The evaluation of urine and hair total mercury content in occupationally exposed and non-exposed people

The study aimed at the evaluation of total mercury content in hair and urine of the workers occupationally exposed to various levels of mercury vapours. The hair and urine were taken from the workers employed in Chemical Plant O?wiecim and from thermometer factory in Warsaw. The urine and hair of non-exposed Warsaw inhabitants served as a reference. Mercury levels in hair and urine were determined with atomic absorption spectrometry. The highest mercury concentration in hair (range 1.13-325.16 micrograms/g) and urine (range 15.7-800 ng/mg of creatinine) of workers employed in processing chloroalkali in Chemical Plant O?wiecim. The results also suggest that the average mercury concentration in hair (0.17 and 1.0 microgram/g) and urine (0.4 and 2.36 ng/mg of creatinine) of non-occupationally exposed inhabitants from Warsaw and O?wiecim does not endanger human population. Nevertheless a positive correlation between distance from chloroalkali plant in O?wiecim and mercury content in the specimens from inhabitants has been observed.