Mercury is a threatening pollutant in food,herein,we developed a Tb^(3+)-nucleic acid probe-based label-free assay for mix-and-read,rapid detection of mercury pollution.The assay utilized the feature of light-up fluor...Mercury is a threatening pollutant in food,herein,we developed a Tb^(3+)-nucleic acid probe-based label-free assay for mix-and-read,rapid detection of mercury pollution.The assay utilized the feature of light-up fluorescence of terbium ions(Tb^(3+))via binding with single-strand DNA.Mercury ion,Hg^(2+)induced thymine(T)-rich DNA strand to form a double-strand structure(T-Hg^(2+)-T),thus leading to fluorescence reduction.Based on the principle,Hg^(2+)can be quantified based on the fluorescence of Tb^(3+),the limit of detection was 0.0689μmol/L and the linear range was 0.1-6.0μmol/L.Due to the specificity of T-Hg^(2+)-T artificial base pair,the assay could distinguish Hg^(2+)from other metal ions.The recovery rate was ranged in 98.71%-101.34%for detecting mercury pollution in three food samples.The assay is low-cost,separation-free and mix-to-read,thus was a competitive tool for detection of mercury pollution to ensure food safety.展开更多
Magnetic holes are magnetic depression structures that exist widely in many plasma environments.The magnetic holes with durations of>1 s in the solar wind at Mercury’s orbit have drawn much attention,but the prope...Magnetic holes are magnetic depression structures that exist widely in many plasma environments.The magnetic holes with durations of>1 s in the solar wind at Mercury’s orbit have drawn much attention,but the properties of the magnetic holes with shorter durations are still unclear.Here,we investigate the magnetic holes with durations of 0.1-100 s in the upstream region of Mercury’s bow shock based on observations by the MESSENGER(MErcury Surface,Space ENvironment,GEochemistry,and Ranging)spacecraft.They can be divided into two groups according to the distribution of their duration:small-duration magnetic holes(SDMHs,<0.6 s)and large-duration magnetic holes(LDMHs,>0.6 s).The duration of each group approximately obeys a log-normal distribution with a median of~0.25 s and 3 s,respectively.Approximately 1.7%(32.6%)of the SDMHs(LDMHs)reduce the magnetic field strength by more than 50%.For both groups,some structures have a linear or quasi-linear polarization,whereas others have an elliptical polarization.The magnetic hole events in both groups tend to have a higher rate of occurrence when the interplanetary magnetic field strength is weaker.Their occurrence rates are also affected by Mercury’s foreshock,which can increase(decrease)the occurrence rate of the SDMHs(LDMHs).This finding suggests that Mercury’s foreshock might be one source of the SDMHs and that the foreshock can destroy some LDMHs.These observations suggest that a new group of magnetic holes with durations of<0.6 s exist in the upstream region of Mercury’s bow shock.展开更多
The Minamata Convention in the aim to protect human life and the environment, seeks to reduce mercury (Hg) by monitoring it concentrations in the environment. Artisanal and Small-scale Gold Mining (ASGM) has been iden...The Minamata Convention in the aim to protect human life and the environment, seeks to reduce mercury (Hg) by monitoring it concentrations in the environment. Artisanal and Small-scale Gold Mining (ASGM) has been identified as the most important anthropogenic source of human exposure to Hg. In this context, the main goal of this study was to assess the level of mercury in hair of two (2) populations living along two lagoons respectively Aby and Tendo, in Ivory Coast. To reach this goal, hair samples of 138 residents were collected and analyzed by using Cold Vapor Atomic Fluorescence Spectrophotometry (CV-AFS) technique for mercury concentration. Results showed that for the entire population the Hg mean was 2.34 μg/g. Also, they were ranged between 0.15 to 8.53 μg/g and presented substantial differences amongst the villages. In Aby village, we observed the highest Hg concentrations (Mean = 2.62 μg/g). Our findings showed that almost the entire sample group (82%) exceed the USEPA recommended limit, furthermore 56% of them exceed the normal level of WHO and 2% of the respondent has the unhealthy levels of mercury (≥6 μg Hg/g) of hair by WHO standards. Gender differences in hair mercury varies greatly among reports. Lower levels in women’s hair compared to men were reported in the both village. Considering age, the lowest concentrations were observed with children. However, when we take in account the age groups, data suggested that the most exposed sub-population of [18-29] years old is from Aby village in opposite at Frambo village, the same case those who were ≥ 40 years old. It’s convenient to note that, the proportion of Mercury levels would not to be neglected among studied population especially with the resident from Aby village. So, some measures need to be taken at the political level to control mercury contamination.展开更多
Mercury(Hg) is a global pollutant and can be accumulated in the food chain, posing exposure risks to humans. In this study, rice plants and corresponding rhizosphere soil samples were collected from a watershed of the...Mercury(Hg) is a global pollutant and can be accumulated in the food chain, posing exposure risks to humans. In this study, rice plants and corresponding rhizosphere soil samples were collected from a watershed of the Wawu River Basin that is heavily impacted by historic Hg mining and retorting activities. Total mercury(THg)and methylmercury(MeHg) in rice grains, as well as other tissues and soil samples, were measured. Five soil Hg fractions, as well as soil parameters, were also determined.The results show that the average concentrations of THg and MeHg in rice grains were 14 ± 7.0 lg kg^(-1) and7.2 ± 4.0 lg kg^(-1). Soil organic-bound(Hg-o) and strong complex-bound(Hg-s) were the main Hg fractions,accounting for 44% of the total. To estimate the Hg–ligand interaction in the soils, soil-N/Hg(R = 0.451, p \ 0.05),-S/Hg(R = 0.372, p \ 0.1), and-OM/Hg ratio(R = 0.320,p \ 0.5) with MeHg_(soil) were observed with significant positive correlations, indicating that the formation of Hg–OM, Hg–N–OM or Hg–S–OM complexes could prevent Hg(II) from methylation in soils. The significant positive correlations of the-N/Hg ratio,-S/Hg ratio and-OM/Hg ratio with MeHg in rice tissues suggested that Hg methylation and MeHg demethylation occurred throughout the rice paddy ecosystem. The estimated MeHg daily intake(EDI) was 0.075 ± 0.041 lg kg^(-1) bw d^(-1) and was lower than the RfD level of 0.1 lg kg^(-1) bw d^(-1) recommended by the US EPA. However, approximately 29% of the hazardous index(HI) of MeHg in grain exceeded 1, posing a potential threat to local populations, particularly pregnant women and children.展开更多
