• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.24-31
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• 2024

Mercury is a chemical pollutant widely present in the environment. Humans are generally exposed to mercury in the form of organic Hg (methylmercury) through the consumption of seafood. Koreans enjoy eating fish therefore blood mercury concentration is usually higher than in developed countries. By investigating blood mercury concentration according to the frequency of seafood consumption and sociodemographic factors, we aimed to identify recent trends in blood mercury concentration in Korean adults. This study was conducted using KoNEHS cycle 4 (2018~2020) from the National Institute Environmental Research Survey. The geometric mean concentration of blood mercury of the subjects was 2.959 (±1.018) ㎍/L, which was significantly higher in men than in women. It was observed that as the frequency of fish and shellfish consumption increased, the blood mercury concentration increased. In adjusted logistic regression, fish consumption was associated with 36.7% increased risk of blood mercury levels [Odds ratio, 1.367; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.246~1.500], and shellfish consumption was associated with 26.5% increased risk of blood mercury levels [Odds ratio, 1.265; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.134~1.410]. Blood mercury concentration was also found to increase as the socioeconomic level increased. In conclusion, the geometric mean concentration of blood mercury was increased compared to the one in the 3rd KoNEHS (2015~2017) and seafood consumption and socioeconomic level were still significantly associated with increasing blood mercury concentration in Korea. Therefore, it is necessary to encourage healthy seafood consumption habits and conduct continuous monitoring considering various factors to reduce blood mercury levels.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.43 no.5
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• pp.377-386
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• 2010

Objectives: This study was carried out for the purpose of evaluating the blood mercury concentration of the residents of Busan, Korea, as well as the relationship between the mercury concentration and the pattern of fish consumption along with other epidemiological factors. Methods: Two hundred ninety-three subjects (147 men and 146 women), who were aged 40 years or more, were recruited into this study between June and October 2009. The mean age of the subjects was 54.3 years (with a range of 40-70 years). Mercury concentrations in blood samples were measured using a gold-amalgam collection method. Results: The geometric mean concentration of mercury in the total subjects was $8.63\;{\mu}g/L$ [range: $1.48{\sim}45.71\;{\mu}g/L$]. The blood mercury concentration of the men ($9.55\;{\mu}g/L$) was significantly higher than that of the women ($7.76\;{\mu}g/L$). The blood mercury concentration of those who eat fish more than 4 times per week was higher than others, and was statistically significant (male p = 0.0019, female p = 0.0002). According to the multiple analysis, the blood mercury concentration was significantly affected by the consumed fish but other epidemiological factors were not related. Conclusions: It was found that the subjects who have consumed a large amount of fish may have high blood mercury concentration. It appears that fish consumption can influence blood mercury concentration. Therefore, guidelines for fish consumption that will decrease blood mercury concentration might be necessary in Korea.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.218-225
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• 2011

Objectives: This study investigated the relationship between the blood mercury concentration and cardiovascular risk factors in elderly Korean individuals living in coastal areas. Methods: The sample consisted of 477 adults (164 males, 313 females) aged 40 to 65 years who visited a Busan health promotion center from June to September in 2009. The relationship between blood mercury concentration and cardiovascular risk factors including metabolic syndrome, cholesterol profiles, blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), was investigated. Variables related to blood mercury concentration were further evaluated using multiple regression analysis. Results: The blood mercury concentration of the study population was 7.99 (range, 7.60 to 8.40) ${\mu}g$/L. In males, the blood mercury concentration was 9.74 (8.92 to 10.63) ${\mu}g$/L, which was significantly higher than that in females (7.21, [6.80 to 7.64] ${\mu}g$/L). The blood mercury concentration of the study population was related to several cardiovascular risk factors including low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (p=0.044), high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (p=0.034), BMI (p = 0.006), waist circumference (p = 0.031), and WHR (p < 0.001). In males, the blood mercury concentration was significantly correlated with WHR in the multiple regression analysis. Conclusions: In males, the blood mercury concentration was related to waist-to-hip ratio, which is a central obesity index and cardiovascular risk factor. Our finding suggests that cardiovascular disease risk in males was increased by mercury exposure via an obesity-related mechanism.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.117-129
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• 2013

