Mercury in human maternal and cord blood, placenta, and milk

Journal Article · Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1976 · Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.3181/00379727-151-39259· OSTI ID:7276077

Pitkin, R M; Bahns, J A; Filer, Jr, L J; Reynolds, W A

Heparinized blood was collected from the antecubital vein of 100 consecutive parturient women within 1 hour of vaginal delivery and from the cut end of the umbilical cord immediately after birth of the same 100 infants. The total mercury concentration in these samples of whole blood was measured. Mercury content was also measured in 38 placentae obtained from normal vaginal deliveries other than those already mentioned, and in samples of breast milk from 32 women with established lactation of 56 days or more. The concentration of total mercury ranged from 0 to 8 ppB in maternal blood and from 0 to 6 ppB in cord blood. Mercury was detected in 34 of 38 placentae analyzed, and the mean (/sup +/-SEM) concentration was 2.28(+-0.29)ppB. Detectable mercury levels were found in 14 of 32 milk samples examined. The mean (+-SEM) level was 0.93(+-0.23)ppB. Considerable inferential evidence suggests that the principal form of mercury in fetuses is methylmercury. The levels reported here are lower than those reported elsewhere, probably reflecting a combination of methodological refinement and relatively low mercury exposure in a rural population whose diet is low in fish consumption. (JTE)

• Research Organization: Univ. of Iowa Hospitals, Iowa City
• OSTI ID: 7276077
• Journal Information: Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med.; (United States), Vol. 151
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
MERCURY
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
MILK
CONTAMINATION
BLOOD
MAMMARY GLANDS
PARTURITION
PLACENTA
TISSUE DISTRIBUTION
WOMEN
ANIMALS
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BODY
BODY FLUIDS
DISTRIBUTION
ELEMENTS
FEMALES
FETAL MEMBRANES
FOOD
GLANDS
MAMMALS
MAN
MEMBRANES
METALS
ORGANS
PRIMATES
VERTEBRATES
550500* - Metabolism