RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE CONCENTRATIONS OF MERCURY IN AIR AND IN BLOOD OR URINE IN WORKERS EXPOSED TO MERCURY VAPOUR

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Abstract
During 5 successive days the TWA airborne concentration of mercury vapour (Hg-air) and the levels of mercury in blood (Hg-B) and in urine (Hg-U) were investigated in 10 workers in a dry alkaline battery plant. The individual external exposure measured with personal sampler ranged from 10 to 106 μg Hg m −3 (overall mean 40 μg m −3 ). On an individual basis, strong correlations were found between the daily intensity of exposure to mercury vapour and the levels of Hg-B (end of workshift) (r=0.86; n=40) or Hg-U (following morning).(r=0.81; n=34). These relationships indicate that the ratio Hg-air (μg m −3 ):Hg-B (μgdl −1 whole blood):Hg-U (μg g −1 creatinine) is 1:0.045:1.22. In view of our previous investigations on the nephrotoxicity and neurotoxicity of longterm exposure to mercury vapour showing a biological TLV for Hg-U of 50 μg g −1 creatinine, this ratio suggests that the corresponding threshold values for Hg-B and Hg-air amount to 1.8μg Hg dl −1 of whole blood and 40 μg m −3 of air, respectively.

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