Human exposure to mercury in a compact fluorescent lamp manufacturing area: By food (rice and fish) consumption and occupational exposure

Peng LIANG, Xinbin FENG, Chan ZHANG, Jin ZHANG, Yucheng CAO, Qiongzhi YOU, Anna Oi Wah LEUNG, Ming Hung WONG, Sheng Chun WU

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42 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

To investigate human Hg exposure by food consumption and occupation exposure in a compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) manufacturing area, human hair and rice samples were collected from Gaohong town, Zhejiang Province, China. The mean values of total mercury (THg) and methylmercury (MeHg) concentrations in local cultivated rice samples were significantly higher than in commercial rice samples which indicated that CFL manufacturing activities resulted in Hg accumulation in local rice samples. For all of the study participants, significantly higher THg concentrations in human hair were observed in CFL workers compared with other residents. In comparison, MeHg concentrations in human hair of residents whose diet consisted of local cultivated rice were significantly higher than those who consumed commercial rice. These results demonstrated that CFL manufacturing activities resulted in THg accumulation in the hair of CFL workers. However, MeHg in hair were mainly affected by the sources of rice of the residents. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)126-132
JournalEnvironmental Pollution
Volume198
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2015

Citation

Liang, P., Feng, X., Zhang, C., Zhang, J., Cao, Y., You, Q., ... Wu, S.-C. (2015). Human exposure to mercury in a compact fluorescent lamp manufacturing area: By food (rice and fish) consumption and occupational exposure. Environmental Pollution, 198, 126-132. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2014.12.036.

Keywords

  • Mercury
  • Compact fluorescent lamps
  • Methylmercury exposure
  • Rice

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