| Speciation of methyl- and ethyl-mercury in hair of breastfed infants acutely exposed to thimerosal-containing vaccines. | |
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MedLine Citation:
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PMID: 21575620 Owner: NLM Status: MEDLINE |
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
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BACKGROUND: Different chemical forms of mercury occur naturally in human milk. The most controversial aspect of early post-natal exposure to organic mercury is ethylmercury (EtHg) in thimerosal-containing vaccines (TCV) still being used in many countries. Thus exclusively breastfed infants can be exposed to both, fish derived methylmercury (MeHg) in maternal diets and to EtHg from TCV. The aim of the study is to evaluate a new analytical method for ethyl and methyl mercury in hair samples of breastfed infants who had received the recommended schedule of TCV. METHODS: The hair of infants (<12 months) that had been exposed to TCV (Hepatitis B and DTaP) was analysed. A method coupling isothermal gas chromatography with cold-vapor atomic fluorescence spectrometry was used for MeHg which can also speciate EtHg in biological matrices. RESULTS: In 20 samples of infants' hair, all but two samples showed variable amounts of MeHg (10.3 to 668 ng/g), while precise and reliable concentrations of EtHg (3.7 to 65.0 ng/g) were found in 15 of the 20 samples. A statistically significant inverse association (r=-05572; p=0.0384) was found between hair-EtHg concentrations and the time elapsed after the last TCV shot. CONCLUSIONS: The analytical method proved sensitive enough to quantify EtHg in babies' hair after acute exposure to thimerosal in vaccine shots. Provided that the mass of hair was above 10mg, organic-mercury exposure during early life can be speciated, and quantified in babies' first hair, thus opening opportunities for clinical and forensic studies. |
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Authors:
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José G Dórea; Vera Lucia V A Bezerra; Vesna Fajon; Milena Horvat |
Publication Detail:
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Type: Journal Article Date: 2011-05-07 |
Journal Detail:
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Title: Clinica chimica acta; international journal of clinical chemistry Volume: 412 ISSN: 1873-3492 ISO Abbreviation: Clin. Chim. Acta Publication Date: 2011 Aug |
Date Detail:
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Created Date: 2011-06-21 Completed Date: 2011-10-18 Revised Date: 2012-01-12 |
Medline Journal Info:
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Nlm Unique ID: 1302422 Medline TA: Clin Chim Acta Country: Netherlands |
Other Details:
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Languages: eng Pagination: 1563-6 Citation Subset: IM |
Copyright Information:
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Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. |
Affiliation:
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Department of Environmental Sciences, Jožef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia. dorea@rudah.com.br |
Export Citation:
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| MeSH Terms | |
Descriptor/Qualifier:
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Breast Feeding* Chromatography, Gas Ethylmercury Compounds / analysis, classification* Female Hair / chemistry* Humans Infant Male Methylmercury Compounds / analysis, classification* Reproducibility of Results Spectrometry, Fluorescence Thimerosal / analysis* Vaccines / administration & dosage*, chemistry |
| Chemical | |
Reg. No./Substance:
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0/Ethylmercury Compounds; 0/Methylmercury Compounds; 0/Vaccines; 54-64-8/Thimerosal |
| Comments/Corrections | |
Comment In:
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Clin Chim Acta. 2012 Jan 18;413(1-2):355
[PMID:
22001515
]
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From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine
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