SHARMA, Brij Mohan, Ondřej SÁŇKA, Jiří KALINA and Martin SCHERINGER. An overview of worldwide and regional time trends in total mercury levels in human blood and breast milk from 1966 to 2015 and their associations with health effects. Environment International. Oxford: PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD, 2019, vol. 125, April, p. 300-319. ISSN 0160-4120. Available from: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2018.12.016.
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Basic information
Original name An overview of worldwide and regional time trends in total mercury levels in human blood and breast milk from 1966 to 2015 and their associations with health effects
Authors SHARMA, Brij Mohan (356 India, belonging to the institution), Ondřej SÁŇKA (203 Czech Republic, belonging to the institution), Jiří KALINA (203 Czech Republic, belonging to the institution) and Martin SCHERINGER (756 Switzerland, guarantor, belonging to the institution).
Edition Environment International, Oxford, PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD, 2019, 0160-4120.
Other information
Original language English
Type of outcome Article in a journal
Field of Study 10511 Environmental sciences
Country of publisher United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Confidentiality degree is not subject to a state or trade secret
WWW Full Text
Impact factor Impact factor: 7.577
RIV identification code RIV/00216224:14310/19:00110374
Organization unit Faculty of Science
Doi http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2018.12.016
UT WoS 000459005200031
Keywords in English Mercury exposure; Mercury blood levels; Mercury breast milk levels; Worldwide trends; Human health
Tags rivok
Tags International impact, Reviewed
Changed by Changed by: Mgr. Marie Šípková, DiS., učo 437722. Changed: 24/3/2020 09:57.
Abstract
Background: Mercury is a pollutant of global concern. To protect human health and environment from mercury pollution, the Minamata Convention on mercury entered into force in 2017. Objectives: To support a future effectiveness evaluation of the convention, this study assesses worldwide and regional time trends of total mercury levels in human blood and breast milk across different population sub-groups in the last half-century prior to entry-into-force of the Minamata Convention. This study also provides an overview of the epidemiological literature showing evidence of associations between mercury exposure (in terms of total mercury levels in whole blood, cord blood, and breast milk) and human health. Methods: We searched electronic databases to identify articles published prior to June 14, 2017 and reported total mercury levels in any of three biological matrices (whole blood, cord blood, or breast milk) and/or associations with human health. Temporal trends of total mercury levels in the selected biological matrices across different population sub-groups were estimated using a linear fit of the log-transformed data. In parallel, statistical methods were employed to assess any possible effect of sources of inhomogeneity (i.e. study and population characteristics such as age, sex, ethnicity, source of exposure, sampling period, and geographical region) in the collected studies. Furthermore, a summary of significant and relevant associations between mercury exposure and human health conditions in children and adults was prepared. Findings: We found significant declines in total mercury levels in whole blood, cord blood, and breast milk between 1966 and 2015. A regional overview of total mercury levels in whole blood, cord blood, and breast milk suggests the highest levels in South America, followed by Africa or Asia whereas the population groups from Europe or North America displayed the lowest levels of total mercury in the selected biological matrices. We observed conclusive consistent associations of mercury exposure with selected health conditions, especially neurodevelopment and neurotoxicity in children and adults. For several other health conditions, reported findings in the collected studies do not support conclusive associations. We also found that several studies demonstrated significant associations between mercury exposure below the USEPA reference level and various health conditions. Conclusions: This study provides a worldwide and regional overview of trends in total mercury levels in human blood and breast milk and associated health risks prior to entry-into-force of the Minamata Convention and calls for further epidemiological investigations from across the globe to fully understand the health implications of mercury exposure.
Links
EF15_003/0000469, research and development projectName: Cetocoen Plus
LM2015051, research and development projectName: Centrum pro výzkum toxických látek v prostředí (Acronym: RECETOX RI)
Investor: Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the CR
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