs had significant main effects and/or gene-Hg exposure source interactions. Twenty-five, 23, and four SNPs showed significant main effects and/or interactions for hHg, bHg, and uHg levels, respectively (p<0.05), and six SNPs (in GCLC, MT1M, MT4, ATP7B, and BDNF) remained significant following Bonferroni correction. CONCLUSION The findings suggest that polymorphisms in environmentally-responsive genes can influence Hg biomarker levels. Hence, consideration of such gene-environment factors may improve the ability to assess the health risks of Hg more precisely.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajendra Prasad Parajuli
- Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
| | - Jaclyn M Goodrich
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Unisiversity of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
| | | | | | - Dana C Dolinoy
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Unisiversity of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
| | - Alfred Franzblau
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Unisiversity of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
| | - Niladri Basu
- Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Unisiversity of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
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Curren MS, Liang CL, Davis K, Kandola K, Brewster J, Potyrala M, Chan HM. Assessing determinants of maternal blood concentrations for persistent organic pollutants and metals in the eastern and western Canadian Arctic. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2015; 527-528:150-158. [PMID: 25965033 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.04.079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2014] [Revised: 04/17/2015] [Accepted: 04/21/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Aboriginal peoples in the Canadian Arctic are exposed to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and metals mainly through their consumption of a traditional diet of wildlife items. Recent studies indicate that many human chemical levels have decreased in the north, likely due to a combination of reduced global chemical emissions, dietary shifts, and risk mitigation efforts by local health authorities. Body burdens for chemicals in mothers can be further offset by breastfeeding, parity, and other maternal characteristics. We have assessed the impact of several dietary and maternal covariates following a decade of awareness of the contaminant issue in northern Canada, by performing multiple stepwise linear regression analyses from blood concentrations and demographic variables for 176 mothers recruited from Nunavut and the Northwest Territories during the period 2005-2007. A significant aboriginal group effect was observed for the modeled chemicals, except for lead and cadmium, after adjusting for covariates. Further, blood concentrations for POPs and metals were significantly associated with at least one covariate of older age, fewer months spent breastfeeding, more frequent eating of traditional foods, or smoking during pregnancy. Cadmium had the highest explained variance (72.5%) from just two significant covariates (current smoking status and parity). Although Inuit participants from the Northwest Territories consumed more traditional foods in general, Inuit participants from coastal communities in Nunavut continued to demonstrate higher adjusted blood concentrations for POPs and metals examined here. While this is due in part to a higher prevalence of marine mammals in the eastern Arctic diet, it is possible that other aboriginal group effects unrelated to diet may also contribute to elevated chemical body burdens in Canadian Arctic populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meredith S Curren
- Chemicals Surveillance Bureau, Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch, Health Canada, 269 Laurier Avenue West, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
| | - Chun Lei Liang
- Environmental Health Science and Research Bureau, Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch, Health Canada, 50 Columbine Driveway, Tunney's Pasture, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
| | - Karelyn Davis
- Environmental Health Science and Research Bureau, Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch, Health Canada, 50 Columbine Driveway, Tunney's Pasture, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
| | - Kami Kandola
- Government of the Northwest Territories, Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada.
