Correlation Between Total Mercury and Methyl Mercury-In Whole Blood of South Korean

In this study, total mercury and methyl mercury in whole blood of Korean was analyzed so as to investigate the correlation between total mercury (T-Hg) and methyl mercury (Me-Hg). 4000 whole blood samples were divided in four groups, according to T-Hg concentration in percentile: group I (p25-p50), group II (p50-p75), group III (p75-p95) and group IV (p95-p100). 100 samples were randomly selected from the each group, and Me-Hg concentration was measured. T-Hg concentration in whole blood was analyzed using a Direct Mercury Analyzer-80 and obtained limit of detection (LOD) was 0.2 mu mgL(-1). Me-Hg concentration was analyzed with ethylate derivatization using headspace-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and obtained LOD of methyl mercury was 0.5 mu gL(-1). The geometric means of T-Hg and Me-Hg were 6.35 mu gL(-1) and 4.44 mu gL(-1), respectively, and 71.91% of T-Hg was presented as Me-Hg.