Factors associated with the bioaccumulation of mercury in human hair following consumption of fish from the Great Lakes region

Due to the ubiquitous nature of mercury in the environment, an increase in potential human health risks arises from exposure to different media. The Great Lakes region, for instance, is an area of known mercury pollution. This project examines the relationship between fish consumption of a sensitive human population and the concentration of mercury in humans using information obtained from the Ojibwa Health Study hair samples and questionnaires, this study focused on the species of fish, the amount of fish, the size of fish, and the geographic source of fish consumed. Also, human factors, such as years of eating Great Lakes fish, gender, height, and weight, were examined. Statistical analysis determined several exposure assessment variables for Ojibwa. Mean hair mercury concentrations was 1.82, with a standard deviation of 7.06. Analysis showed poor correlations between of the variables and their association with hair mercury concentrations

The Status of Childhood Lead Poisoning and Prevention in Nevada, USA

One of the first steps in addressing the problem of childhood lead poisoning is to identify the possible sources of exposure in specific communities and target high-risk populations with appropriate interventions. Due to several factors, such as lack of funding and lack of blood lead reporting, little information exists regarding the occurrence of childhood lead poisoning and the prevalence of potential exposure sources in the state of Nevada. Following the recent establishment of a Nevada-based Lead Poisoning Program, we compiled the most current information available on Nevadans, and use this knowledge to suggest future research objectives and outreach activities for the state. Accordingly, we identify the characteristics of the vulnerable Nevada populations, explore possible sources of lead exposure unique to Nevada, and summarize the existing data on childhood lead poisoning. Emerging data indicates that Nevada is an area of rapid population growth, characterized by increasing immigration from Latin America, increasing numbers of children from low-income families with no health insurance. Also, childhood lead poisoning may arise from exposure to non-paint sources of lead. After presenting the Nevada statistics, we propose and recommend a set of research and outreach strategies that best suit the needs of Nevada residents

An Assessment of Mercury Concentrations in Small Mammals Collected Near Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Mercury concentrations in liver and hair tissue were determined for five species of small mammals captured near Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. These data were then used to evaluate the suitability of using hair as a noninvasive technique for determining body burdens of mercury. A total of 104 small mammals were captured and analyzed; four main species were examined and included: Dipodomys merriami, Chaetodipus penicillatus, Peromyscus eremicus, and Neotoma lepida. Mean mercury concentrations were highest in N. lepida, followed by D. merriami, C. penicillatus, and P. eremicus respectively. Positive associations were found between hair and liver taken from D. merriami (r = 0.647) and C. penicillatus (r = 0.533) indicating that hair may be a suitable indicator of body burdens in these two species