| | | | | | - Hing Man Chan
- Center for Advanced Research in Environmental Genomics, University of Ottawa, 20 Marie-Curie, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
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Li P, Feng X, Chan HM, Zhang X, Du B. Human Body Burden and Dietary Methylmercury Intake: The Relationship in a Rice-Consuming Population. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2015; 49:9682-9689. [PMID: 26189659 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.5b00195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Rice can be the main route of methylmercury (MeHg) exposure for rice-consuming populations living in area where mercury (Hg) is mined. However, the current risk assessment paradigm for MeHg exposure is based on epidemiological data collected from fish-consuming populations. This study was designed to evaluate the relationship between dietary MeHg intake and human body burden in a rice -consuming population from the Wanshan Hg mining area in China. Hair MeHg concentrations averaged 2.07 ± 1.79 μg/g, and the average blood MeHg concentration across the study area ranged from 2.20 to 9.36 μg/L. MeHg constituted 52.8 ± 17.5% and 71.7 ± 18.2% of total Hg (THg) on average in blood and hair samples, respectively. Blood and hair MeHg concentrations, rather than THg, can be used as a proxy of human MeHg exposure. Hair MeHg levels showed no significant monthly variation; however, hair THg can be impacted by inorganic Hg exposure. The toxicokinetic model of MeHg exposure based on fish consumption underestimated the human hair MeHg levels, and this may be a consequence of the high hair-to-blood MeHg ratio (361 ± 105) in the studied rice-consuming population. The use of risk assessment models based on fish consumption may not be appropriate for inland mining areas where rice is the staple food.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Li
- †State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang, 550081, China
| | - Xinbin Feng
- †State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang, 550081, China
| | - Hing-Man Chan
- ‡Centre for Advanced Research in Environmental Genomics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Xiaofeng Zhang
- §Department of Toxicology, Public Health College, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150081, China
| | - Buyun Du
- †State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang, 550081, China
- !!University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
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Rothenberg SE, Korrick SA, Fayad R. The influence of obesity on blood mercury levels for U.S. non-pregnant adults and children: NHANES 2007-2010. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2015; 138:173-80. [PMID: 25721244 PMCID: PMC4385493 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2015.01.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2014] [Revised: 01/03/2015] [Accepted: 01/28/2015] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In animal studies obesity is associated with higher blood and tissue mercury concentrations; however human studies are lacking. Although the mechanism underlying this association is uncertain, obesity may alter the metabolism and distribution of methylmercury. OBJECTIVES We determined whether obesity influenced blood mercury levels, the majority of which was methylmercury, for U.S. non-pregnant adults (≥20 years) and children (2-19 years) after controlling for methylmercury intake through fish and shellfish consumption, and other confounders. METHODS We completed secondary data analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) (2007-2010) for participants who consumed fish/shellfish within 24h of blood collection for mercury analysis. Weighted least squares regression models related blood mercury levels (the dependent variable) to methylmercury exposure (μg) from fish consumed in the previous 24h, body mass index (BMI) (for adults), BMI z-scores (for children), and other confounders. RESULTS In adjusted models, blood mercury levels were inversely correlated with BMI for adults [β, 95% confidence interval (CI)=-0.54 (-0.90, -0.18)]. For children, blood mercury levels were inversely correlated with BMI z-scores but the trend was not significant [β (95% CI)=-0.016 (-0.066, 0.035)]. When obese adults or children were compared with those who were overweight/normal weight, blood mercury averaged 22% lower for obese adults (95% CI: -33%, -8.2%), while blood mercury did not differ significantly for obese children [β (95% CI)=-1.7% (-31%, +39%)]. CONCLUSIONS After adjusting for the main, if not exclusive, exogenous source of methylmercury exposure (through fish/shellfish intake) and other confounders, our results support potential changes in the metabolism, distribution or excretion of methylmercury with increasing BMI (for adults).
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E Rothenberg
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA.