The voltammetric behavior of indigo carmine at mercury film electrode on a silver substrate (MFES) was studied in this paper. It was found that indigo carmine gave a sensitive reduction peak at a potential (Vp) of -0....The voltammetric behavior of indigo carmine at mercury film electrode on a silver substrate (MFES) was studied in this paper. It was found that indigo carmine gave a sensitive reduction peak at a potential (Vp) of -0.11 V at pH 4.0 in aqueous solution. The MFES gave good reproducibility and life time. The peak currents (ip) depended lipearly on the concentrations of indigo carmine free 0 to 100 ng/ml.The Vp and Ip of indigo carmine at MFES were independent of the concentrations of amaranth at pH 4.0, the Vp of amaranth was -0.24 V at this pH. The differences of Vp between both colorants enabled to distinguish indigo carmine free amaranth.展开更多
Mercury( Hg) concentrations were determined in human hair,blood and urine samples from Tieling coal mine area,to assess the potential health risks associated with Hg due to coal mining activities. The total Hg levels ...Mercury( Hg) concentrations were determined in human hair,blood and urine samples from Tieling coal mine area,to assess the potential health risks associated with Hg due to coal mining activities. The total Hg levels in hair( average 0. 87 μg / g) and blood( average 3. 74 μg /L) of coal miners were quite low at around the same levels as the general population, but the urine Hg levels( average 12. 13 μg /L) were much higher than those from administrators and control group. This study indicated that workers mainly exposed to inorganic Hg through long-time inhalation contaminated air and dust; however other population mainly exposed to methylmercury( Me Hg).展开更多
Maternal exposure to Hg(II) during pregnancy has been identified as a potential causal factor in the development of severe neurobehavioral disorders. Children with autism have been identified with lower reduced glutat...Maternal exposure to Hg(II) during pregnancy has been identified as a potential causal factor in the development of severe neurobehavioral disorders. Children with autism have been identified with lower reduced glutathione (GSH)/oxidized glutathione (GSSG) ratios, and GSH is known to strongly bind Hg(II). In order to gain insight into the mechanism by which GSH binds Hg(II), high resolution mass spectrometry coupled with tandem mass spectrometry was utilized to examine the conjugation process. While the 1:1 Hg(II):GSH conjugate is not formed immediately upon mixing aqueous solutions of Hg(II) and GSH, two species containing Hg(II) are observed:the 1:2 Hg(II):GSH conjugate, [(GS)2 Hg + H+], and a second Hg(II)-containing species around m/z 544. Interestingly, this species at m/z 544 decreases in time while the presence of the 1:1 Hg(II):GSH conjugate increases, suggesting that m/z 544 is an intermediate in the formation of the 1:1 conjugate. Experiments using the high mass accuracy capability of Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FT-ICR) mass spectrometry coupled to an electrospray ionization source indicate that the intermediate species is [GSH + HgCl]+, andnotthe 1:1 conjugate [Hg(GSH) – H + 2H2O]+postulated in previous literature. Further confirmation of [GSH + HgCl]+ is supported by collisionofinduced dissociation experiments, which show neutral loss of HCl from the intermediate and loss of the N- and C-terminal amino acids, indicating binding of Hg(II) at the Cys residue.展开更多
Small-scale gold mining is the largest anthropogenic contributor of mercury pollution on planet Earth. The miners grind gold ore together with mercury in order to recover the fine gold grains. The gold amalgam is burn...Small-scale gold mining is the largest anthropogenic contributor of mercury pollution on planet Earth. The miners grind gold ore together with mercury in order to recover the fine gold grains. The gold amalgam is burned whereby the mercury evaporates and gold is left behind. This processing extracts only a fraction of the gold in the ore and the released mercury causes serious global health and environmental problems. However, a mercury-free method described below has proved to extract up to twice as much gold without need of investment in new processing equipment and without longer processing time. The method has successfully been tested in the Philippines, Indonesia, Tanzania, Bolivia and Zimbabwe.展开更多
Heavy metal pollution from both anthropogenic and natural processes can have significant effect on environmental quality of stream and river systems. However, in Ghana, heavy metal pollution of waterbodies is attribut...Heavy metal pollution from both anthropogenic and natural processes can have significant effect on environmental quality of stream and river systems. However, in Ghana, heavy metal pollution of waterbodies is attributed mainly to mining activities but the role of natural mechanisms in altering stream water and sediment quality in relation to heavy metals has received little attention. Spatial and temporal variation in water quality parameters and heavy metal concentrations in water and sediments were studied comparatively in a river and two streams in a gold-rich watershed impacted by heavy mining activities. Samples were collected monthly over a twelve-month period from November 2010 to October 2011 from upstream (unmined) and downstream (mined) sections of the studied streams. Parameters measured include temperature, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, pH, turbidity, colour, mercury (Hg) and arsenic. High spatial variability of water quality parameters was found. Hg concentrations in water were extremely low in both upstream and downstream areas. Maximum geochemical background levels of Hg in unmined pristine areas were 2.45 mg/g whilst arsenic was 29.10 mg/g. By contrast, gold-mined downstream areas recorded Hg and arsenic concentrations of 8.75 mg/g and 82.53 mg/g in stream sediments respectively. Levels of Hg and arsenic in sediments were several orders of magnitude greater than concentrations in surface water in downstream sections and this may be explained by substances originating from mining activities, upstream transport or remobilized sedimented materials in the overlying water column. Our study showed that both natural and human activities may contribute to heavy metal pollution in the highly mineralized watershed of the Pra River Basin. Human factors are however likely to amplify the natural background levels of heavy metals.展开更多
Objective: This paper mainly discusses and summarises the potential issues of pollution caused by the Mineral elements, Mercury, Lead and Arsenic, its possible impacts on the human beings and the suggested solutions. ...Objective: This paper mainly discusses and summarises the potential issues of pollution caused by the Mineral elements, Mercury, Lead and Arsenic, its possible impacts on the human beings and the suggested solutions. Methods: This paper is prepared by reviewing the latest academic literatures. Result: First, this article discusses two aspects including the effects of Mercury, Lead and Arsenic on the Chinese herbal medicine and the potential issues of causing the environmental pollution. And then further study its toxicity effects and the side impacts on the human bodies in order to realize the actual circumstances people are encountering nowadays. This paper will also the corresponding its treatment method of reviews. Hope this will provide a valuable reference. Conclusion: Theses issues caused by the Mineral elements are prominent nowadays, thus the ongoing researches on the impacts of pollution and the possible solutions are regarded as highly valued in order to conserve the natural environment and meanwhile safeguard the well beings of people and the future offspring.展开更多