Background: This study was carried out for the purpose of comprehensively evaluating the mercury exposure level of residents in several areas and the correlation between hair mercury concentration and blood mercury concentration. Method: One thousand one hundred ninety seven subjects were sampled from 30 sites using random assignment sampling. We performed a questionnaire survey and measured the level of total mercury in hair and blood samples from all subjects. Results: The geometric mean concentrations of hair and blood mercury in all subjects were 1.27 mg/kg [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.23-1.32 mg/kg] and 5.24 ${\mu}g/L$ [95% CI: 5.07-5.41 ${\mu}g/L$], respectively. Male (1.56 mg/kg in hair, 6.00 ${\mu}g/L$ in blood) was significantly higher than that of female (1.03 mg/kg in hair, 4.56 ${\mu}g/L$ in blood), and the concentrations were elevated as age increased up to the 50s. Education, smoking, alcohol drinking, and using of pesticides were also shown to influence mercury concentrations in hair and blood. The ratio of hair/ blood mercury concentration was 261.3. The total mercury concentration in hair was identified to be significantly related with total mercury concentration in blood (r=0.814, p<0.001). Conclusion: The geometric mean concentrations of hair and blood mercury were higher than the levels provided in international recommendations. The total mercury concentration in hair was positively correlated with the concentration in blood. The results of this study suggest that hair mercury be considered as a useful tool for the evaluation of mercury exposure.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.253-256
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• 1982

The organ distribution of mercury was examined in the rat after oral administration of a single dose of red mercuric sulfide (15mg Hg/kg). The concentration of total mercury in the organs and blood after 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 24 and 72 hours of administration was determined by Quartz Tube Combustion-Gold Amalgamation Method. It was found that the maximal concentration of total mercury was in the kidneys and muscle within 24 hours and in the brain, heart, liver and blood within 48 hours. The descending order of the maximal organ and blood concentration was: kidneys(1.08ppm)>blood> muscle>heart>liver>brain. The accumulation states of total mercury in the rat organs were investigated by continuous administration of red mercuric sulfide (5mg Hg/kg/day) for 15 days. The mercury concentration increased progressively throughout the experimental period and the descending order of the highest level of mercury after 15 days was: kidneys (1.55ppm)>blood>liver. The concentration of alkyl mercury in brain, liver and kidneys also was measured after 7 and 15 days of consecutive administration of red mercuric sulfide (5mg Hg/kg/day). The concentration in the Kidneys and the liver was very low, but was significantly different from control group. The concentration in the brain was extremely low and was not significantly different from control group.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.1101-1107
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• 2013

In this study, total mercury and methyl mercury in whole blood of Korean was analyzed so as to investigate the correlation between total mercury (T-Hg) and methyl mercury (Me-Hg). 4000 whole blood samples were divided in four groups, according to T-Hg concentration in percentile: group I (p25-p50), group II (p50-p75), group III (p75-p95) and group IV (p95-p100). 100 samples were randomly selected from the each group, and Me-Hg concentration was measured. T-Hg concentration in whole blood was analyzed using a Direct Mercury Analyzer-80 and obtained limit of detection (LOD) was $0.2{\mu}gL^{-1}$. Me-Hg concentration was analyzed with ethylate derivatization using headspace-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and obtained LOD of methyl mercury was $0.5{\mu}gL^{-1}$. The geometric means of T-Hg and Me-Hg were $6.35{\mu}gL^{-1}$ and $4.44{\mu}gL^{-1}$, respectively, and 71.91% of T-Hg was presented as Me-Hg.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.348-359
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• 2018