| | - Susan A Korrick
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Raja Fayad
- Department of Exercise Science, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
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Noël M, Spence J, Harris KA, Robbins CT, Fortin JK, Ross PS, Christensen JR. Grizzly bear hair reveals toxic exposure to mercury through salmon consumption. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2014; 48:7560-7567. [PMID: 24904971 DOI: 10.1021/es500631g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Mercury obtained from the diet accumulates in mammalian hair as it grows thus preserving a record of mercury intake over the growth period of a given hair segment. We adapted a microanalysis approach, using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, to characterize temporal changes in mercury exposure and uptake in wild and captive grizzly bears. Captive grizzlies fed diets containing known and varied amounts of mercury provided data to allow prediction of Hg ingestion rates in wild bears. Here, we show, for the first time, that 70% of the coastal grizzly bears sampled had Hg levels exceeding the neurochemical effect level proposed for polar bears. In a context where the international community is taking global actions to reduce Hg emissions through the "Minamata Convention on Mercury", our study provides valuable information on the exposure to mercury of these grizzly bears already under many threats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Noël
- Stantec Consulting Ltd., 2042 Mills Road, Unit 11, Sidney, British Columbia V8L 4X2, Canada
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Hair mercury concentrations and fish consumption patterns in Florida residents. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2014; 11:6709-26. [PMID: 24972033 PMCID: PMC4113839 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph110706709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2014] [Revised: 06/10/2014] [Accepted: 06/18/2014] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Mercury exposure through the consumption of fish and shellfish represents a significant public health concern in the United States. Recent research has demonstrated higher seafood consumption and subsequent increased risk of methylmercury exposure among subpopulations living in coastal areas. The identification of high concentrations of total mercury in blood and skin among resident Atlantic bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in the Indian River Lagoon (IRL), a coastal estuary in Florida, alerted us to a potential public health hazard in the contiguous human population. Therefore, we analyzed hair mercury concentrations of residents living along the IRL and ascertained their sources and patterns of seafood consumption. The total mean mercury concentration for 135 residents was 1.53 ± 1.89 µg/g. The concentration of hair mercury among males (2.02 ± 2.38 µg/g) was significantly higher than that for females (0.96 ± 0.74 µg/g) (p < 0.01). Log transformed hair mercury concentration was significantly associated with the frequency of total seafood consumption (p < 0.01). Individuals who reported consuming seafood once a day or more were 3.71 (95% CI 0.84–16.38) times more likely to have a total hair mercury concentration over 1.0 µg/g, which corresponds approximately to the U.S. EPA reference dose, compared to those who consumed seafood once a week or less. Hair mercury concentration was also significantly higher among individuals who obtained all or most of their seafood from local recreational sources (p < 0.01). The elevated human mercury concentrations mirror the elevated concentrations observed in resident dolphins in the same geographical region. The current study is one of the first to apply the concept of a sentinel animal to a contiguous human population.
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Basu N, Goodrich JM, Head J. Ecogenetics of mercury: from genetic polymorphisms and epigenetics to risk assessment and decision-making. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2014; 33:1248-58. [PMID: 24038486 DOI: 10.1002/etc.2375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2013] [Revised: 05/10/2013] [Accepted: 08/08/2013] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
