• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.190-195
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• 2015

The objective of this study is to estimate the relationship between amalgam removal and urinary mercury levels. To measure urinary mercury concentration, urine of participants was collected at baseline, immediately, 24 hours and 48 hours after removal of amalgam restorations. The statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS Statistics ver. 20.0. The overall mean urinary mercury concentration at baseline, immediately, 24 hours and 48 hours after removal of amalgam restorations was 2.77, 2.75, 2.95 and $4.00{\mu}g/g$ creatinine, respectively. Logistic regression model shows that the gender leads to increased odds of high urinary mercury concentration in children (odds ratio, OR=1.99), even after adjusting for high amalgam surfaces (OR=1.23) and fish consumption (OR=1.26) at the baseline. Our findings suggest that mercury exposure from dental amalgam adversely impact health and therefore are a health risk.

• Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
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• v.35
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• pp.23.1-23.14
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• 2023

Background: Exposure to heavy metals is a public health concern worldwide. Previous studies on the association between heavy metal exposure and neurobehavioral functions in children have focused on single exposures and clinical manifestations. However, the present study evaluated the effects of heavy metal complex exposure on subclinical neurobehavioral function using a Korean Computerized Neurobehavior Test (KCNT). Methods: Urinary mercury, lead, cadmium analyses as well as symbol digit substitution (SDS) and choice reaction time (CRT) tests of the KCNT were conducted in children aged between 10 and 12 years. Reaction time and urinary heavy metal levels were analyzed using partial correlation, linear regression, Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR), the weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression and quantile G-computation analysis. Results: Participants of 203 SDS tests and 198 CRT tests were analyzed, excluding poor cooperation and inappropriate urine sample. Partial correlation analysis revealed no association between neurobehavioral function and exposure to individual heavy metals. The result of multiple linear regression shows significant positive association between urinary lead, mercury, and CRT. BMKR, WQS regression and quantile G-computation analysis showed a statistically significant positive association between complex urinary heavy metal concentrations, especially lead and mercury, and reaction time. Conclusions: Assuming complex exposures, urinary heavy metal concentrations showed a statistically significant positive association with CRT. These results suggest that heavy metal complex exposure during childhood should be evaluated and managed strictly.

• Proceedings of the Korea Society of Environmental Biology Conference
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• 2003.11a
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• pp.63-67
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• 2003

Mercury, one of the most diffused and hazardous organ-specific environmental contaminants, exists in a wide variety of physical and chemical states. Although the reports indicate that the mercury induces a deleterious damage, little has been known from the investigations of its effects in living organisms. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of mercury chloride and ionizing radiation. Prepubertal male F344 rats were administered mercury chloride in drinking water throughout the experimental period. Two weeks after whole body irradiation, organs were collected to analyze the induced injury. Serum levels of GOT, GPT, ALP, and LDH were checked in the experimental groups and the hematological analysis was accomplished in plasma. In conclusion, the target organ of mercury chloride seems to be urinary organs and the pattern of damage induced by mercury differs from that by irradiation.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.20-22
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• 2004

Acute mercury inhalation poisoning is a rare cause of acute peripheral neuropathy. A 44-year-old female inhaled the fume from heating mercury to treat her palmar dermatitis. For 4 days, this procedure was done for 2-3 minutes after each meal. She subsequently complained flu like symptoms, such as headache, toothache, myalgia and arthralgia. She was admitted for 9 days and then symptoms disappeared. About 3 weeks after exposure, both knee pain developed and then she could not walk. To treat mercury intoxication, she was referred to our hospital. At that time, initial laboratory data were within normal limits, but blood and urinary mercury level were 5.6 11$\mu$g/dl, 132.8 $\mu$g/L. After treatment with D-penicillamine for 7 days, blood and urinary mercury level were 3.9 1$\mu$g/dl, 177.3 $\mu$g/L. During the following 1 month, both leg symptoms remained. Nerve conduction studies were performed, both leg sensory nerve amplitude decreased. These findings were suggestive of peripheral polyneuropathy.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.75-82
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• 1982

Normal range of mercury contents in blood and its relationship with urinary mercury excretion were studies with 68 healthy male adults living in Seoul city, who had no obvious evidence of .either occupational exposure to mercury or therapeutic use of mercurial agents. Mercury analysis was made by means of dithizone colorimetric method with coefficient of variation of 10.9% in .an average ranging from 5.1% to 18.0%. 1. Mercury contents in normal human blood were both normally and log-normally distributed, and better fitted to the latter. 2. Geometric mean and standard deviation of the mercury contents were $24.0(log^{-1}1.38){\pm}1.66{\mu}g/100ml(log^{-1}0.22{\mu}g/100ml)$ ranging from 7.2 to 79.7 ${\mu}g/100ml$ with 95% confidence interval. 3. Mercury contents in normal human blood differed from person to person (p<0.01), and the variability of the measurements was negligible (p>0.05). 4. Mercury in the blood was contained much higher in erythrocytes than in plasma (p<0.01), showing the geometric means of $21.0{\pm}1.25{\mu}g/100ml$ in red blood cells and $14.3{\pm}1.62{\mu}g/100ml$ in plasma, respectively. 5. Mercury contents in normal human blood had a relationship of power function with mercury excretion in urine corrected with a gram of creatinine excretion per liter of urine (p<0.10).

