Wickliffe et al. 2021 — Total and methylmercury exposure in pregnant women in Suriname
This study characterized total mercury (tHg) and methylmercury (MeHg) exposure in 807 pregnant women across three geographic cohorts in Suriname: interior communities (Indigenous and Maroon populations with high freshwater fish consumption), Paramaribo (the capital), and Nickerie (a rice-growing agricultural region). Hair and blood mercury concentrations were measured; a subsample of 75 participants had MeHg speciation. Median tHg in hair was substantially higher in interior community women (3.64 µg/g) compared to Paramaribo (0.63 µg/g) and Nickerie (0.74 µg/g), reflecting marked geographic differences in fish consumption patterns. Artisanal gold mining activity in interior regions contributes additional inorganic mercury exposure. This study provides important baseline exposure data for a largely understudied Amazon-adjacent population and demonstrates that interior fish-dependent communities have MeHg exposures approaching or exceeding WHO guidance values during pregnancy.
Key numbers
n=807 total (807 pregnant women across 3 cohorts). MeHg speciation subsample n=75. Median hair tHg by cohort: interior communities 3.64 µg/g; Paramaribo 0.63 µg/g; Nickerie 0.74 µg/g. Primary exposure pathway: freshwater fish consumption in interior communities. Secondary pathway: artisanal gold mining mercury (interior). Method: hair and blood sampling with CV-AAS for tHg; subsample speciated for MeHg. Jurisdiction: Suriname (SR). Publication: J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol 2021 Feb;31(1):117-125.
Methods (brief)
Cross-sectional sampling of pregnant women at antenatal care visits across three geographic regions. Hair samples (approximately 3 cm from scalp, reflecting 3 months of exposure) analyzed for tHg by CV-AAS. Blood samples also collected. Subsample of 75 with paired hair/blood for MeHg speciation. Dietary intake data collected to characterize fish consumption patterns. Limitation: cross-sectional design at a single time point; interior communities represent very high fish consumption populations.
Implications
Certification: Documents geographic variation in fish consumption-driven MeHg exposure during pregnancy; interior Suriname communities approach or exceed WHO guidance values. Courses: Illustrates the fish consumption-MeHg exposure pathway and population-level geographic variation in a vulnerable population (pregnancy). App: Fish type (freshwater vs. marine) and frequency are key modifiers of MeHg exposure; geographic origin of fish matters.