The risk assessment of mercury (Hg), in both humans and wildlife, is made challenging by great variability in exposure and health effects. Although disease risk arises following complex interactions between genetic ("nature") and environmental ("nurture") factors, most Hg studies thus far have focused solely on environmental factors. In recent years, ecogenetic-based studies have emerged and have started to document genetic and epigenetic factors that may indeed influence the toxicokinetics or toxicodynamics of Hg. The present study reviews these studies and discusses their utility in terms of Hg risk assessment, management, and policy and offers perspectives on fruitful areas for future research. In brief, epidemiological studies on populations exposed to inorganic Hg (e.g., dentists and miners) or methylmercury (e.g., fish consumers) are showing that polymorphisms in a number of environmentally responsive genes can explain variations in Hg biomarker values and health outcomes. Studies on mammals (wildlife, humans, rodents) are showing Hg exposures to be related to epigenetic marks such as DNA methylation. Such findings are beginning to increase understanding of the mechanisms of action of Hg, and in doing so they may help identify candidate biomarkers and pinpoint susceptible groups or life stages. Furthermore, they may help refine uncertainty factors and thus lead to more accurate risk assessments and improved decision-making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niladri Basu
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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Fonseca MDF, De Souza Hacon S, Grandjean P, Choi AL, Bastos WR. Iron status as a covariate in methylmercury-associated neurotoxicity risk. CHEMOSPHERE 2014; 100:89-96. [PMID: 24411835 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2013.12.053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2013] [Revised: 12/16/2013] [Accepted: 12/19/2013] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Intrauterine methylmercury exposure and prenatal iron deficiency negatively affect offspring's brain development. Since fish is a major source of both methylmercury and iron, occurrence of negative confounding may affect the interpretation of studies concerning cognition. We assessed relationships between methylmercury exposure and iron-status in childbearing females from a population naturally exposed to methylmercury through fish intake (Amazon). We concluded a census (refuse <20%) collecting samples from 274 healthy females (12-49 years) for hair-mercury determination and assessed iron-status through red cell tests and determination of serum ferritin and iron. Reactive C protein and thyroid hormones was used for excluding inflammation and severe thyroid dysfunctions that could affect results. We assessed the association between iron-status and hair-mercury by bivariate correlation analysis and also by different multivariate models: linear regression (to check trends); hierarchical agglomerative clustering method (groups of variables correlated with each other); and factor analysis (to examine redundancy or duplication from a set of correlated variables). Hair-mercury correlated weakly with mean corpuscular volume (r=.141; P=.020) and corpuscular hemoglobin (r=.132; .029), but not with the best biomarker of iron-status, ferritin (r=.037; P=.545). In the linear regression analysis, methylmercury exposure showed weak association with age-adjusted ferritin; age had a significant coefficient (Beta=.015; 95% CI: .003-.027; P=.016) but ferritin did not (Beta=.034; 95% CI: -.147 to .216; P=.711). In the hierarchical agglomerative clustering method, hair-mercury and iron-status showed the smallest similarities. Regarding factor analysis, iron-status and hair-mercury loaded different uncorrelated components. We concluded that iron-status and methylmercury exposure probably occur in an independent way.
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Affiliation(s)
- Márlon de Freitas Fonseca
- Instituto Fernandes Figueira, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Av. Rui Barbosa 716, Flamengo, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 22250-020, Brazil; Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, 401 Park Drive, Landmark Center Room 3-110 East, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
| | - Sandra De Souza Hacon
- Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública Sergio Arouca, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Av. Brasil 4365, Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 21040-900, Brazil.
| | - Philippe Grandjean
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, 401 Park Drive, Landmark Center Room 3-110 East, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, J.B. Winsløws Vej 17A/2, DK-5000 Odense C, Denmark.
| | - Anna Lai Choi
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, 401 Park Drive, Landmark Center Room 3-110 East, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Wanderley Rodrigues Bastos
- Laboratório de Biogeoquímica Ambiental Wolfgang Christian Pfeiffer, Universidade Federal de Rondônia, Rodovia BR 364 Km 9,5 Sentido Acre, Zona Rural, Porto Velho, RO 76801-974, Brazil.
