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Reference levels of blood mercury and association with metabolic syndrome in Korean adults

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Abstract

Purpose

Mercury (Hg) is a nonessential and toxic metal that is widely distributed in the environment. This study was performed to estimate the representative blood Hg level, to determine the contributing factors to Hg exposure, and to analyze the association of blood Hg with metabolic syndrome in Korean adults.

Methods

Mercury exposure is assessed by total Hg concentration in blood. A total of 2,114 healthy adults who have not been exposed to Hg occupationally were sampled by the multistaged, sex-, and age-stratified probability method. Information was collected regarding the subjects’ demographic characteristics, lifestyles, and past medical history. The participants then underwent physical examination and blood sampling.

Results

The geometric mean concentration of Hg in whole blood was 3.90 μg/L, which was significantly influenced by sex, age, smoking, alcoholic consumption, residence area, and seafood intake after adjustment for confounders. Significant increases in body mass index, waist circumference, diastolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, and triglyceride were observed according to the blood Hg levels after adjustment for covariates. Also, Hg exposure was significantly associated with metabolic syndrome and their components such as obesity and increased fasting glucose.

Conclusion

The blood Hg level in Korean adults is higher than that in USA and other Western countries, while it is similar to or lower than that in other Asian countries. The blood Hg level is influenced by sociodemographic factors and individual lifestyles including dietary habits. Furthermore, blood Hg is associated with metabolic syndrome, in which Hg exposure may play a role as a possible risk factor for cardiovascular diseases.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the grant (10162KFDA994) from Korea Food & Drug Administration in 2010–2011.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Korea

    Sang-Yong Eom & Heon Kim

  2. Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Chung-Ang University, 221 Heukseok-Dong, Dongjak-Gu, Seoul, 156-756, Korea

    Sun-Hee Choi, Su-Ju Ahn, Dong-Kyeong Kim, Dong-Won Kim, Byung-Sun Choi & Jung-Duck Park

  3. Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Dankook University, Cheonan, Korea

    Ji-Ae Lim, Mina Ha & Ho-Jang Kwon

  4. Department of Pediatrics, National Medical Center, Seoul, Korea

    Hye-Jung Shin

  5. Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Korea

    Sin-Weon Yun

  6. Risk Analysis and Research Division, National Institute of Food and Drug Safety Evaluation, Cheongwon, Korea

    Hae-Jung Yoon

  7. Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Dong-A University, Busan, Korea

    Yu-Mi Kim & Young-Seoub Hong

  8. Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, Korea

    Yong-Woon Yun & Seok-Joon Sohn

  9. Nano-Photonics Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul, Korea

    Kyung-Su Park

  10. Biomolecules Function Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul, Korea

    Hee-Soo Pyo

  11. Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public health, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea

    Ho Kim

  12. Department of Food and Nutrition, College of Human Ecology, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea

    Se-Young Oh

  13. Cancer Epidemiology Branch, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Korea

    Jeongseon Kim

  14. Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Korea

    Sang-Ah Lee

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  1. Sang-Yong Eom
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Correspondence to Jung-Duck Park.

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Eom, SY., Choi, SH., Ahn, SJ. et al. Reference levels of blood mercury and association with metabolic syndrome in Korean adults. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 87, 501–513 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-013-0891-8

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