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Validity of methyl mercury hair analysis: mercury monitoring in human scalp/nude mouse model
- Source :
- Journal of Applied Toxicology. 28:535-542
- Publication Year :
- 2008
- Publisher :
- Wiley, 2008.
-
Abstract
- Objective. The grafting of human scalp hair was used as a new application of this method to explore methyl mercury incorporation into human hair and to validate this model for mercury monitoring in hair. Methods. Human scalp grafts were transplanted to athymic BALB/c nude mice. The animals were exposed to methyl mercury either as a single dose i.p. or continuously for 4 months, using ALZET osmotic pumps. The mercury concentration in hair was determined using x-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry by segmental (2 mm) analysis of a single strand, and tissue concentrations were measured by cold vapor atomic absorption analysis. Results. Human scalp hair grown in nude mice showed long-term persistence of human features including the expression of histocompatibility antigens (KAB 3, W 6/32, SF 1-1.1.1) and normal hair morphometry. The disposition of methyl mercury in nude mice followed a one-compartment model with a whole body elimination half-life of 6.7 days (elimination constant, k = 0.1/day). Autoradiographic studies revealed that methyl mercury was rapidly incorporated into areas of the hair follicle undergoing active keratinization. Methyl mercury concentrations in human hair transplanted onto nude mice were two orders of magnitude higher than in blood and attained a mean hair: blood ratio of 217 : 1, similar to ratios reported only in human studies. Conclusions. This study demonstrated that human hair grown on nude mice can record the level of exposure to methyl mercury and can serve as a valuable research tool to study mercury incorporation into human hair. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
- Subjects :
- Mice, Nude
chemistry.chemical_element
Human skin
Toxicology
Models, Biological
Mice
Nude mouse
Elimination rate constant
Keratin
medicine
Animals
Humans
Infusion Pumps
chemistry.chemical_classification
Mice, Inbred BALB C
Scalp
integumentary system
biology
Spectrophotometry, Atomic
Reproducibility of Results
Spectrometry, X-Ray Emission
Anatomy
Methylmercury Compounds
biology.organism_classification
Hair follicle
Molecular biology
Mercury (element)
medicine.anatomical_structure
chemistry
Autoradiography
Female
Cabello
Injections, Intraperitoneal
Environmental Monitoring
Hair
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 10991263 and 0260437X
- Volume :
- 28
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Journal of Applied Toxicology
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....33d08b02d33d9018ff0e8988b846bcee