Complex hydrocultural conditions in the estuary affect the migration and transformation of mercury.Using two voyages in July and October 2018,Dissolved Gaseous Mercury(DGM)and Reactive Mercury(RHg)were determined to e...Complex hydrocultural conditions in the estuary affect the migration and transformation of mercury.Using two voyages in July and October 2018,Dissolved Gaseous Mercury(DGM)and Reactive Mercury(RHg)were determined to explore the source,transformation and influence of DGM content in the adjacent waters of Yangtze River Estuary in summer and autumn.The results showed the contents of DGM and RHg in summer were higher than those in autumn,and both of them were higher than those in open sea.In summer and autumn,the Yangtze River brought a higher concentration of DGM,and different flow direction and runoff resulted in differences in the high value region of the surface.The emergence of low-oxygen zones in summer was conducive to the production of DGM.In autumn,windy weather allowed seawater disturbances to promote the release of mercury from the underlying sediments,especially in shallow sea in northwest.RHg showed a higher concentration in the offshore than in the open sea in summer,but there was no such trend in autumn,reflecting the influence of less runoff input.DGM is the main product of RHg reduction,and there was a significant positive correlation between DGM and RHg in summer(r=0.356,P<0.05),while the correlation between DGM and RHg was not significant in autumn due to the influence of light intensity,wind speed and nutrients.The exchange flux of mercury in the adjacent waters of the Yangtze River Estuary was higher than that in the open sea.There was no significant difference of the release flux of mercury in summer and autumn.This article highlighted that the input of mercury from the Yangtze River runoff promotes the release of mercury in seawater,and the hypoxic zone caused by eutrophication is conducive to the production of DGM.展开更多
Mercury is a ubiquitous contaminant known to accumulate in wildlife,particularly bird species at higher trophic levels.Knowledge of tissue-specific Hg distributions aids our understanding of Hg bioaccumulation in orga...Mercury is a ubiquitous contaminant known to accumulate in wildlife,particularly bird species at higher trophic levels.Knowledge of tissue-specific Hg distributions aids our understanding of Hg bioaccumulation in organisms.In this study,one adult and three juvenile Collared Scops Owls(Otus lettia)were studied to elucidate the bioaccumulation of Hg in body tissues.Six tissues and organs(feathers,nails,heart,liver,gizzard,and muscle),as well as gastric contents,were examined for total Hg(THg)and methylmercury(MeHg)contents,Hg isotopic compositions including mass-dependent fractionation(MDF;δ202Hg)and mass-independent fractionation(MIF;Δ199Hg andΔ201Hg),and C(δ13C)and N(δ15N)isotopic compositions.Tissue-specific THg and MeHg concentrations in the adult were in the ranges of 150–1360 ng/g and17–1060 ng/g,and lower in the juveniles at 91–419 ng/g and 67–350 ng/g,respectively.Theδ^(202)Hg values in the adult were strongly negative at-1.75‰±0.17‰compared with the juveniles at-0.99‰±0.25‰.The adult exhibited lower MIF values than the juveniles,at0.23‰±0.07‰forΔ^(199)Hg and 0.2‰±0.11‰forΔ^(201)Hg,comparedwith0.81‰±0.09‰and0.66‰±0.07‰,respectively.The lower adult MDF and MIF values suggest that the adult tended to accumulate negative Hg isotopes but the juvenile's positive Hg isotopes.Differences between adult and juvenile tissue Hg concentrations indicate that metabolic processes play an important role in Hg accumulation.展开更多
The toxic heavy metal mercury(Hg)has significantly enhanced the global Hg cycle influenced by human activities over the last century.In this study,we presented a high-resolution Hg deposition history between∼1780 and...The toxic heavy metal mercury(Hg)has significantly enhanced the global Hg cycle influenced by human activities over the last century.In this study,we presented a high-resolution Hg deposition history between∼1780 and 2015 AD in a sediment core from Xincun Lagoon,located in the southeastern Hainan Island,South China,and analyzed it in conjunction with geochemical elements,grain-size distribution,organic matter,and HYSPLIT backward trajectory simulation.The objective was to investigate the influencing factors affecting historical Hg deposition in relatively remote regions and assess the extent of the effects of natural background and human activities.The results showed that the Hg in the sediment was deposited primarily through atmospheric deposition,which was closely related to regional and even global human activities.Anthropogenic Hg contamination increased gradually from the 1830s to 1850s,possibly due to Hg emissions from Opium Wars I and II occurring in southeastern China.High broad peaks of anthropogenic Hg were observed during the 1910s to 1950s and in the 1980s,likely associated with the two world wars and modern Chinese wars.In addition,a further sharp increase in anthropogenic Hg from the mid-1970s to the present occurred,likely originating from the intense industrial activities in China triggered by the reform and opening-up policy of China in 1978 and some countries in Southeast Asia.展开更多
Sulfur-rich copolymers made through inverse vulcanization exhibit a wide range of potentially valuable applications, for example as adsorbents to capture mercury pollution. Among the diverse second monomers of the cop...Sulfur-rich copolymers made through inverse vulcanization exhibit a wide range of potentially valuable applications, for example as adsorbents to capture mercury pollution. Among the diverse second monomers of the copolymers, vegetable oil is a renewable resource, and recycled cooking oils have an important role in saving natural products. However, they need relatively high temperatures(160–180 ℃) to react with sulfur. To develop a low-temperature(130 ℃) reaction process for non-conjugated vegetable oil, we incorporate a small amount of tung oil, which contains conjugated trienes that can produce highly active free radicals during reactions. A variety of analytical techniques(proton nuclear magnetic resonance and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray diffraction, and dynamic mechanical analysis) are used to characterize the chemical structures and physical properties of the copolymers. The addition of tung oil is found to significantly improve the thermal stability and mechanical properties of the copolymers. We also investigate the effect of different ratios of raw materials on the gel time, free sulfur content, glass transition temperature T_(g), and degradation temperature of the copolymers. We find that increasing the amount of tung oil in the raw material mixture decreases the gel time and free sulfur content, but increases T_(g) and the degradation temperature. The copolymers exhibit a high adsorption capacity for mercury ions up to 33 mg Hg^(2+) per gram of adsorbent. These results demonstrate the feasibility of using sulfur-rich copolymers as effective mercury removal adsorbents, with the potential for further improvement by foaming the copolymers into porous materials.展开更多
