Understanding the excretion rates of methylmercury and inorganic mercury from human body via hair and fingernails  

作　　者：Wei Zhang Fen Li Lingjian Gao Guangyi Sun Zikang Cui Fengfeng Chen Ping Li Xinbin Feng Lihai Shang 

机构地区：[1]State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry,Institute of Geochemistry,Chinese Academy of Sciences,Guiyang 550081,China [2]University of Chinese Academy of Sciences,Beijing 100049,China [3]College of Tea(Pu’er),West Yunnan University of Applied Sciences,Dali 665000,China [4]School of Public Health,Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Monitoring and Disease Control,Ministry of Education,Guizhou Medical University,Guiyang 550025,China

出　　处：《Journal of Environmental Sciences》2022年第9期59-67,共9页环境科学学报（英文版）

基　　金：funded by t he Strategic Priority Research Programs of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Pan-TPE, XDA20040502 );the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 41877405 , U1612442 , U1812403 )。

摘　　要：Effective biomarkers are necessary to better understand the human mercury(Hg) exposure levels. However, mismatched biomarker sampling method causes extra uncertainty in assessing the risk of Hg exposure. To compare the differences between hair and fingernail, and further understand the excretion rates of methylmercury(MeHg) and inorganic mercury(IHg) via hair and fingernails, the total mercury(THg), Me Hg, and IHg concentrations in paired hair and fingernail samples were investigated through paired samples collected from two typical mining areas, Wanshan mercury mine area(WMMA) and Hezhang zinc smelting area(HZSA). The positive correlation in THg, MeHg, and IHg concentrations( p < 0.01) between hair and fingernail samples indicated that those two biomarkers can be corrected in application of assessing human Hg exposure. Compared to fingernails, the hair was suggested to be a more sensitive biomarker as the concentration of THg, MeHg and IHg were 2~4 times higher than those in fingernails. Furthermore, the amounts of THg, MeHg, and IHg excreted via hair were 70~226 times higher than that excreted via fingernails, and the hair plays a more important role than fingernails in the excretion of Hg from human bodies. Present study therefore provides some new insights to better understand the fate of human assimilated Hg.

关 键 词：MERCURY METHYLMERCURY HAIR FINGERNAILS BIOMARKER Excretion rate 

分 类 号：X503.1[环境科学与工程—环境工程]