Correlation Between Total Mercury and Methyl Mercury-In Whole Blood of South Korean

Abstract

In this study, total mercury and methyl mercury in whole blood of Korean was analyzed so as to investigate the correlation between total mercury (T-Hg) and methyl mercury (Me-Hg). 4000 whole blood samples were divided in four groups, according to T-Hg concentration in percentile: group I (p25-p50), group II (p50-p75), group III (p75-p95) and group IV (p95-p100). 100 samples were randomly selected from the each group, and Me-Hg concentration was measured. T-Hg concentration in whole blood was analyzed using a Direct Mercury Analyzer-80 and obtained limit of detection (LOD) was 0.2 mu mgL(-1). Me-Hg concentration was analyzed with ethylate derivatization using headspace-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and obtained LOD of methyl mercury was 0.5 mu gL(-1). The geometric means of T-Hg and Me-Hg were 6.35 mu gL(-1) and 4.44 mu gL(-1), respectively, and 71.91% of T-Hg was presented as Me-Hg.