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In vivo XRF analysis of mercury: the relation between concentrations in the kidney and the urine

Börjesson, Jimmy ; Barregård, L. ; Sällsten, G. ; Schütz, A. ; Jonson, R. ; Alpsten, M. and Mattsson, Sören LU (1995) In Physics in Medicine and Biology 40(3). p.413-426
Abstract
The objective of this study was to determine the concentrations of mercury in organs of occupationally exposed workers using in vivo x-ray fluorescence analysis. Twenty mercury exposed workers and twelve occupationally unexposed referents participated in the study. Their mercury levels in kidney, liver and thyroid were measured using a technique based on excitation with partly plane polarized photons. The mercury levels in blood and urine were determined using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The detection limit for mercury in the kidney was exceeded in nine of the exposed workers, but in none of the referents. The mean kidney mercury concentration (including estimates below the detection limits) was 24 mu g g(-1) in the exposed... (More)
The objective of this study was to determine the concentrations of mercury in organs of occupationally exposed workers using in vivo x-ray fluorescence analysis. Twenty mercury exposed workers and twelve occupationally unexposed referents participated in the study. Their mercury levels in kidney, liver and thyroid were measured using a technique based on excitation with partly plane polarized photons. The mercury levels in blood and urine were determined using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The detection limit for mercury in the kidney was exceeded in nine of the exposed workers, but in none of the referents. The mean kidney mercury concentration (including estimates below the detection limits) was 24 mu g g(-1) in the exposed workers, and 1 mu g g(-1) in the referents. The association between mercury in the kidney and in urine was statistically significant, but it was unclear whether the relation was linear. The measurements on liver (n = 10) and thyroid (n = 8) in the exposed workers showed mercury levels below the detection limit. The study shows that it is now possible to measure the mercury concentrations in kidneys of occupationally exposed persons, using in vivo x-ray fluorescence. The estimated concentrations are in reasonable agreement with the limited human autopsy data, and the results of animal studies. (Less)
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author
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Physics in Medicine and Biology
volume
40
issue
3
pages
413 - 426
publisher
IOP Publishing
external identifiers
  • scopus:0028923984
ISSN
1361-6560
DOI
10.1088/0031-9155/40/3/006
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
c5ef3180-a760-411a-b11b-692f87e86c13 (old id 31428)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 11:55:25
date last changed
2021-09-19 04:32:46
@article{c5ef3180-a760-411a-b11b-692f87e86c13,
  abstract     = {{The objective of this study was to determine the concentrations of mercury in organs of occupationally exposed workers using in vivo x-ray fluorescence analysis. Twenty mercury exposed workers and twelve occupationally unexposed referents participated in the study. Their mercury levels in kidney, liver and thyroid were measured using a technique based on excitation with partly plane polarized photons. The mercury levels in blood and urine were determined using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The detection limit for mercury in the kidney was exceeded in nine of the exposed workers, but in none of the referents. The mean kidney mercury concentration (including estimates below the detection limits) was 24 mu g g(-1) in the exposed workers, and 1 mu g g(-1) in the referents. The association between mercury in the kidney and in urine was statistically significant, but it was unclear whether the relation was linear. The measurements on liver (n = 10) and thyroid (n = 8) in the exposed workers showed mercury levels below the detection limit. The study shows that it is now possible to measure the mercury concentrations in kidneys of occupationally exposed persons, using in vivo x-ray fluorescence. The estimated concentrations are in reasonable agreement with the limited human autopsy data, and the results of animal studies.}},
  author       = {{Börjesson, Jimmy and Barregård, L. and Sällsten, G. and Schütz, A. and Jonson, R. and Alpsten, M. and Mattsson, Sören}},
  issn         = {{1361-6560}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{413--426}},
  publisher    = {{IOP Publishing}},
  series       = {{Physics in Medicine and Biology}},
  title        = {{In vivo XRF analysis of mercury: the relation between concentrations in the kidney and the urine}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/0031-9155/40/3/006}},
  doi          = {{10.1088/0031-9155/40/3/006}},
  volume       = {{40}},
  year         = {{1995}},
}