BLOOD-LEVELS OF TOTAL AND ORGANIC MERCURY IN RESIDENTS OF THE UPPER ST-LAWRENCE-RIVER BASIN, QUEBEC - ASSOCIATION WITH AGE, GENDER, AND FISH CONSUMPTION

Increased consumption of lake fish was associated with higher blood me rcury concentrations among 289 residents of Southwest Quebec living on the southern bank of the Upper St. Lawrence River System. This increa se in blood mercury was reflected in the organic fraction and to a les ser extent with total blood mercury. Repeat analyses on a small subpop ulation 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. Bl ood mercury concentrations were higher among men than women. One indiv idual had much higher total mercury concentrations in blood (i.e., 70 ppb) which were attributed to fish consumption based on medical and di etary history. The values for these subjects are compared with other N orth American data on blood mercury levels. (C) 1998 Academic Press.