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. 2007 Mar;12(2):66–70. doi: 10.1007/BF02898151

High exposure of Chinese mercury mine workers to elemental mercury vapor and increased methylmercury levels in their hair

Mineshi Sakamoto 1,✉, Xinbin Feng 2, Ping Li 2, Guangle Qiu 2, Hongmei Jiang 2, Minoru Yoshida 3, Toyoto Iwaia 4, Xiao-Jie Liu 2, Katsuyuki Murata 4
PMCID: PMC2723641  PMID: 21431821

Abstract

Objective

The aim of this study was to determine the level of exposure of mercury (Hg) miners and smelter workers to elemental mercury (Hg0) vapor in China, who work in Hg mines without using protective equipment against Hg0 vapor. In addition, the level of methylmercury (MeHg) intake by the workers was estimated from the MeHg concentration in their hair.

Methods

Urinary total mercury (THg) and hair THg and MeHg concentrations were measured in 26 Hg miners and smelter workers (i.e., exposed group), and 48 unexposed people (unexposed group).

Results

The exposed group showed high geometric mean THg concentrations in urine (258 ng/ml, 226 μg/g creatinine) and hair (20.0 μg/g). The urinary THg concentration of the smelter workers in particular was extremely high (338 μg/g creatinine in urine). The highest urine THg concentration reached 4577 μg/g creatinine. THg concentrations in urine and hair showed a significant correlation in the exposed group (r=0.62), indicating the adhesion of Hg0 vapor to hair. However, no such significant correlation was found in the unexposed group. Hair MeHg concentration in the exposed group (1.97 μg/g) was about threefold higher than that in the unexposed group (0.60 μg/g).

Conclusions

This study shows that smelter workers in a Chinese Hg mine are exposed to extremely high levels of Hg0 vapor, and that Hg miners are exposed to higher levels of MeHg than the unexposed subjects. Further study is needed to determine the cause of the higher hair MeHg concentration in the exposed group.

Key words: mercury mine, elemental mercury, hair, urine, methylmercury

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