Blood Levels of Total and Organic Mercury in Residents of the Upper St. Lawrence River Basin, Québec: Association with Age, Gender, and Fish Consumption

Abstract

Increased consumption of lake fish was associated with higher blood mercury concentrations among 289 residents of Southwest Quebec living on the southern bank of the Upper St. Lawrence River System. This increase in blood mercury was reflected in the organic fraction and to a lesser extent with total blood mercury. Repeat analyses on a small subpopulation showed a correlation coefficient between time 1 and time 2 of approximately 0.7 for total mercury and for organic mercury. With one exception, blood total mercury concentrations were less than 5 ppb. Blood mercury concentrations were higher among men than women. One individual had much higher total mercury concentrations in blood (i.e., 70 ppb) which were attributed to fish consumption based on medical and dietary history. The values for these subjects are compared with other North American data on blood mercury levels.