Reference Value of Mercury in Liver and Kidney of Korean

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Published online January 1, 1986

Korean Journal of Environmental Toxicology 2002;17(2):109-115.

한국인의 간과 콩팥조직 내 수은 함유량의 참고치

Reference Value of Mercury in Liver and Kidney of Korean

ABSTRACT

This study was conducted to investigate the reference value of mercury (Hg) in liver and kidney of Korean population. The mercury concentration in 244 ‘sudden and unexpected death’ autopsies (male: 180, female: 64) aged from 0 to 87 years was analyzed. The concentration of mercury was measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometer (Perkin-Elmer Model 5100) with mercury/hydride generating system (FIAS 400). The contents of mercury in liver and kidney fitted well the log-normal distribution rather than normal distribution. Geometric mean concentration of mercury in liver and kidney was 0.115 μg/g wet weight and 0.149 μg/g wet weight, respectively. Geometric mean concentration of mercury in female was higher than in male (p<0.01). The mercury content in liver and kidney increased with age up to the forties and slightly decreased thereafter. The regression model of mercury deposit in liver and kidney by age was predicted as the following equation : Log LHg = -1.0576+0.0045·Age-0.0001·Age²+0.0873·Sex, Log KHg = -1.0576+0.0152·Age-0.0002·Age²+0.1935·Sex. The liver burden of mercury was estimated to be 158.3~161.3 μg in male and 163.0~166.9 μg in female. The kidney burden of mercury was estimated to be 42.0~42.9 μg in male and 55.5~57.1 μg in female