Mercury–selenium interaction in workers exposed to elemental mercury vapor

✍ Scribed by Tsuguyoshi Suzuki; Sei-Ichiro Himeno; Tetsuro Hongo; Chiho Watanabe; Hirosi Satoh

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1986
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 429 KB
• Volume: 6
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0260-437X
• DOI: 10.1002/jat.2550060303

✦ Synopsis

Mercury (Hg) and selenium (Se) levels were determined for erythrocytes, plasma and urine of 25 male and 29 female workers exposed to elemental mercury (Hg") vapor. Interrelationship between the Hg levels and the Se levels was examined by the correlational analysis and the stepwise regression analysis.

Indicators of Se status (erythrocyte Se levels, plasma Se levels and urinary Se levels) were closely intercorrelated; similarly, indicators of exposure to Hg" vapor (erythrocyte inorganic Hg levels, plasma Hg levels and urinary Hg levels) were significantly intercorrelated. Since plasma Hg level was one of the significant independent variables in determining the erythrocyte Se and plasma Se levels, Hg" vapor exposure was thought likely to influence the Se metabolism in workers. None of the Se status indicators were significant as determinants of the indicators of Hg" vapor exposure.