Should the Biomarker for Recent High-Level and Chronic Low-Level Exposures Be Different?
Blood levels obtained close to the time of exposure provide an accurate determination of acute exposures. However, with human exposure it may not be possible to obtain samples immediately. At Minamata it was several years after exposure before MeHg was suspected, as the cause and the level and duration of exposure were not well defined. In Iraq, MeHg poisoning was recognized early and both blood and hair levels were helpful. Blood levels were useful with acutely ill patients, whereas hair levels were helpful in recapitulating exposure after the outbreak. When dealing with exposures in individuals who regularly consume seafood, the levels are substantially lower and they may be in a steady state with only minor variations in mercury level. The biomarker that best reflects brain exposure after fish consumption needs to be determined. Does Dietary Exposure to Low Doses of MeHg Differ from High-Dose Exposure? Dietary exposure is generally to small amounts of MeHg over prolonged periods of