In a recent paper,the structural basis of mercury-mediated changes in aquaporins'(AQPs)function has been revealed at the atomic level by solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance(ssNMR)spectroscopy and molecular dyna...In a recent paper,the structural basis of mercury-mediated changes in aquaporins'(AQPs)function has been revealed at the atomic level by solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance(ssNMR)spectroscopy and molecular dynamics(MD)simulations[1].This work has demonstrated an interesting case of metal ion-protein interaction.It provided valuable insights on how mercury ions achieve opposite regulations of AQP permeability by disrupting the hydrogen bonding network around arginine residues(https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/jacs.2c10240).展开更多
The Kaw Nation has been collecting water, sediment, and fish samples from Kaw Lake and upper Arkansas River from 2007 to present to examine the concentrations of Mercury and other heavy metals to protect the health of...The Kaw Nation has been collecting water, sediment, and fish samples from Kaw Lake and upper Arkansas River from 2007 to present to examine the concentrations of Mercury and other heavy metals to protect the health of the tribal members. Kaw Lake is in the North-Central part of Oklahoma. Kaw Lake is a permanent water body constructed in 1976 by the Army of Corps of Engineers. The Lake is consistently fed by the Arkansas River and other tributaries as runoff coming all the way from Colorado through Kansas to Kaw Lake of Oklahoma. The Lake has a surface area of 26.64 square miles (69 km<sup>2</sup>) and shoreline of 168 miles (270 km) with a total drainage area of 56,345 square miles (145,393 km<sup>2</sup>) and an average water depth of 8 meters. The water and fish samples were collected from 7 sites of Kaw Lake, once in a month and the fish samples once in a year during summertime, early July to end of July. The fish samples focused on 5 sport, predator, and bottom dwelling species of large consumable size, greater than 200 mm length and 560 grams weight. The five fish sampled were Catfish, White bass, Largemouth and Smallmouth bass, Black and White crappie. The fish and water samples were sent to Accurate Environmental Labs for detailed analysis. Predator species were analyzed as fillet and the bottom dwellings as a whole fish using EPA Method 7471A-M. Mercury from Water and Fish Tissue Samples were analyzed by Atomic Fluorescence Spectrometry. The laboratory analysis indicated that all the Mercury concentration in the fish samples except in Blue Catfish and Spotted Bass fall below the Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) of 0.5 mg/kg.展开更多
Although Newtonian gravity and general relativity predicted the precession of Mercury perihelion historically, many improved methods continue to predict the precession of Mercury during recent decades of years. Uncert...Although Newtonian gravity and general relativity predicted the precession of Mercury perihelion historically, many improved methods continue to predict the precession of Mercury during recent decades of years. Uncertainties in various predictions and observations suggest that the attribution of Mercury’s precession is still not well understood. This paper argues that the cause of Mercury’s precession is not gravity, but the inertia of material motion left over from the formation of the solar system. According to this inertia theory, the planetary precession is associated with the ratio of total mass-energy density of the system to the mass-energy of the Sun and its change over time. If other factors are not changed with time, the perihelion precession of planets per orbit is proportional to his distance relative to the Sun. The conclusions of this paper can provide more effective factor considerations for the complete description of various astronomical events and phenomena using general relativity equations.展开更多
Plants are sources of medicinal compounds,and they play a crucial role in human health maintenance.Abrus precatorius is one of the important medicinal plants that have been alleged for their medicinal properties.This ...Plants are sources of medicinal compounds,and they play a crucial role in human health maintenance.Abrus precatorius is one of the important medicinal plants that have been alleged for their medicinal properties.This research unraveled the pharmacological effect of ethanolic extract of Abrus precatorius on lipid peroxidation,liver parameters,and Na^(+)/K^(+)-ATPase activity in HgCl_(2) treated wistar rats.Twenty-four(24)albino wistar rats weighing between 150-200 g were distributed into four groups of 6 animals each.Group A(control)received normal saline(0.9% NaCl),group B received 400 mg/kg of the extract only,group C received 4 mg/kg HgCl_(2) only,and group D received 400 mg/kg of extract+4 mg/kg of HgCl_(2).The treatment lasted for two weeks,and the animals were sacrificed on the 15th day.The blood,brains and livers were collected and used for assay of lipid peroxidation,liver function,and sodium pump activity.The results of liver function test revealed an elevated(P<0.05)level of serum aspartate transaminase,alanine transaminase,alkaline phosphatase,and total bilirubin in the group that received HgCl_(2) only(group C)when compared with the normal control(group A)that received normal saline only.However,the administration of extract in group D led to a marked(P<0.05)reduction in the activities of these enzymes and the level of total bilirubin when compared to the negative control(group C).On the contrary,HgCl_(2) caused a significant(P<0.05)reduction in serum total protein and albumin levels,but the extract reversed the effect of HgCl_(2) by elevating their concentrations.Nonetheless,the effect elicited by this extract is comparable to group A which received normal saline.Moreso,the result of lipid peroxidation revealed that HgCl_(2) treatment caused a marked(P<0.05)increase in the formation of lipid peroxidation adducts in both liver and brain homogenates in group C.On the contrary,administration of Abrus precatorius extract profoundly(P<0.05)inhibited HgCl_(2)-induced lipid peroxidation in group D.In addition,HgCl_(2) inhibited the activity of cerebral Na^(+)/K^(+)-ATPase,but the extract restored normalcy by increasing the activity of the enzyme in group D.Consequently,the results obtained justify the traditional use of Abrus precatorius and suggest that Abrus precatorius leaves may be used for management of liver diseases,oxidative stress-linked diseases and some neurodegenerative ailments.展开更多
