BackgroundDue to global mercury pollution and the adverse health effects of prenatal exposure to methylmercury (MeHg), an assessment of the economic benefits of prevented developmental neurotoxicity is necessary for any cost-benefit analysis.MethodsDistributions of hair-Hg concentrations among women of reproductive age were obtained from the DEMOCOPHES project (1,875 subjects in 17 countries) and literature data (6,820 subjects from 8 countries). The exposures were assumed to comply with log-normal distributions. Neurotoxicity effects were estimated from a linear dose-response function with a slope of 0.465 Intelligence Quotient (IQ) point reduction per μg/g increase in the maternal hair-Hg concentration during pregnancy, assuming no deficits below a hair-Hg limit of 0.58 μg/g thought to be safe. A logarithmic IQ response was used in sensitivity analyses. The estimated IQ benefit cost was based on lifetime income, adjusted for purchasing power parity.ResultsThe hair-mercury concentrations were the highest in Southern Europe and lowest in Eastern Europe. The results suggest that, within the EU, more than 1.8 million children are born every year with MeHg exposures above the limit of 0.58 μg/g, and about 200,000 births exceed a higher limit of 2.5 μg/g proposed by the World Health Organization (WHO). The total annual benefits of exposure prevention within the EU were estimated at more than 600,000 IQ points per year, corresponding to a total economic benefit between €8,000 million and €9,000 million per year. About four-fold higher values were obtained when using the logarithmic response function, while adjustment for productivity resulted in slightly lower total benefits. These calculations do not include the less tangible advantages of protecting brain development against neurotoxicity or any other adverse effects.ConclusionsThese estimates document that efforts to combat mercury pollution and to reduce MeHg exposures will have very substantial economic benefits in Europe, mainly in southern countries. Some data may not be entirely representative, some countries were not covered, and anticipated changes in mercury pollution all suggest a need for extended biomonitoring of human MeHg exposure.

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The aim of the present study was to evaluate the association between prenatal exposure to mercury (Hg) and neurodevelopment of the child, taking into account genetic polymorphism of apolipoprotein E (Apoe) and other relevant confounders. Six hundred and one mother-child pairs were recruited from the central Slovenia region and 243 from Rijeka, on the Croatian coast of the northern Adriatic. The total Hg in cord blood, Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition (Bayley-III) assessment at 18 months of age and Apoe genotyping was performed on 361 children; 237 of them were from Slovenia and 124 from Croatia. The results showed negative association between low-to-moderate Hg exposure in children with normal neurodevelopmental outcome and cognitive and fine motor scores at 18 months of age as assessed by Bayley III. The Hg-related decrease in cognitive score was observed only in children carrying at least one Apoe ε4 allele, while the decrease in fine motor scores was independent of the Apoe genotype. Adjusting for selenium (Se) and lead (Pb) levels, a positive association between Se and the language score and a negative association between Pb and the motor score was observed, but not in the subgroup of children carrying the ε4 allele.

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Abstract. Little information is available on exposure of general population to metals at low levels. As a part of a research project PHIME within the EU 6 th Framework programme and National HumanBiomonitoring programme, several studies following the same protocol were conducted to find out to what extent the Slovenian population of women in childbearing age, women 50-60 years, men and children 6-11 years is exposed to environmental chemicals including Hg, Pb, Cd and As and on the other hand to estimate their supply with essential elements (Se, Zn, Cu). Hair, blood and urine were collected from all participants, breast milk from lactating mothers. Most of the subjects had the levels for non-essential toxic metals below the reference levels and the levels for essential elements Zn, Cu and Se within the reference intervals. Concentrations of metals and As did not differ between genders, while significantly higher levels of Se were observed in men and significantly higher levels of Cu in women. Comparing women of different ages, higher Hg levels and lower Cd and Pb levels were found in blood of younger women (20-35) than in older women (50-60). Se levels were higher in older women, while Cu and Zn levels were higher in younger women. In compare to children, women (both, younger and older) and men showed higher Cd, Pb, Se and Zn concentration in blood. Hg concentration was higher in women (20-35) and men than in children. Looking at the difference between different geographical areas where subjects were recruited, we found higher Cd and Pb levels in blood of rural children than in children from urban area. Hg in blood and urine was in contrary, higher in children from urban area than in children from rural area. In adults, As was observed to be the highest in urban area. Levels of essential elements differed between different areas in Slovenia as well. The present study has provided the basis to establish preliminary reference values for the selected population, depending on different parameters assessed by questionnaires. When additional subjects from other areas of Slovenia are recruited, the connection to the environmental database will be established using GIS modelling tools.