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between frequency of alcohol drinking and blood mercury concentration in Korea. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study that used data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Among them, 3,174 persons were selected for the final study. Results: The concentration of mercury in the blood increased as the frequency of drinking soju or beer increased. Similarly, in the multiple-linear regression analysis model, the frequency of soju drinking was identified as an independent variable showing a statistically significant positive linearity (p<0.001). After controlling for confounding factors, comparing those drinking 'more than twice a week' with those who almost do not drink alcohol, the adjusted ORs for exposure to high concentrations of mercury were 3.24 (95% CI, 2.10-4.99) for drinking soju and 2.07 (95% CI, 1.33-3.22) for drinking beer. The interaction effect between 'soju drinking' and 'spicy pollack and seafood stew' was not statistically significant (p=0.098) for evaluating the interaction effect between the two variables. Conclusions: The concentration of mercury in the blood increased as the frequency of drinking of soju or beer increased. The higher the frequency of alcohol drinking, the more likely is the blood mercury to be included in the high-concentration group. The results of this study can be used as important scientific evidence for the field of environmental health related to alcohol drinking and blood heavy metal exposure in Korea.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.62-67
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• 1993

This study aims at investigating the relationships between the urinary mercury concentration and blood zinc-protoportphyrin, serum cholinestrase activity, making 149 workers exposed to mercury vapor and 68 workers who were not exposed to mercury among the workers in a flurorescent lamp manufactureing factory an object of this investigation. The results are as follows ; 1. In an exposed group the number of those whose urinary mercury concentration showed over $100{\mu}g/l$ was 21 persons (14.3%) among 147 workers. The average urinary mercury concentration was $52.1{\pm}46.1{\mu}g/l$($1.8-361.2{\mu}g/l$), which proved to be higher than the average concentration in a control group. 2. In an exposed group, the average concentration of blood zinc-protoporphyrin was $27.8{\pm}12.5{\mu}g/dl$($12.2-101.5{\mu}g/dl$), which proved to be somewhat higher than the average concentration in a control group. But it did not show a significant difference. 3. In an exposed group, the average concentration of serum cholinesterase activity showed $1936.7{\pm}341.0IU/l$(1,120,0-2,8750IU/l), which proved to be lower than the average concentration in a control group. 4. The relational coefficient between urinary mercury concentration and blool zinc-protoporphyrin, serum cholinesterase activity of the whole workers exposed to mercury showed little difference. While the relational coefficient between the urinary mercury concentration and blood zinc-protoporphyrin of the workers whose urinary mercury concentration showed over $100{\mu}g/l$ was relatively high, which was 0.62.

• The Journal of the Korean dental association
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• v.23 no.2 s.189
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• pp.161-164
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• 1985

This study was carried out for the purpose of evaluating the blood mercury concentration of dentists in Korea. Samples of blood were collected from 35 dentists during daily practice in November, 1984. The mercury level in the blood was measured by mercury analyses system (Sugiyama-Gen Environmental Science Co. LTD) The result obtained from this study ws the mean of total blood mercury level of dentists was 41.62 μg/100ml and the range 17.3μg/100ml~133.3μg/100ml.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.559-564
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• 2004

The effects of intra-peritoneal injection of inorganic mercury on haemato-logical parameters and hepatic oxidative stress enzyme activities were studied in common carp, Cyprinus carpio. The fish were injected thrice intra-peritoneally with mercuric chloride TEX>$(5,\;10mg\;Hg\;kg\;b.W.^{-1})$. After exposure of three different mercury concentrations a physiological stress response was exerted on C. carpio by causing changes in the blood status such as erythropenia in blood and oxidative stress in liver. Red blood cell counts, hemoglobin concentration and hematocrit level were reduced in most cases by inorganic mercury. Remarkable low level of serum chloride, calcium and osmolality were also observed in the mercury- exposed fish. However, serum magnesium and phosphate were not altered by exposure to mercury. An increased activity of hepatic glutathione peroxidase was observed in the lowest treatment group of carp $(1mg\;Hg\;mg\;b.w.^{-1})$, hence, hepatic catalase and glutathione peroxidase of carp exposed to higher concentration of mercury $(5,\;10mg\;Hg\;kg\;b.W.^{-1})$ showed significant reduction in such activities.