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Rossignol DA, Genuis SJ, Frye RE. Environmental toxicants and autism spectrum disorders: a systematic review. Transl Psychiatry 2014; 4:e360. [PMID: 24518398 PMCID: PMC3944636 DOI: 10.1038/tp.2014.4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 302] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2013] [Revised: 12/15/2013] [Accepted: 01/06/2014] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Although the involvement of genetic abnormalities in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is well-accepted, recent studies point to an equal contribution by environmental factors, particularly environmental toxicants. However, these toxicant-related studies in ASD have not been systematically reviewed to date. Therefore, we compiled publications investigating potential associations between environmental toxicants and ASD and arranged these publications into the following three categories: (a) studies examining estimated toxicant exposures in the environment during the preconceptional, gestational and early childhood periods; (b) studies investigating biomarkers of toxicants; and (c) studies examining potential genetic susceptibilities to toxicants. A literature search of nine electronic scientific databases through November 2013 was performed. In the first category examining ASD risk and estimated toxicant exposures in the environment, the majority of studies (34/37; 92%) reported an association. Most of these studies were retrospective case-control, ecological or prospective cohort studies, although a few had weaker study designs (for example, case reports or series). Toxicants implicated in ASD included pesticides, phthalates, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), solvents, toxic waste sites, air pollutants and heavy metals, with the strongest evidence found for air pollutants and pesticides. Gestational exposure to methylmercury (through fish exposure, one study) and childhood exposure to pollutants in water supplies (two studies) were not found to be associated with ASD risk. In the second category of studies investigating biomarkers of toxicants and ASD, a large number was dedicated to examining heavy metals. Such studies demonstrated mixed findings, with only 19 of 40 (47%) case-control studies reporting higher concentrations of heavy metals in blood, urine, hair, brain or teeth of children with ASD compared with controls. Other biomarker studies reported that solvent, phthalate and pesticide levels were associated with ASD, whereas PCB studies were mixed. Seven studies reported a relationship between autism severity and heavy metal biomarkers, suggesting evidence of a dose-effect relationship. Overall, the evidence linking biomarkers of toxicants with ASD (the second category) was weaker compared with the evidence associating estimated exposures to toxicants in the environment and ASD risk (the first category) because many of the biomarker studies contained small sample sizes and the relationships between biomarkers and ASD were inconsistent across studies. Regarding the third category of studies investigating potential genetic susceptibilities to toxicants, 10 unique studies examined polymorphisms in genes associated with increased susceptibilities to toxicants, with 8 studies reporting that such polymorphisms were more common in ASD individuals (or their mothers, 1 study) compared with controls (one study examined multiple polymorphisms). Genes implicated in these studies included paraoxonase (PON1, three of five studies), glutathione S-transferase (GSTM1 and GSTP1, three of four studies), δ-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (one study), SLC11A3 (one study) and the metal regulatory transcription factor 1 (one of two studies). Notably, many of the reviewed studies had significant limitations, including lack of replication, limited sample sizes, retrospective design, recall and publication biases, inadequate matching of cases and controls, and the use of nonstandard tools to diagnose ASD. The findings of this review suggest that the etiology of ASD may involve, at least in a subset of children, complex interactions between genetic factors and certain environmental toxicants that may act synergistically or in parallel during critical periods of neurodevelopment, in a manner that increases the likelihood of developing ASD. Because of the limitations of many of the reviewed studies, additional high-quality epidemiological studies concerning environmental toxicants and ASD are warranted to confirm and clarify many of these findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- D A Rossignol
- Family Medicine, Rossignol Medical Center, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - S J Genuis
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - R E Frye
- Arkansas Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
