The neurological effects of prenatal and postnatal mercury/methylmercury exposure on three-year-old children in taiwan
Journal
Chemosphere
Journal Volume
100
Pages
71
Date Issued
2014-01-01
Author(s)
Abstract
This study attempts to elucidate the relationship between neurological effects and mercury/methylmercury concentrations in various biomarkers, including meconium, hair, fingernail, and toenail. Eight-three mother-infant pairs were recruited between August 2008 and December 2009, and follow-up examinations on these children were completed after three years. The Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development (Bayley-III) for evaluating the cognitive, language, and motor development of three-year-old children were calculated and validated. The geometric mean of the total mercury concentration in meconium was 89.6ngg-1. The methylmercury concentrations in hair, fingernail, and toenail samples were 1.96, 0.64, and 0.55μgg-1, respectively. Seventy percent of children had hair methylmercury concentrations exceeding the U.S. environmental protection agency (EPA) reference of 1μgg-1. A significantly positive correlation was obtained between methylmercury levels in hair, fingernail, and toenail. These methylmercury levels were also significantly positively correlated with the children's fish intake and negatively correlated with a Bayley-III scale score of expressive language. The prenatal mercury exposure, however, did not show significant influence on neurological development. High fish consumption appears to be a critical risk factor for methylmercury levels in children and may cause a lower expressive language score. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd.
Subjects
Children | Fish intake | Mercury | Methylmercury | Neurological effects
Children; Fish intake; Mercury; Methylmercury; Neurological effects
SDGs
Other Subjects
Environmental Protection Agency; Fish; Mercury (metal); Neurology; Children; Fish consumption; Fish intake; Methyl mercury; Neurological effects; Positive correlations; Prenatal mercury exposures; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; Mercury compounds; mercury; methylmercury; biomarker; child health; correlation; health risk; methylmercury; neurology; pollution effect; pollution exposure; risk factor; article; Bayley Scales of Infant Development; child; exposure; female; finger nail; hair; human; major clinical study; male; meconium; neurotoxicity; postnatal exposure; prenatal exposure; preschool child; Taiwan; Taiwan; Children; Fish intake; Mercury; Methylmercury; Neurological effects; Adult; Animals; Child, Preschool; Cognition; Environmental Exposure; Female; Fishes; Humans; Infant; Male; Mercury; Methylmercury Compounds; Neuropsychological Tests; Pregnancy; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; Taiwan; United States
Publisher
PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD
Type
journal article