The association between heavy metals in the blood and obesity has been examined in many studies.However,inconsistencies have been observed in the results of these studies.The present study was conducted using data fro...The association between heavy metals in the blood and obesity has been examined in many studies.However,inconsistencies have been observed in the results of these studies.The present study was conducted using data from 119,181 participants of the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey(KNHANES)for 11 years in 2005 and between 2008 and 2017.The subjects with missing heavy metal blood tests,health interview data,and health examination data were excluded from the study.The study population comprised 1,844 individuals(972 men,and 872 women)who were eligible for inclusion.It was found that obesity and abdominal obesity were associated with an increase in both blood mercury(P<0.001)and alanine aminotransferase(ALT)(P<0.001).After adjusting the confounding factors,those with concurrent high levels of ALT and the highest tertile of mercury showed an increased risk of obesity(odds ratio 4.46,95%confidence interval 2.23-8.90,P<0.001)as well as abdominal obesity(odds ratio 5.36,95%confidence interval 2.57-11.17,P<0.001).The interrelationship of mercury and ALT with the parameters of body mass index(P for interaction=0.009)and waist circumference(P for interaction=0.012),respectively,have been observed to be significant,suggesting that the reciprocal relationship could contribute to obesity and abdominal obesity.展开更多
基金financially supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China(22074100)the Young Elite Scientist Sponsorship Program by CAST(YESS20200036)+3 种基金the Researchers Supporting Project Number RSP-2021/138King Saud University,Riyadh,Saudi ArabiaTechnological Innovation R&D Project of Chengdu City(2019-YF05-31702266-SN)Sichuan University-Panzhihua City joint Project(2020CDPZH-5)。
文摘Mercury is a threatening pollutant in food,herein,we developed a Tb^(3+)-nucleic acid probe-based label-free assay for mix-and-read,rapid detection of mercury pollution.The assay utilized the feature of light-up fluorescence of terbium ions(Tb^(3+))via binding with single-strand DNA.Mercury ion,Hg^(2+)induced thymine(T)-rich DNA strand to form a double-strand structure(T-Hg^(2+)-T),thus leading to fluorescence reduction.Based on the principle,Hg^(2+)can be quantified based on the fluorescence of Tb^(3+),the limit of detection was 0.0689μmol/L and the linear range was 0.1-6.0μmol/L.Due to the specificity of T-Hg^(2+)-T artificial base pair,the assay could distinguish Hg^(2+)from other metal ions.The recovery rate was ranged in 98.71%-101.34%for detecting mercury pollution in three food samples.The assay is low-cost,separation-free and mix-to-read,thus was a competitive tool for detection of mercury pollution to ensure food safety.
基金the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(Grant No.HIT.OCEF.2022041)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.42241155,41974205,42130204,and 42241133)+4 种基金the Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation(Grant Nos.2022A1515011698,2023A1515030132,and 2022A1515010257)the Shenzhen Science and Technology Research Program(Grant Nos.JCYJ20210324121412034 and JCYJ20210324121403009)the Shenzhen Key Laboratory Launching Project(Grant No.ZDSYS20210702140800001)the Joint Open Fund of Mengcheng National Geophysical Observatory(Grant No.MENGO-202315)the Macao Foundation,the pre-research Project on Civil Aerospace Technologies(Grant No.D020103)funded by the China National Space Administration,and the Chinese Academy of Sciences Center for Excellence in Comparative Planetology。
文摘Magnetic holes are magnetic depression structures that exist widely in many plasma environments.The magnetic holes with durations of>1 s in the solar wind at Mercury’s orbit have drawn much attention,but the properties of the magnetic holes with shorter durations are still unclear.Here,we investigate the magnetic holes with durations of 0.1-100 s in the upstream region of Mercury’s bow shock based on observations by the MESSENGER(MErcury Surface,Space ENvironment,GEochemistry,and Ranging)spacecraft.They can be divided into two groups according to the distribution of their duration:small-duration magnetic holes(SDMHs,<0.6 s)and large-duration magnetic holes(LDMHs,>0.6 s).The duration of each group approximately obeys a log-normal distribution with a median of~0.25 s and 3 s,respectively.Approximately 1.7%(32.6%)of the SDMHs(LDMHs)reduce the magnetic field strength by more than 50%.For both groups,some structures have a linear or quasi-linear polarization,whereas others have an elliptical polarization.The magnetic hole events in both groups tend to have a higher rate of occurrence when the interplanetary magnetic field strength is weaker.Their occurrence rates are also affected by Mercury’s foreshock,which can increase(decrease)the occurrence rate of the SDMHs(LDMHs).This finding suggests that Mercury’s foreshock might be one source of the SDMHs and that the foreshock can destroy some LDMHs.These observations suggest that a new group of magnetic holes with durations of<0.6 s exist in the upstream region of Mercury’s bow shock.
文摘The Minamata Convention in the aim to protect human life and the environment, seeks to reduce mercury (Hg) by monitoring it concentrations in the environment. Artisanal and Small-scale Gold Mining (ASGM) has been identified as the most important anthropogenic source of human exposure to Hg. In this context, the main goal of this study was to assess the level of mercury in hair of two (2) populations living along two lagoons respectively Aby and Tendo, in Ivory Coast. To reach this goal, hair samples of 138 residents were collected and analyzed by using Cold Vapor Atomic Fluorescence Spectrophotometry (CV-AFS) technique for mercury concentration. Results showed that for the entire population the Hg mean was 2.34 μg/g. Also, they were ranged between 0.15 to 8.53 μg/g and presented substantial differences amongst the villages. In Aby village, we observed the highest Hg concentrations (Mean = 2.62 μg/g). Our findings showed that almost the entire sample group (82%) exceed the USEPA recommended limit, furthermore 56% of them exceed the normal level of WHO and 2% of the respondent has the unhealthy levels of mercury (≥6 μg Hg/g) of hair by WHO standards. Gender differences in hair mercury varies greatly among reports. Lower levels in women’s hair compared to men were reported in the both village. Considering age, the lowest concentrations were observed with children. However, when we take in account the age groups, data suggested that the most exposed sub-population of [18-29] years old is from Aby village in opposite at Frambo village, the same case those who were ≥ 40 years old. It’s convenient to note that, the proportion of Mercury levels would not to be neglected among studied population especially with the resident from Aby village. So, some measures need to be taken at the political level to control mercury contamination.