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Effects of docosahexaenoic acid and methylmercury on child’s brain development due to consumption of fish by Finnish mother during pregnancy: A probabilistic modeling approach. Food Chem Toxicol 2013; 54:50-8. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2011.06.052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2011] [Revised: 05/30/2011] [Accepted: 06/09/2011] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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Nwokocha CR, Owu DU, Nwokocha MI, Ufearo CS, Iwuala MOE. Comparative study on the hepatoprotection to heavy metals of Zingiber officinale. Pharmacognosy Res 2012; 4:208-13. [PMID: 23225964 PMCID: PMC3510873 DOI: 10.4103/0974-8490.102263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2011] [Revised: 11/23/2011] [Accepted: 10/11/2012] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Context: Zingiber officinale (Zingiberaceae) is a herb used for culinary and therapeutic purposes due to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant potentials. Objectives: We examined its protective ability against mercury (Hg), lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) accumulation in the liver. Materials & Methods: Ground Zingiber officinale (7%, w/w of feed) was administered to rats either at the same time with the exposure ofheavy metals (group 2), a week after exposure to heavy metals (group 3) or given a week before heavy metal exposure (group 4) for six weeks. Animals were exposed to either of Hg (10 ppm), Cd (200 ppm) and Pb (100 ppm) in drinking water. The heavy metal accumulations in the liver were determined using AAS. Results: Weight losses induced by these metals were not reversed by Zingiber officinale administration. There was a significant (P<0.01) increase in protection to Pb (97%) and Cd (63%) accumulation when compared to Hg (32%) at week 2. The protective ability was significantly (P<0.01) decreased at week 4 when compared to week 2 for Cd and Pb but not to Hg in groups 3 (50%) and 4 (52%). At week 6, hepatoprotection to Hg (44%) and Cd (85%) was significantly (P<0.01) different but not to Pb which was only significant (P<0.05) in week 2 of treatment for all groups. Discussion and Conclusion: Zingiber officinale affected the bioavailability, elimination and uptake of these metals in a time-dependent way with highest beneficial reducing effect to Cd followed by Hg and least protection to Pb in the liver.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chukwuemeka R Nwokocha
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, Nigeria
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Hassauer M, Kaiser E, Schneider K, Schuhmacher‐Wolz U. Collate the literature on toxicity data on mercury in experimental animals and humans (Part I – Data on organic mercury). ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2012. [DOI: 10.2903/sp.efsa.2012.en-297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Martin Hassauer
- Forschungs‐ und Beratungsinstitut Gefahrstoffe GmbH (FoBiG) Freiburg Germany
| | - Eva Kaiser
- Forschungs‐ und Beratungsinstitut Gefahrstoffe GmbH (FoBiG) Freiburg Germany
| | - Klaus Schneider
- Forschungs‐ und Beratungsinstitut Gefahrstoffe GmbH (FoBiG) Freiburg Germany
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Jenssen MTS, Brantsæter AL, Haugen M, Meltzer HM, Larssen T, Kvalem HE, Birgisdottir BE, Thomassen Y, Ellingsen D, Alexander J, Knutsen HK. Dietary mercury exposure in a population with a wide range of fish consumption--self-capture of fish and regional differences are important determinants of mercury in blood. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2012; 439:220-9. [PMID: 23069934 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2012.09.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2012] [Revised: 08/31/2012] [Accepted: 09/11/2012] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Human, low level, chronic exposure to mercury (Hg) from fish is of concern because of potential neurodevelopmental and cardiovascular toxicity. The purpose of the study was to 1) measure total mercury (THg) in blood and estimate dietary exposure in a population group with a wide range of seafood consumption, 2) assess the intake and blood concentration in relation to tolerable intake values, 3) characterise dietary sources, and 4) to investigate the relationship between dietary THg with THg in blood (BTHg), including factors that can explain the variance in BTHg concentrations. The participants (n=184) filled in an extensive food frequency questionnaire which was combined with a database on THg concentrations in Norwegian food, and donated blood and urine. Median consumption of seafood was 65 g/day (range 4 to 341 g/day). The calculated mean dietary THg exposure was 0.35 (median 0.30) μg/kg body weight/week. Seafood contributed on average 95% to the exposure. The JECFA Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake (PTWI) of 1.6 μg MeHg/kg bw/week was not exceeded by any of the participants. BTHg ranged from 0.6 to 30 μg/L, with a mean of 5.3 (median 4.0 μg/L). There was a strong relationship between total seafood consumption and BTHg concentrations (r=0.58 95%CI: 0.48, 0.67) and between estimated THg dietary exposure and BTHg (r=0.46 95%CI: 0.35, 0.57). Fish consumption, sex, catching >50% of their seafood themselves, and living in coastal municipalities were significant factors in linear regression models with lnBTHg. Including urinary Hg in the regression model increased the explained variance from 54% to 65%. In a toxicokinetic model, the calculated dietary intake appeared to moderately underestimate the measured BTHg among the participants with the highest BTHg. Only two of the participants had BTHg slightly above a value equivalent to the JECFA PTWI, but none of them were women in fertile age.
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Affiliation(s)
- M T S Jenssen
- The Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA), Norway.
