Hair mercury analysis and its application to exposure studies in NHEXAS and NHANES IV

Abstract

The results of a scoping probability-based population study utilizing biological measurements of methylmercury exposure suggests that exposure from fish in six Great Lakes states may be considerably lower among the general population than historic public health limits. Due to concerns that historic limits may not be adequately protective of the developing fetus, the federal government has begun a national survey using methods from the Great Lake study to characterize the distribution of methylmercury exposure for U.S. population sub-groups that are considered most sensitive to the effects of methylmercury.