INFLUENCE OF A GEOGENIC EXPOSURE OF MERCU RY, ARSENIC AND ANTIMONY ONTHE BODY BURDEN - A BIOMONITORING STUDY

Part of the northern Palatinate region in Germany is characterized by elevated levels of mercury, arsenic and antimony in the soil due to th e presence of ore sources and former mercury mining activities. Today, the region is characterized by housing and agriculture. In a biomonit oring study, 218 residents (age 1-89 years) were investigated for a pu tatively increased absorption of these elements from the environment. 76 non-exposed subjects (age 2-84 years) of a region in south lower Sa xony (Germany) were chosen as the reference group. Urine and scalp hai r samples were obtained as surrogates to determine the internal exposu res to mercury, arsenic and antimony. In the northern Palatinate subje cts slightly, yet presumably not hazardous, elevated arsenic contents in urine and scalp hair could be correlated to an increased arsenic co ntent in the soil. On the other hand, the results did not show a corre lation between the mercury and antimony contents in the soil of the ho using area and those in urine and hair. Urinary mercury contents were correlated with the total amalgam area in both study groups. Mercury c ontents in scalp hair and arsenic contents in urine were correlated wi th the consumption of seafood. Surprisingly, the geogenically non-expo sed reference subjects showed significantly higher internal exposures to arsenic and antimony in urine and scalp hair. However, data of both groups correspond to normal range reference data described by others.