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Mori N, Yamamoto M, Tsukada E, Yokooji T, Matsumura N, Sasaki M, Murakami T. Comparison of in vivo with in vitro pharmacokinetics of mercury between methylmercury chloride and methylmercury cysteine using rats and Caco2 cells. ARCHIVES OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY 2012; 63:628-36. [PMID: 22932937 DOI: 10.1007/s00244-012-9800-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2012] [Accepted: 08/06/2012] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
The in vivo and in vitro pharmacokinetics of mercury (Hg) were compared between methylmercury chloride (MeHg·Cl) and methylmercury cysteine (MeHg-Cys) using rats and Caco2 cells because humans can be exposed to MeHg compounds through dietary fish. The in vivo pharmacokinetics of Hg immediately after the digestion of MeHg compounds are still obscure. In Caco2 cells, membrane uptake and subcellular distribution of MeHg compounds were examined. When rats received it intravenously, MeHg·Cl showed 20-fold greater plasma and 2-fold greater blood concentrations of Hg than MeHg-Cys, indicating that their pharmacokinetic properties are different. One hour later, however, Hg concentrations in plasma and blood became virtually identical between MeHg·Cl and MeHg-Cys, although blood Hg concentrations were >100-fold greater than those in plasma. When administered into the closed rat's jejunum loop, MeHg·Cl and MeHg-Cys were rapidly and efficiently taken up by intestinal membranes, and Hg was retained in intestinal membranes for a relatively long time. When administered orally, no difference was observed in plasma and blood Hg concentrations between MeHg·Cl and MeHg-Cys: plasma and blood Hg concentrations increased gradually and reached steady levels at 8 h after administration. In Caco2 cells, uptake of MeHg-Cys was significantly suppressed by L-leucine, although this was not seen with MeHg·Cl. In Caco2 cells, 81 % of Hg was recovered from cytosol fractions and 13 % of Hg from nuclear fractions (including debris) after a 2-h incubation with MeHg-Cys. In conclusion, the mechanism of membrane uptake and volume of distribution in the initial distribution phase were clearly different between MeHg·Cl and MeHg-Cys. However, such pharmacokinetic differences between them disappeared 1 h after intravenous and after oral routes of administration, possibly due to the metabolism in the body.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nobuhiro Mori
- Laboratory of Biopharmaceutics and Pharmacokinetics, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hiroshima International University, Hiro-koshingai, Kure, Hiroshima, Japan
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Pichery C, Bellanger M, Zmirou-Navier D, Fréry N, Cordier S, Roue-LeGall A, Hartemann P, Grandjean P. Economic evaluation of health consequences of prenatal methylmercury exposure in France. Environ Health 2012; 11:53. [PMID: 22883022 PMCID: PMC3533723 DOI: 10.1186/1476-069x-11-53] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2012] [Accepted: 07/09/2012] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Evidence of a dose-response relationship between prenatal exposure to methylmercury (MeHg) and neurodevelopmental consequences in terms of IQ reduction, makes it possible to evaluate the economic consequences of MeHg exposures. OBJECTIVE To perform an economic evaluation of annual national benefits of reduction of the prenatal MeHg exposure in France. METHODS We used data on hair-Hg concentrations in French women of childbearing age (18-45 years) from a national sample of 126 women and from two studies conducted in coastal regions (n = 161and n = 503). A linear dose response function with a slope of 0.465 IQ point reduction per μg/g increase in hair-Hg concentration was used, along with a log transformation of the exposure scale, where a doubling of exposure was associated with a loss of 1.5 IQ points. The costs calculations utilized an updated estimate of €2008 17,363 per IQ point decrement, with three hypothetical exposure cut-off points (hair-Hg of 0.58, 1.0, and 2.5 μg/g). RESULTS Because of higher exposure levels of women in coastal communities, the annual economic impacts based on these data were greater than those using the national data, i.e., € 1.62 billion (national), and € 3.02 billion and € 2.51 billion (regional), respectively, with the linear model, and € 5.46 billion (national), and € 9.13 billion and € 8.17 billion (regional), with the log model, for exposures above 0.58 μg/g. CONCLUSIONS These results emphasize that efforts to reduce MeHg exposures would have high social benefits by preventing the serious and lifelong consequences of neurodevelopmental deficits in children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Céline Pichery
