Iron status as a covariate in methylmercury-associated neurotoxicity risk

Fonseca, Márlon de Freitas
De Souza Hacon, Sandra
Grandjean, Philippe
Choi, Anna Lai
Bastos, Wanderley Rodrigues

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Publication date

April 2014

DOI

10.1016/j.chemosphere.2013.12.053

Publisher

Elsevier Ltd.

Abstract

AbstractIntrauterine methylmercury exposure and prenatal iron deficiency negatively affect offspring’s brain development. Since fish is a major source of both methylmercury and iron, occurrence of negative confounding may affect the interpretation of studies concerning cognition. We assessed relationships between methylmercury exposure and iron-status in childbearing females from a population naturally exposed to methylmercury through fish intake (Amazon). We concluded a census (refuse <20%) collecting samples from 274 healthy females (12–49years) for hair-mercury determination and assessed iron-status through red cell tests and determination of serum ferritin and iron. Reactive C protein and thyroid hormones was used for excluding inflamma...