Mercury Exposure in Ireland: Results of the DEMOCOPHES Human Biomonitoring Study

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

Elizabeth Cullen¹⁸  David S. Evans⁴  Fred Davidson⁵  Padraig Burke¹³  Damien Burns¹  Andrew Flanagan¹³  Chris Griffin¹⁹  Anne Kellegher¹²  Rory Mannion¹³  Maurice Mulcahy⁷  Michael Ryan³  Pierre Biot^16,18  Ludwine Casteleyn^2,18  Argelia Castaño^11,18  Jürgen Angerer^14,18  Holger M. Koch^14,18  Marta Esteban^11,18  Birgit K. Schindler^14,18  Carmen Navarro^11,18  Marike Kolossa-Gehring^9,18  Ulrike Fiddicke^9,18  Greet Schoeters^17,18  Elly Den Hond^17,18  Ovnair Sepai^6,18  Karen Exley^6,18  Louis Bloemen^15,18  Lisbeth E. Knudsen^10,18  Reinhard Joas^8,18  Anke Joas^8,18 

[1] Project Manager, Health Service Executive, Palmerstown, Dublin 20, Ireland; E-Mail:;University of Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium; E-Mail:;Conway Institute of Biomolecular and Biomedical Research, University College Dublin 4, Ireland; E-Mail:;Department of Public Health, Health Service Executive, Galway, Ireland; E-Mail:;Public Analyst’s Laboratory Health Service Executive, Cork, Ireland; E-Mail:;Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Public Health England, Chilton OX11 ORQ, Oxfordshire UK; E-Mails:;Environmental Health Service, Health Service Executive, Galway, Ireland; E-Mail:;BiPRO GmbH, Munich 81545, Germany; E-Mails:;Federal Environment Agency, Berlin 14195, Germany; E-Mails:;21 Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen 1353, Denmark; E-Mail:;Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Environmental Toxicology Centro Nacional de Sanidad Ambiental (CNSA), Majadahonda, Madrid 28220, Spain; E-Mails:;Environmental Health Service, Health Service Executive, Leitrim, Ireland; E-Mail:;Public Analyst’s Laboratory, Health Service Executive, Galway, Ireland; E-Mails:;Institute for Prevention and Occupational Medicine of the German Social Accident Insurance, Institute of the Ruhr-Universität Bochum (IPA), Bochum 44789, Germany; E-Mails:;Environmental Health Science International, 4561 HV Hulst, The Netherlands; E-Mail:;Federal Public Service Health, Food Chain Safety and Environment, Brussels 1060, Belgium; E-Mails:;Flemish Institute of Technological Research, Environmental Risk and Health Unit, MolB-2400, Belgium; E-Mails:;Department of Community of Health, Health Service Executive, Kildare, Ireland;Public Analyst’s Laboratory, Health Service Executive, Dublin 2, Ireland; E-Mail:

关键词: mercury;    human biomonitoring;    hair;    exposure;   

DOI  :  10.3390/ijerph110909760

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

Background: Monitoring of human exposure to mercury is important due to its adverse health effects. This study aimed to determine the extent of mercury exposure among mothers and their children in Ireland, and to identify factors associated with elevated levels. It formed part of the Demonstration of a study to Coordinate and Perform Human Biomonitoring on a European Scale (DEMOCOPHES) pilot biomonitoring study. Methods: Hair mercury concentrations were determined from a convenience sample of 120 mother/child pairs. Mothers also completed a questionnaire. Rigorous quality assurance within DEMOCOPHES guaranteed the accuracy and international comparability of results. Results: Mercury was detected in 79.2% of the samples from mothers, and 62.5% of children’s samples. Arithmetic mean levels in mothers (0.262 µg/g hair) and children (0.149 µg /g hair) did not exceed the US EPA guidance value. Levels were significantly higher for those with higher education, and those who consumed more fish. Conclusions: The study demonstrates the benefit of human biomonitoring for assessing and comparing internal exposure levels, both on a population and an individual basis. It enables the potential harmful impact of mercury to be minimised in those highly exposed, and can therefore significantly contribute to population health.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2014 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.