Determinants affecting the blood mercury levels of preschool children in Shanghai, China: A cross-sectional study.

Infants and children are vulnerable to mercury (Hg)-induced toxicity, which has detrimental effects on their neurological development. This study measured blood Hg levels (BMLs) and identified potential factors influencing BMLs, including demographic and socioeconomic factors, lifestyle, and daily dietary habits, among 0 to 7-year-old children in Shanghai. Our study recruited 1474 participants, comprising 784 boys and 690 girls. Basic demographic and lifestyle information were obtained and blood Hg were analyzed using the Direct Mercury Analyzer 80. The blood Hg concentrations of children in Shanghai ranged from 0.01 to 17.20 µg/L, with a median concentration of 1.34 µg/L. Older age, higher familial socioeconomic status, higher residential floors, and a higher frequency of consuming aquatic products, rice, vegetables, and formula milk were identified as risk factors. Other potential influencing factors including the mother's reproductive history (gravidity and parity), smoking (passive smoking), supplementation of fish oil and calcium need to be further investigated. These findings can be useful in establishing appropriate interventions to prevent children's high blood Hg concentrations in Shanghai and other similar metropolitan cities.

Hair Mercury Levels and Their Relationship with Seafood Consumption among Preschool Children in Shanghai.

Mercury is a global pollutant. Children are vulnerable to environmental toxicants. Seafood consumption is a major source of methylmercury exposure. In order to ascertain children's mercury exposure levels and study their relationship with seafood consumption, we conducted a cross-sectional study among preschool children in Shanghai. According to our data, the geometric mean of the mercury levels in children's hair was 191.9 (95% CI: 181.8, 202.4) µg/kg. These results indicate that high income may be a predictor of elevated mercury levels in children's hair. Intake of marine fish, especially tuna and pomfret, was documented in our study and found to increase the risk of high mercury levels. Frequency of fish consumption was positively related with hair mercury levels. Our study is the first to provide baseline data for hair mercury concentration among preschool children in Shanghai.