基金Financial support for this work was provided by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC: 21767007)the Science and Technological Program of Guizhou (2018-1111)
文摘Mercury(Hg) is a global pollutant and can be accumulated in the food chain, posing exposure risks to humans. In this study, rice plants and corresponding rhizosphere soil samples were collected from a watershed of the Wawu River Basin that is heavily impacted by historic Hg mining and retorting activities. Total mercury(THg)and methylmercury(MeHg) in rice grains, as well as other tissues and soil samples, were measured. Five soil Hg fractions, as well as soil parameters, were also determined.The results show that the average concentrations of THg and MeHg in rice grains were 14 ± 7.0 lg kg^(-1) and7.2 ± 4.0 lg kg^(-1). Soil organic-bound(Hg-o) and strong complex-bound(Hg-s) were the main Hg fractions,accounting for 44% of the total. To estimate the Hg–ligand interaction in the soils, soil-N/Hg(R = 0.451, p \ 0.05),-S/Hg(R = 0.372, p \ 0.1), and-OM/Hg ratio(R = 0.320,p \ 0.5) with MeHg_(soil) were observed with significant positive correlations, indicating that the formation of Hg–OM, Hg–N–OM or Hg–S–OM complexes could prevent Hg(II) from methylation in soils. The significant positive correlations of the-N/Hg ratio,-S/Hg ratio and-OM/Hg ratio with MeHg in rice tissues suggested that Hg methylation and MeHg demethylation occurred throughout the rice paddy ecosystem. The estimated MeHg daily intake(EDI) was 0.075 ± 0.041 lg kg^(-1) bw d^(-1) and was lower than the RfD level of 0.1 lg kg^(-1) bw d^(-1) recommended by the US EPA. However, approximately 29% of the hazardous index(HI) of MeHg in grain exceeded 1, posing a potential threat to local populations, particularly pregnant women and children.
文摘The voltammetric behavior of indigo carmine at mercury film electrode on a silver substrate (MFES) was studied in this paper. It was found that indigo carmine gave a sensitive reduction peak at a potential (Vp) of -0.11 V at pH 4.0 in aqueous solution. The MFES gave good reproducibility and life time. The peak currents (ip) depended lipearly on the concentrations of indigo carmine free 0 to 100 ng/ml.The Vp and Ip of indigo carmine at MFES were independent of the concentrations of amaranth at pH 4.0, the Vp of amaranth was -0.24 V at this pH. The differences of Vp between both colorants enabled to distinguish indigo carmine free amaranth.
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.21177087)
文摘Mercury( Hg) concentrations were determined in human hair,blood and urine samples from Tieling coal mine area,to assess the potential health risks associated with Hg due to coal mining activities. The total Hg levels in hair( average 0. 87 μg / g) and blood( average 3. 74 μg /L) of coal miners were quite low at around the same levels as the general population, but the urine Hg levels( average 12. 13 μg /L) were much higher than those from administrators and control group. This study indicated that workers mainly exposed to inorganic Hg through long-time inhalation contaminated air and dust; however other population mainly exposed to methylmercury( Me Hg).
文摘Maternal exposure to Hg(II) during pregnancy has been identified as a potential causal factor in the development of severe neurobehavioral disorders. Children with autism have been identified with lower reduced glutathione (GSH)/oxidized glutathione (GSSG) ratios, and GSH is known to strongly bind Hg(II). In order to gain insight into the mechanism by which GSH binds Hg(II), high resolution mass spectrometry coupled with tandem mass spectrometry was utilized to examine the conjugation process. While the 1:1 Hg(II):GSH conjugate is not formed immediately upon mixing aqueous solutions of Hg(II) and GSH, two species containing Hg(II) are observed:the 1:2 Hg(II):GSH conjugate, [(GS)2 Hg + H+], and a second Hg(II)-containing species around m/z 544. Interestingly, this species at m/z 544 decreases in time while the presence of the 1:1 Hg(II):GSH conjugate increases, suggesting that m/z 544 is an intermediate in the formation of the 1:1 conjugate. Experiments using the high mass accuracy capability of Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FT-ICR) mass spectrometry coupled to an electrospray ionization source indicate that the intermediate species is [GSH + HgCl]+, andnotthe 1:1 conjugate [Hg(GSH) – H + 2H2O]+postulated in previous literature. Further confirmation of [GSH + HgCl]+ is supported by collisionofinduced dissociation experiments, which show neutral loss of HCl from the intermediate and loss of the N- and C-terminal amino acids, indicating binding of Hg(II) at the Cys residue.
文摘Small-scale gold mining is the largest anthropogenic contributor of mercury pollution on planet Earth. The miners grind gold ore together with mercury in order to recover the fine gold grains. The gold amalgam is burned whereby the mercury evaporates and gold is left behind. This processing extracts only a fraction of the gold in the ore and the released mercury causes serious global health and environmental problems. However, a mercury-free method described below has proved to extract up to twice as much gold without need of investment in new processing equipment and without longer processing time. The method has successfully been tested in the Philippines, Indonesia, Tanzania, Bolivia and Zimbabwe.
文摘Heavy metal pollution from both anthropogenic and natural processes can have significant effect on environmental quality of stream and river systems. However, in Ghana, heavy metal pollution of waterbodies is attributed mainly to mining activities but the role of natural mechanisms in altering stream water and sediment quality in relation to heavy metals has received little attention. Spatial and temporal variation in water quality parameters and heavy metal concentrations in water and sediments were studied comparatively in a river and two streams in a gold-rich watershed impacted by heavy mining activities. Samples were collected monthly over a twelve-month period from November 2010 to October 2011 from upstream (unmined) and downstream (mined) sections of the studied streams. Parameters measured include temperature, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, pH, turbidity, colour, mercury (Hg) and arsenic. High spatial variability of water quality parameters was found. Hg concentrations in water were extremely low in both upstream and downstream areas. Maximum geochemical background levels of Hg in unmined pristine areas were 2.45 mg/g whilst arsenic was 29.10 mg/g. By contrast, gold-mined downstream areas recorded Hg and arsenic concentrations of 8.75 mg/g and 82.53 mg/g in stream sediments respectively. Levels of Hg and arsenic in sediments were several orders of magnitude greater than concentrations in surface water in downstream sections and this may be explained by substances originating from mining activities, upstream transport or remobilized sedimented materials in the overlying water column. Our study showed that both natural and human activities may contribute to heavy metal pollution in the highly mineralized watershed of the Pra River Basin. Human factors are however likely to amplify the natural background levels of heavy metals.
