Sl. Gerstenberger et al., CONCENTRATIONS OF BLOOD AND HAIR MERCURY AND SERUM PCBS IN AN OJIBWAYPOPULATION THAT CONSUMES GREAT-LAKES REGION FISH, Journal of toxicology. Clinical toxicology, 35(4), 1997, pp. 377-386
Objective: This paper describes an exposure assessment of an American
Indian population using blood and hair samples as indicators of mercur
y and polychlorinated biphenyl exposure from the consumption of fish t
aken from the Great Lakes region. Methods: Questionnaires regarding fi
sh consumption were completed by 89 Ojibwa tribal members. Mercury con
centrations were determined in human hair and blood samples, and polyc
hlorinated biphenyl concentrations were determined in serum. Results:
Fish were consumed at the highest rates in April, May, June, and July.
Lake trout, whitefish, and walleye were the preferred fish consumed b
y 91.4% of the respondents. Concentration of blood mercury were all be
low 55 mu g/L (ppb), while concentrations of mercury in hair were all
less than 3 mg/L (ppm). Hair mercury concentrations were correlated wi
th the previous year's fish consumption (p = .05). Dental amalgams and
blood mercury concentrations were also significantly correlated (p <
.002). Serum polychlorinated biphenyl concentrations, determined as th
e sum of 89 congeners, were all below 9.6 ppb total polychlorinated bi
phenyls. Subject age and total serum polychlorinated biphenyls were co
rrelated (p < .001). Conclusions: The concentrations of mercury and po
lychlorinated biphenyls in this Ojibwa population were relatively low,
but several individuals were identified as having elevated concentrat
ions and additional testing may be warranted. Since the accumulation o
f contaminants was related to fish consumption and age, a long-term mo
nitoring program that assesses chronic exposure to fish diets would be
beneficial.