• Journal of Korean Ophthalmic Optics Society
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.329-337
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• 2005

This study investigated prevalence of color vision loss different from children's residence. The study subjects are 3 to 6 grade's children of elementary school in four areas. The blood lead and urinary mercury were analysed using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy. All of participations' blood lead and urine mercury concentration were below suggested level of concern such as criteria by CDC and ATSDR. Color vision was assessed by the Lanthony D-15 desaturated panel. Color vision loss was quantitatively established by the Color Confusion Index (CCI) and qualitatively classified by type of acquired dyschromatopsia according to Verriest's classification. The prevalence of color vision loss and CCI value for children in industrial area was significantly higher than other areas(p<0.05). However blood lead and urinary mercury concentration level was not correlated to the color vision loss. Therefore we believed that other environmental neurotoxic substance except metal had an effects on color vision loss for children in industrial area.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.411-418
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• 2004

Mercury, one of the most diffused and hazardous organ-specific environmental contaminants, exists in a wide variety of physical and chemical states. The murcury with the nature which evaporates easily can cause an acute or chronic mercury poisoning to workers at mercury-handling workplaces. Although many studies indicate that mercury induces a deleterious damage, little has been reported from the investigations of mercury effects at surrounding levels in living things. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the biological effects of mercury chloride and ionizing radiation. Prepubertal male F344 rats were administered mercury chloride in drinking water throughout the experimental period or were given wholebody irradiation with a dose of 6.5 Gy. The amount changed of body weight during the experimental period showed a 4.9% rise in the mercury-treated group and 14.4% decline in the irradiated group compared with the level of the control group. The results of hematological analysis (red blood cells, white blood cells, hemoglobin, and hematocrit) indicated the differential effects of mercury chloride and ionizing radiation. However the concentration of cortisol as assessed by radioimmunoassay increased in both of the groups. Relative expressions of mRNA related to mitochondrion-mediated apoptosis were investigated using semiquantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction on gonad and urinary organs of the experimental groups. While the expression of Bcl-2 mRNA exhibited different patterns depending on the organs or the experimental groups, both of the experimental groups showed a conspicuous expressions of Bax mRNA. In conclusion, the target organ of mercury chloride seems to be a urinary organ and the pattern of damage induced by mercury chloride differs from that by ionizing radiation.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.401-407
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• 2005

Objectives : We wanted to investigate the relationship between heavy metal, especially lead and mercury, to the blood pressure and cholesterol level in children. Methods : This study was undertaken in three primary schools and the study subjects were a total of 274 children. The lead in the blood and the urine mercury were analyzed by performing atomic absorption spectroscopy. Results : All of participants' blood lead levels and urine mercury concentrations were below the suggested level of concern according to the criteria of the CDC and ATSDR. We found no significant correlation between lead, mercury and the blood pressure. The blood lead level did not show any relationship with the blood pressure and cholesterol. However, the urine mercury levels were associated with the serum cholesterol. Conclusion : Our study suggests that mercury can induce an increase of cholesterol as a risk factor of myocardial infraction and coronary/cardiovascular disease.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.59-72
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• 2013

The purpose of this study is to assess the effects of heavy metal concentrations in the blood and urine of the general population. This research had been conducted from April to December 2008, studying 545 residents of Daejeon and Chungcheong Province. Through the concentrations of heavy metals(Pb, Cd, Hg, As, Mn) in the biota samples and questionnaires, the residents heavy metal exposure level and the influential factors according to personal characteristics or lifestyle were evaluated. As to the heavy metal concentration in the blood and urine of the comparing region, were As and Mn statistically significant(p<0.01, p<0.05). Blood lead and urinary mercury concentrations were higher in males than females. The heavy metal concentration for each age group increased blood mercury. The concentration of all heavy metals were higher in the drinkers than in the non-drinkers. Blood lead and mercury concentrations were higher in the smokers than in the non-smokers, but the urinary cadmium, arsenic and blood manganese was higher in the non-smokers than in the smokers. As to the blood lead and urinary cadmium concentration according to the food preference fish showed high concentration. To clarify the factors affecting the heavy metal concentration in biota among subjects multiple regression analysis was conducted. As a results, it turned out that as to lead content in blood, sex, age and smoking have influence on the subjects with explanatory adequacy of 14.0 %. These results demonstrated that the factors affected the concentrations of heavy metals in blood and urine. The results of this study could be used as the foundational data for setting the health risk assessment.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.245-258
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• 2021

Objectives: In many previous studies, endocrine disruptors (EDCs) have been found to affect delays in puberty. Various EDCs have been reported on, but there have been only limited epidemiologic studies on the effects of exposure to environmental heavy metals and pyrethroid pesticides on puberty delay. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the association of exposure to environmental mercury, cadmium, and pyrethroid pesticides with delayed puberty in children based on national survey data that represents Korean children. Methods: We selected 450 children at the ages of 9-11 years old from the third Korean National Environmental Health Survey (3rd KoNEHS). The relations of urinary Hg, Cd, and 3-PBA with pubertal development were evaluated using multiple logistic regression analyses. Results: Urinary Hg levels were significantly associated with delayed puberty in boys [testicle development: OR=0.41 (95% CI: 0.20, 0.84); genitalia development: OR=0.35 (95% CI: 0.15, 0.81)]. Girls with higher Hg levels were more likely to experience delayed menarche [OR=0.23 (95% CI: 0.06, 0.90)]. We observed a significant 49% reduction in odds for menarche per increasing unit of urinary cadmium levels [OR=0.51 (95% CI: 0.24, 1.01)]. In addition, urinary 3-PBA showed a negative association with genitalia development in boys and menarche in girls [genitalia development: OR=0.73 (95% CI: 0.55, 0.96); menarche: OR=0.56 (95% CI: 0.32, 1.00)]. Conclusions: The results of this study support the hypothesis that exposure to environmental mercury, cadmium and pyrethroid pesticides may affect puberty delays. Additional evidence needs to be obtained through further prospective studies.