[en] Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA), including both the non-destructive (Instrumental NAA) and destructive (Radiochemical NAA) forms, is used as the principal technique to determine total mercury (T-Hg) and methylmercury (MeHg) in samples of human head hair. Head hair samples taken from pregnant women has been the focus for sample collection in this project. In addition, a special population group (Buddhist monks) and a normal population (control) group have also been selected for study. The defined population groups are residing in distinct regions which represent highland, coastal and industrial areas in Vietnam. Preliminary results from the determination of T-Hg and MeHg in hair samples from the defined groups indicate that the consumption of fish and seafood products is the main source of intake of MeHg; this agrees with the results from other investigators. The mean T-Hg in human hair samples from Ho Chi Minh City (an industrial region) was statistically higher than the corresponding mean values from samples taken in Dalat and Nha Trang cities, which suggest that industrial activities may be discharging an appreciable amount of mercury into the environment around Ho Chi Minh City. (author)

[en] The aim of the study is to evaluate the accuracy with which the participating laboratories are determining mercury and methylmercury in hair. For this purpose the results on the reported concentrations will be statistically evaluated and most probable values will be determined. Potential bias in procedures or laboratory results will be reported to the participants. Of course, all results will be treated anonymously, and only laboratory codes will be used throughout the study. Participants will be informed only of their own laboratory code

[en] Since the Second Research Co-ordinating Meeting in Malaysia, 24-28 August 1992, our research group has completed the analysis of total and methylmercury in scalp hair samples of 1179 fishermen living at a typical Hg-polluted region in Northeast China and of 27 lying-in women and their newborns in a Beijing hospital by INAA, GC(EC) and other techniques. The longitudinal Hg patterns of the lying-in women show a gradually decreasing tendency during the pregnancy period. Further, the hair Hg contents of the newborn babies are generally above or close to those of their mothers, confirming the mechanism that the methylmercury, an organic species of Hg with high toxicity, is readily able to penetrate the placental barrier and accumulate in the fetus. Thus, the mercury exposure has occurred at the early stage of pregnancy. (author)

[en] The results of the continued studies on methods of analysis for forms of mercury in hair, and of the distribution of mercury among inorganic and organic forms in human hair are described. A new method for determining methylmercury has been developed, based on the selective leaching of methylmercury from hair using 2M hydrochioric acid. This method was used, in combination with the determination of mercury by atomic absorption spectrometry, for the analysis of mercury forms in three samples of human hair and two samples of fish homogenate. Good reproducibility of parallel determinations was obtained. The results were compared with literature data for the samples, or with the results of the analysis of the same samples by extraction method described earlier. Good agreement was also found between these methods. Further experiments were concerned with the study of the effect of radiation sterilization on the forms of mercury in hair, of the speciation of ²⁰³Hg formed by irradiation of hair in nuclear reactor and with the labelling of a large batch of human hair with methylmercury. (author)

[en] Fish has been known as a source of non-occupational mercury exposure to fish consuming population groups, and this is shown by the high hair mercury levels. In this study, hair samples collected from fishermen and their families, and commercial marine fishes were analyzed for mercury and methylmercury by neutron activation and gas chromatography. The results showed a correlation between hair mercury levels and fish consumption patterns. The levels of mercury found in this study were similar to those reported by other workers for fish consuming population groups worldwide. (author)

[en] The programme of this CRP is focused on the analyses of human hair samples. There are only two human hair samples certified for total mercury, and no RMs for methylmercury compounds is available. One of the main objectives of this CRP is to produce, through the IAEA AQCS Programme, a human hair intercomparison material for quality assurance requirements in population monitoring programmes for total and methylmercury exposure. Through the reporting period, MESL has introduced a new method for simultaneous determination of total and methylmercury in biological samples. As the laboratory has close collaboration with the CRP's Reference Laboratory in Ljubljana, Slovenia, it has also been actively involved in the quality assurance component of this CRP. This report represents a summary on the results for total and methylmercury in two intercomparison samples, IAEA-085 and IAEA-086 using newly developed method

[en] A Co-ordinated Research Programme (CRP) on assessment of environmental exposure to mercury in selected human populations as studied by nuclear and other techniques was initiated by the IAEA in 1990. The purpose of this CRP is to promote national and regional studies to evaluate the exposure of selected population groups to mercury and methylmercury and to estimate potential risks in these groups. The programme is focused on the analysis of human head hair for the determination of mercury and methylmercury. The CRP has two main components: (i) identifying population groups that are at risk, and (ii) studying health effects in the exposed persons, particularly pregnant women and the babies born to them. This document reports the discussions held during the third Research Co-ordination Meeting (RCM) for the CRP which took place at the IAEA, Monaco Laboratory. (author)

[en] Total mercury has been determined by instrumental neutron activation analysis in the hair of several Indian tribes living in the Xingu Park, located in the Amazonic region of Brazil. Methylmercury and total mercury have been determined in selected samples using cold vapour atomic absorption spectroscopy, at the Nuclear Chemistry Department, Jozef Stefan Institute, Ljubliana, Slovenia. Mercury levels were found to be much higher in the Indian hair samples as compared to the samples from the control population. The arithmetic and geometric means for total mercury in the Indian hair samples ranged from 10 to 20 ppm, compared to values of about 1 ppm for the means of the control group. The results obtained for methylmercury have shown that the majority of the mercury is present in the hair of the Indians as the organic form. The Indian study populations living in the Xingu Park can thus be considered as being at risk with regards to contamination by mercury. With the aim of applying neutron activation analysis for the determination of methylmercury in hair, experiments were done at the IEA-R1 nuclear research reactor irradiating cysteine- and also thioacetamide- impregnated filter papers, on which a methylmercury solution was pipetted. The results obtained have shown that all the mercury was lost from the cysteine-impregnated paper and about 90 % of the mercury remained on the paper impregnated with thioacetamide. (author)

[en] The concept of the use of human scalp hair as a first level indicator of exposure to inorganic pollutants has been established by us earlier. Efforts towards the preparation of a hair reference material are described. The analytical approaches for the determination of total mercury by cold vapour AAS and INAA and of methylmercury by extraction combined with gas chromatography coupled to an ECD are summarized with results on some of the samples analyzed, including the stability of values over a period of time of storage. (author)

[en] Hair samples from subjects living in the areas of Bagnara Calabra, Fiumicino and Ravenna, having a fish consumption above the national average, have been analyzed. A new location close to the Lagoon of Grado and Marano, located near the border with Slovenia, has been Selected because of the high natural levels of mercury in this lagoon due to the discharge of the Isonzo river, a tributary of which crosses the mercury rich area of Idria in Slovenia. During the last year, a group of pregnant women were selected in Rome, Bagnara Calabra, Ravenna and the area of the Lagoon of Grado and Marano. Samples of hair, pubic hair and placenta were collected from each of the subjects. A sample of the newborn hair was also collected whenever possible. The preliminary results indicate higher mercury levels in the subjects living in the area around the Lagoon of Grado and Marano. (author)