文摘Objective: This paper mainly discusses and summarises the potential issues of pollution caused by the Mineral elements, Mercury, Lead and Arsenic, its possible impacts on the human beings and the suggested solutions. Methods: This paper is prepared by reviewing the latest academic literatures. Result: First, this article discusses two aspects including the effects of Mercury, Lead and Arsenic on the Chinese herbal medicine and the potential issues of causing the environmental pollution. And then further study its toxicity effects and the side impacts on the human bodies in order to realize the actual circumstances people are encountering nowadays. This paper will also the corresponding its treatment method of reviews. Hope this will provide a valuable reference. Conclusion: Theses issues caused by the Mineral elements are prominent nowadays, thus the ongoing researches on the impacts of pollution and the possible solutions are regarded as highly valued in order to conserve the natural environment and meanwhile safeguard the well beings of people and the future offspring.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.41506128,40806045 and 41749903)the Oceanographic Research Vessel Sharing Plan(No.NORC2018-06-25)。
文摘Complex hydrocultural conditions in the estuary affect the migration and transformation of mercury.Using two voyages in July and October 2018,Dissolved Gaseous Mercury(DGM)and Reactive Mercury(RHg)were determined to explore the source,transformation and influence of DGM content in the adjacent waters of Yangtze River Estuary in summer and autumn.The results showed the contents of DGM and RHg in summer were higher than those in autumn,and both of them were higher than those in open sea.In summer and autumn,the Yangtze River brought a higher concentration of DGM,and different flow direction and runoff resulted in differences in the high value region of the surface.The emergence of low-oxygen zones in summer was conducive to the production of DGM.In autumn,windy weather allowed seawater disturbances to promote the release of mercury from the underlying sediments,especially in shallow sea in northwest.RHg showed a higher concentration in the offshore than in the open sea in summer,but there was no such trend in autumn,reflecting the influence of less runoff input.DGM is the main product of RHg reduction,and there was a significant positive correlation between DGM and RHg in summer(r=0.356,P<0.05),while the correlation between DGM and RHg was not significant in autumn due to the influence of light intensity,wind speed and nutrients.The exchange flux of mercury in the adjacent waters of the Yangtze River Estuary was higher than that in the open sea.There was no significant difference of the release flux of mercury in summer and autumn.This article highlighted that the input of mercury from the Yangtze River runoff promotes the release of mercury in seawater,and the hypoxic zone caused by eutrophication is conducive to the production of DGM.
基金supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China(NSFC No.42103080)。
文摘Mercury is a ubiquitous contaminant known to accumulate in wildlife,particularly bird species at higher trophic levels.Knowledge of tissue-specific Hg distributions aids our understanding of Hg bioaccumulation in organisms.In this study,one adult and three juvenile Collared Scops Owls(Otus lettia)were studied to elucidate the bioaccumulation of Hg in body tissues.Six tissues and organs(feathers,nails,heart,liver,gizzard,and muscle),as well as gastric contents,were examined for total Hg(THg)and methylmercury(MeHg)contents,Hg isotopic compositions including mass-dependent fractionation(MDF;δ202Hg)and mass-independent fractionation(MIF;Δ199Hg andΔ201Hg),and C(δ13C)and N(δ15N)isotopic compositions.Tissue-specific THg and MeHg concentrations in the adult were in the ranges of 150–1360 ng/g and17–1060 ng/g,and lower in the juveniles at 91–419 ng/g and 67–350 ng/g,respectively.Theδ^(202)Hg values in the adult were strongly negative at-1.75‰±0.17‰compared with the juveniles at-0.99‰±0.25‰.The adult exhibited lower MIF values than the juveniles,at0.23‰±0.07‰forΔ^(199)Hg and 0.2‰±0.11‰forΔ^(201)Hg,comparedwith0.81‰±0.09‰and0.66‰±0.07‰,respectively.The lower adult MDF and MIF values suggest that the adult tended to accumulate negative Hg isotopes but the juvenile's positive Hg isotopes.Differences between adult and juvenile tissue Hg concentrations indicate that metabolic processes play an important role in Hg accumulation.
基金Under the auspices of the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.42071108,41671194)。
文摘The toxic heavy metal mercury(Hg)has significantly enhanced the global Hg cycle influenced by human activities over the last century.In this study,we presented a high-resolution Hg deposition history between∼1780 and 2015 AD in a sediment core from Xincun Lagoon,located in the southeastern Hainan Island,South China,and analyzed it in conjunction with geochemical elements,grain-size distribution,organic matter,and HYSPLIT backward trajectory simulation.The objective was to investigate the influencing factors affecting historical Hg deposition in relatively remote regions and assess the extent of the effects of natural background and human activities.The results showed that the Hg in the sediment was deposited primarily through atmospheric deposition,which was closely related to regional and even global human activities.Anthropogenic Hg contamination increased gradually from the 1830s to 1850s,possibly due to Hg emissions from Opium Wars I and II occurring in southeastern China.High broad peaks of anthropogenic Hg were observed during the 1910s to 1950s and in the 1980s,likely associated with the two world wars and modern Chinese wars.In addition,a further sharp increase in anthropogenic Hg from the mid-1970s to the present occurred,likely originating from the intense industrial activities in China triggered by the reform and opening-up policy of China in 1978 and some countries in Southeast Asia.
文摘Sulfur-rich copolymers made through inverse vulcanization exhibit a wide range of potentially valuable applications, for example as adsorbents to capture mercury pollution. Among the diverse second monomers of the copolymers, vegetable oil is a renewable resource, and recycled cooking oils have an important role in saving natural products. However, they need relatively high temperatures(160–180 ℃) to react with sulfur. To develop a low-temperature(130 ℃) reaction process for non-conjugated vegetable oil, we incorporate a small amount of tung oil, which contains conjugated trienes that can produce highly active free radicals during reactions. A variety of analytical techniques(proton nuclear magnetic resonance and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray diffraction, and dynamic mechanical analysis) are used to characterize the chemical structures and physical properties of the copolymers. The addition of tung oil is found to significantly improve the thermal stability and mechanical properties of the copolymers. We also investigate the effect of different ratios of raw materials on the gel time, free sulfur content, glass transition temperature T_(g), and degradation temperature of the copolymers. We find that increasing the amount of tung oil in the raw material mixture decreases the gel time and free sulfur content, but increases T_(g) and the degradation temperature. The copolymers exhibit a high adsorption capacity for mercury ions up to 33 mg Hg^(2+) per gram of adsorbent. These results demonstrate the feasibility of using sulfur-rich copolymers as effective mercury removal adsorbents, with the potential for further improvement by foaming the copolymers into porous materials.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(22274050,21874004,91953104)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities.
