![[ Visit Client Website ]](images/banner.gif)
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Sadrivaan A and B (The Hilton Istanbul Hotel )
Aim: The accumulating feature of severely toxic methyl mercury attracts attention to fish consumption with the increase of environmental pollution. This descriptive study aims to determine the mercury levels of anchovy and a group of individuals with different fish consuming habits, and evaluate these individuals in terms of neurotoxicity.
Methods: 100 anchovies each from Black Sea and Marmara Sea, and 25 wholesale workers from fish markets and 25 cleaning firm employees each from Ankara and Istanbul were assessed. Mercury levels of samples were measured by cold vapor atomic absorption spectrophotometer (CV-AAS). Participants were neurologically examined and Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) was applied to evaluate their cognitive functions.
Results: Mercury levels of anchovies from Black Sea and Marmara Sea were 0.0125±0.0058 and 0.0119±0.0056 ppm respectively. These values for fish were found to be below the national and international permitted levels. There were no statistically significant relation between mercury levels and the sea that fish caught. Mercury levels of wholesale workers’ hair samples from fish markets and cleaning firm employees each from Ankara and Istanbul were 0.35±0.11, 0.23±0.07, 0.21±0.06, and 0.17±0.03 ppm respectively. Hair mercury levels for all participants were within permitted levels. However, hair mercury levels significantly increase with amount and frequency of fish consumption for both cities (p<0.001). The neurological examinations were normal except the decrease in the deep tendon reflexes of some participants in both cities. MMSE results were normal except for one wholesale worker from fish markets of Istanbul. There was no correlation between MMSE results and hair mercury levels.
Conclusion: However mercury levels of fish and hair samples are normal, it has been concluded that establishing a monitoring system for mercury levels of fish and individuals will be useful for determining and evaluating the possible neurotoxicity.
Keywords: Hair and fish mercury levels, CV-AAS, neurological examination, MMSE
Methods: 100 anchovies each from Black Sea and Marmara Sea, and 25 wholesale workers from fish markets and 25 cleaning firm employees each from Ankara and Istanbul were assessed. Mercury levels of samples were measured by cold vapor atomic absorption spectrophotometer (CV-AAS). Participants were neurologically examined and Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) was applied to evaluate their cognitive functions.
Results: Mercury levels of anchovies from Black Sea and Marmara Sea were 0.0125±0.0058 and 0.0119±0.0056 ppm respectively. These values for fish were found to be below the national and international permitted levels. There were no statistically significant relation between mercury levels and the sea that fish caught. Mercury levels of wholesale workers’ hair samples from fish markets and cleaning firm employees each from Ankara and Istanbul were 0.35±0.11, 0.23±0.07, 0.21±0.06, and 0.17±0.03 ppm respectively. Hair mercury levels for all participants were within permitted levels. However, hair mercury levels significantly increase with amount and frequency of fish consumption for both cities (p<0.001). The neurological examinations were normal except the decrease in the deep tendon reflexes of some participants in both cities. MMSE results were normal except for one wholesale worker from fish markets of Istanbul. There was no correlation between MMSE results and hair mercury levels.
Conclusion: However mercury levels of fish and hair samples are normal, it has been concluded that establishing a monitoring system for mercury levels of fish and individuals will be useful for determining and evaluating the possible neurotoxicity.
Keywords: Hair and fish mercury levels, CV-AAS, neurological examination, MMSE
Learning Objectives: However mercury levels of fish and hair samples are normal, it has been concluded that establishing a monitoring system for mercury levels of fish and individuals will be useful for determining and evaluating the possible neurotoxicity.
Sub-Theme: Innovative approaches on emerging diseases
See more of: Poster: Innovative Approaches On Emerging Diseases
See more of: Public Health Practices Around the Globe
See more of: Public Health Practices Around the Globe