Urinary mercury level in Japanese school children: influence of dental amalgam fillings and fish eating habits

Sci Total Environ. 1993 Aug 31;136(3):213-27. doi: 10.1016/0048-9697(93)90310-3.

Abstract

The influence of dental amalgam fillings and fish eating frequency on the urinary mercury (Hg) level was evaluated in 1642 children (ages: 3-18) living in Tokyo. Geometric mean of the urinary Hg level was 1.9 microgram Hg/l and 1.9 micrograms Hg/g creatinine (Cr) for boys and 2.1 micrograms Hg/l and 2.0 micrograms Hg/g Cr for girls. Multiple regression analysis was conducted using: (1) urinary Cr concentration (only in the case of urinary Hg expressed as microgram Hg/l); (2) age; (3) gender; (4) number of dental amalgam fillings; and (5) fish eating frequency as independent variables. As a result, all the variables examined were significant and the explanatory powers (square of multiple correlation coefficient) of these variables were 17 or 7% for urinary Hg expressed as microgram Hg/l or microgram Hg/g Cr, respectively. Number of dental amalgam fillings or fish eating frequency explained only up to 1.5% of the total variance of urinary Hg. Contribution of Cr concentration, age and gender to urinary Hg level is also discussed.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Age Factors
  • Animals
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Creatinine / urine*
  • Dental Amalgam*
  • Feeding Behavior*
  • Female
  • Fishes*
  • Humans
  • Japan
  • Male
  • Mercury / urine*
  • Regression Analysis

Substances

  • Dental Amalgam
  • Creatinine
  • Mercury