Interrelationships of Blood and Hair Mercury Concentrations in a North American Population Exposed to Methylmercury

Abstract

Samples of blood and head hair were analyzed for organic and inorganic mercury from a population which consumed large amounts of fish contaminated with methylmercury. Mercury levels in newly formed hair were found to reflect those in blood with the concentration in hair being approximately 300 times that in blood. Organic and inorganic mercury levels were linearly related in both hair and blood samples, with a mean inorganic/ organic ratio of 0.05 in blood and 0.21 in hair, but individual differences were found to exist. In addition, the total mercury concentration and inorganic/organic ratio in hair remained constant with time. Thus, longitudinal analysis of hair samples can provide a simple and accurate method of monitoring continuing exposure and an estimation of peak blood levels months to years after exposure.