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. 2009 Dec 21;8:71. doi: 10.1186/1476-072X-8-71

Table 2.

Hair mercury levels in French Guyana

Studied
population
River
basin
Location N Hg mean μg/g
(median) [SD]
Range μg/g > 10 μg/ga Fish
consumption
General
population

BASAG
2007
Maroni
River
Sinnamary 285 1.8 5%
Oyapok
River
Lower Maroni River 740 1.7-3.6 2.4%
Lower Oyapok 144 1.5-3.4 1 person
River 181 4.6-7.2 7.6-18.2%
Upper Oyapok River

Cordier
et al. 1998
Maroni
River
Oyapok
River
11 health centers
 Adults 255 3.4b 0.2-22.0 12.2%
 Pregnant women 109 1.6b 0.2-13.0 4.6%
 Children 136 2.5b 0.2-31.0 11.8

Fréry
et al. 2001
Maroni
River
Cayodé, Twenké,
Taluhen and
Antécume-Pata
235 11.4 [4.2] 1.9-27.2 57.4% 20-317 g/day


Mothers and their infants
Cordier
et al. 2002
Maroni
River
Oyapok
River
Upper
Maroni River
 Children 156 10.2b 79% 2 meals/day
 Mothers 90 12.7b
Oyapok River
 Children 69 6.5b
 Mothers 63 6.7b
Lower Maroni River
 Children 153 1.4b
 Mothers 77 2.8b

aPercentage of the population with hair mercury levels higher than 10 μg/g. bGeometric mean.