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Urinary Mercury Levels and Predictors of Exposure among a Group of Italian Children

Author

Listed:
  • Maria Luisa Astolfi

    (Department of Chemistry, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy)

  • Matteo Vitali

    (Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy)

  • Elisabetta Marconi

    (Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy)

  • Stefano Martellucci

    (Biomedicine and Advanced Technologies Rieti Center, “Sabina Universitas”, 02100 Rieti, Italy)

  • Vincenzo Mattei

    (Biomedicine and Advanced Technologies Rieti Center, “Sabina Universitas”, 02100 Rieti, Italy)

  • Silvia Canepari

    (Department of Chemistry, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy)

  • Carmela Protano

    (Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy)

Abstract

Urinary mercury (Hg) levels are suitable to assess long-term exposure to both elemental and inorganic Hg. In this study, the urinary Hg levels of 250 children (aged 6–11 years) from three areas with different anthropogenic impacts in the Rieti province, central Italy, were assessed. The Hg concentrations were in the range of 0.04–2.18 µg L −1 with a geometric mean equal to 0.18 µg L −1 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.17–0.20 µg L −1 ] or 0.21 µg g −1 creatinine (95% CI, 0.19–0.23 µg g −1 creatinine), and a reference value calculated as 95th percentile of 0.53 µg L −1 (95% CI, 0.44–0.73 µg L −1 ) or 0.55 µg g −1 creatinine (95% CI, 0.50–0.83 µg g −1 creatinine). In all cases, urinary Hg data were below the HBM-I values (7 µg L −1 or 5 µg g −1 creatinine) established for urine, while the 95th percentile was above the German Human Biomonitoring Commission’s RV95 (0.4 µg L −1 ) set for children without amalgam fillings. A significant correlation ( p < 0.05) was found between creatinine-corrected results and residence area, with higher urinary Hg levels in children living in the industrial area. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that creatinine was the main predictor of urinary Hg.

Suggested Citation

  • Maria Luisa Astolfi & Matteo Vitali & Elisabetta Marconi & Stefano Martellucci & Vincenzo Mattei & Silvia Canepari & Carmela Protano, 2020. "Urinary Mercury Levels and Predictors of Exposure among a Group of Italian Children," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(24), pages 1-13, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:24:p:9225-:d:459631
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Maria Luisa Astolfi & Georgios Pietris & Corrado Mazzei & Elisabetta Marconi & Silvia Canepari, 2020. "Element Levels and Predictors of Exposure in the Hair of Ethiopian Children," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(22), pages 1-22, November.
    2. Arianna Antonucci & Matteo Vitali & Stefano Martellucci & Vincenzo Mattei & Carmela Protano, 2020. "A Cross-Sectional Study on Benzene Exposure in Pediatric Age and Parental Smoking Habits at Home," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(15), pages 1-17, July.
    3. Maria Luisa Astolfi & Carmela Protano & Elisabetta Marconi & Lorenzo Massimi & Daniel Piamonti & Marco Brunori & Matteo Vitali & Silvia Canepari, 2020. "Biomonitoring of Mercury in Hair among a Group of Eritreans (Africa)," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(6), pages 1-11, March.
    4. Flavia Ruggieri & Costanza Majorani & Francesco Domanico & Alessandro Alimonti, 2017. "Mercury in Children: Current State on Exposure through Human Biomonitoring Studies," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-27, May.
    5. Guixia Chen & Xiaoxin Chen & Chonghuai Yan & Xingdong Wu & Guozhang Zeng, 2014. "Surveying Mercury Levels in Hair, Blood and Urine of under 7-Year Old Children from a Coastal City in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-13, November.
    6. Carmela Protano & Roberta Andreoli & Antonio Mutti & Maurizio Manigrasso & Pasquale Avino & Matteo Vitali, 2018. "Reference Intervals for Urinary Cotinine Levels and the Influence of Sampling Time and Other Predictors on Its Excretion Among Italian Schoolchildren," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-13, April.
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