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Mercury in blood cells—Altered elemental profiles

Toxic events in human exposure

  • Body Status from Trace Elements in Blood, Urine, Skin, and Hair
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Abstract

The study was composed of 27 persons that displayed vague symptoms similar to those of the victims of Minamata and Iraq. Skew distributions of mercury were observed in individual erythrocytes and neutrophil granulocytes when measured by PIXE. Mercury could not be detected in the platelets. The erythrocytes also displayed lowered concentrations of magnesium and zinc, together with increased concentrations of calcium and strontium. The neutrophils displayed decreased concentrations of magnesium and zinc and increased concentrations of calcium, strontium, and iron. The presence of mercury and the altered elemental profiles in the erythrocytes and the neutrophil granulocytes are suggested as early signs of exposure.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physical Biology, Gustaf Werner Institute, Uppsala University, Box 531, S-751 21, Uppsala, Sweden

    Erland Johansson & Ulf Lindh

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  1. Erland Johansson
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  2. Ulf Lindh
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Johansson, E., Lindh, U. Mercury in blood cells—Altered elemental profiles. Biol Trace Elem Res 12, 309–321 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02796688

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02796688

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