- EHESP School of Public Health, Rennes Cedex 35043, France
| | | | - Denis Zmirou-Navier
- EHESP School of Public Health, Rennes Cedex 35043, France
- Lorraine University Medical School, Public Health department, Vandoeuvre-les-Nancy cedex, France
- INSERM U 1085-IRSET (Institut de Recherche Santé Environnement Travail), Rennes 1 University, Rennes cedex 35042, France
| | - Nadine Fréry
- Institut de veille sanitaire, Département Santé Environnement, Saint Maurice cedex 94415, France
| | - Sylvaine Cordier
- INSERM U 1085-IRSET (Institut de Recherche Santé Environnement Travail), Rennes 1 University, Rennes cedex 35042, France
| | | | - Philippe Hartemann
- Lorraine University Medical School, Public Health department, Vandoeuvre-les-Nancy cedex, France
- INSERM U 954 "Nutrition, genetics and environmental risks”, Medical School, Vandoeuvre-les-Nancy cedex 54505, France
| | - Philippe Grandjean
- Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark,Odense DK-5000, Denmark
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02215, USA
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Comparative analysis on the effect of Lycopersicon esculentum (tomato) in reducing cadmium, mercury and lead accumulation in liver. Food Chem Toxicol 2012; 50:2070-3. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2012.03.079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2012] [Revised: 03/27/2012] [Accepted: 03/29/2012] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
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50
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Wang Y, Goodrich JM, Gillespie B, Werner R, Basu N, Franzblau A. An investigation of modifying effects of metallothionein single-nucleotide polymorphisms on the association between mercury exposure and biomarker levels. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2012; 120:530-4. [PMID: 22233731 PMCID: PMC3339459 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.1104079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2011] [Accepted: 01/09/2012] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recent studies have suggested that several genes that mediate mercury metabolism are polymorphic in humans. OBJECTIVE We hypothesized that single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in metallothionein (MT) genes may underlie interindividual differences in mercury biomarker levels. We studied the potential modifying effects of MT SNPs on mercury exposure-biomarker relationships. METHODS We measured total mercury in urine and hair samples of 515 dental professionals. We also surveyed occupational and personal exposures to dental amalgam and dietary fish consumption, from which daily methylmercury (MeHg) intake was estimated. Log-transformed urine and hair levels were modeled in multivariable linear regression separately against respective exposure surrogates, and the effect modification of 13 MT SNPs on exposure was investigated. RESULTS The mean mercury levels in urine (1.06 μg/L) and hair (0.51 μg/g) were not significantly different from the U.S. general population (0.95 μg/L and 0.47 μg/g, respectively). The mean estimated daily MeHg intake was 0.084 μg/kg/day (range, 0-0.98 μg/kg/day), with 25% of study population intakes exceeding the current U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reference dose of 0.1 μg/kg/day. Multivariate regression analysis showed that subjects with the MT1M (rs2270837) [corrected] AA genotype (n = 10) or the MT2A (rs10636) CC genotype (n = 42) had lower urinary mercury levels than did those with the MT1M or MT2A GG genotype (n = 329 and 251, respectively) after controlling for exposure and potential confounders. After controlling for MeHg intake, subjects with MT1A (rs8052394) GA and GG genotypes (n = 24) or the MT1M (rs9936741) TT genotype (n = 459) had lower hair mercury levels than did subjects with MT1A AA (n = 113) or MT1M TC and CC genotypes (n = 15), respectively. CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that some MT genetic polymorphisms may influence mercury biomarker concentrations at levels of exposure relevant to the general population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Wang
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-2029, USA
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