文摘In a recent paper,the structural basis of mercury-mediated changes in aquaporins'(AQPs)function has been revealed at the atomic level by solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance(ssNMR)spectroscopy and molecular dynamics(MD)simulations[1].This work has demonstrated an interesting case of metal ion-protein interaction.It provided valuable insights on how mercury ions achieve opposite regulations of AQP permeability by disrupting the hydrogen bonding network around arginine residues(https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/jacs.2c10240).
文摘The Kaw Nation has been collecting water, sediment, and fish samples from Kaw Lake and upper Arkansas River from 2007 to present to examine the concentrations of Mercury and other heavy metals to protect the health of the tribal members. Kaw Lake is in the North-Central part of Oklahoma. Kaw Lake is a permanent water body constructed in 1976 by the Army of Corps of Engineers. The Lake is consistently fed by the Arkansas River and other tributaries as runoff coming all the way from Colorado through Kansas to Kaw Lake of Oklahoma. The Lake has a surface area of 26.64 square miles (69 km<sup>2</sup>) and shoreline of 168 miles (270 km) with a total drainage area of 56,345 square miles (145,393 km<sup>2</sup>) and an average water depth of 8 meters. The water and fish samples were collected from 7 sites of Kaw Lake, once in a month and the fish samples once in a year during summertime, early July to end of July. The fish samples focused on 5 sport, predator, and bottom dwelling species of large consumable size, greater than 200 mm length and 560 grams weight. The five fish sampled were Catfish, White bass, Largemouth and Smallmouth bass, Black and White crappie. The fish and water samples were sent to Accurate Environmental Labs for detailed analysis. Predator species were analyzed as fillet and the bottom dwellings as a whole fish using EPA Method 7471A-M. Mercury from Water and Fish Tissue Samples were analyzed by Atomic Fluorescence Spectrometry. The laboratory analysis indicated that all the Mercury concentration in the fish samples except in Blue Catfish and Spotted Bass fall below the Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) of 0.5 mg/kg.
文摘Although Newtonian gravity and general relativity predicted the precession of Mercury perihelion historically, many improved methods continue to predict the precession of Mercury during recent decades of years. Uncertainties in various predictions and observations suggest that the attribution of Mercury’s precession is still not well understood. This paper argues that the cause of Mercury’s precession is not gravity, but the inertia of material motion left over from the formation of the solar system. According to this inertia theory, the planetary precession is associated with the ratio of total mass-energy density of the system to the mass-energy of the Sun and its change over time. If other factors are not changed with time, the perihelion precession of planets per orbit is proportional to his distance relative to the Sun. The conclusions of this paper can provide more effective factor considerations for the complete description of various astronomical events and phenomena using general relativity equations.
文摘Plants are sources of medicinal compounds,and they play a crucial role in human health maintenance.Abrus precatorius is one of the important medicinal plants that have been alleged for their medicinal properties.This research unraveled the pharmacological effect of ethanolic extract of Abrus precatorius on lipid peroxidation,liver parameters,and Na^(+)/K^(+)-ATPase activity in HgCl_(2) treated wistar rats.Twenty-four(24)albino wistar rats weighing between 150-200 g were distributed into four groups of 6 animals each.Group A(control)received normal saline(0.9% NaCl),group B received 400 mg/kg of the extract only,group C received 4 mg/kg HgCl_(2) only,and group D received 400 mg/kg of extract+4 mg/kg of HgCl_(2).The treatment lasted for two weeks,and the animals were sacrificed on the 15th day.The blood,brains and livers were collected and used for assay of lipid peroxidation,liver function,and sodium pump activity.The results of liver function test revealed an elevated(P<0.05)level of serum aspartate transaminase,alanine transaminase,alkaline phosphatase,and total bilirubin in the group that received HgCl_(2) only(group C)when compared with the normal control(group A)that received normal saline only.However,the administration of extract in group D led to a marked(P<0.05)reduction in the activities of these enzymes and the level of total bilirubin when compared to the negative control(group C).On the contrary,HgCl_(2) caused a significant(P<0.05)reduction in serum total protein and albumin levels,but the extract reversed the effect of HgCl_(2) by elevating their concentrations.Nonetheless,the effect elicited by this extract is comparable to group A which received normal saline.Moreso,the result of lipid peroxidation revealed that HgCl_(2) treatment caused a marked(P<0.05)increase in the formation of lipid peroxidation adducts in both liver and brain homogenates in group C.On the contrary,administration of Abrus precatorius extract profoundly(P<0.05)inhibited HgCl_(2)-induced lipid peroxidation in group D.In addition,HgCl_(2) inhibited the activity of cerebral Na^(+)/K^(+)-ATPase,but the extract restored normalcy by increasing the activity of the enzyme in group D.Consequently,the results obtained justify the traditional use of Abrus precatorius and suggest that Abrus precatorius leaves may be used for management of liver diseases,oxidative stress-linked diseases and some neurodegenerative ailments.
基金This study was supported by the Jungwon University Research Grant(2021-044).
文摘The association between heavy metals in the blood and obesity has been examined in many studies.However,inconsistencies have been observed in the results of these studies.The present study was conducted using data from 119,181 participants of the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey(KNHANES)for 11 years in 2005 and between 2008 and 2017.The subjects with missing heavy metal blood tests,health interview data,and health examination data were excluded from the study.The study population comprised 1,844 individuals(972 men,and 872 women)who were eligible for inclusion.It was found that obesity and abdominal obesity were associated with an increase in both blood mercury(P<0.001)and alanine aminotransferase(ALT)(P<0.001).After adjusting the confounding factors,those with concurrent high levels of ALT and the highest tertile of mercury showed an increased risk of obesity(odds ratio 4.46,95%confidence interval 2.23-8.90,P<0.001)as well as abdominal obesity(odds ratio 5.36,95%confidence interval 2.57-11.17,P<0.001).The interrelationship of mercury and ALT with the parameters of body mass index(P for interaction=0.009)and waist circumference(P for interaction=0.012),respectively,have been observed to be significant,suggesting that the reciprocal relationship could contribute to obesity and abdominal obesity.
