METHODS: A total of 36,263 occupationally non-exposed women aged between 20 and 40 years living in Moscow (n = 30,626) or Moscow region (n = 5637) in the period between 2005 and 2021 participated in this study. Hair Hg content was evaluated with inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Hair Hg levels in reproductive-age women were used for assessment of the potential IQ loss and its costs.
RESULTS: The results demonstrate that hair Hg content in the periods between 2010 and 2015, and 2016-2021 was significantly lower than that in 2005-2009 by 26 % and 51 %, respectively. The highest hair Hg level was observed in women in 2005 (0.855 µg/g), being more than 2.5-fold higher than the lowest value observed in 2020 (0.328 µg/g). Multiple regression analysis revealed a significant inverse association between the year of analysis and hair Hg content (β = -0.288; p < 0.001). The calculations demonstrate that in 2005 the costs of IQ loss in children exceeded 1.0 (1.6) billion USD, whereas in 2020 the costs of IQ loss accounted to approximately 0.15 (0.28) billion USD.
CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, our data demonstrate that Hg accumulation in reproductive-age women reduced significantly in Russia from 2005 to 2021 resulting in predicted economic benefits by decreasing the costs of Hg-induced IQ loss.
方法:2005年至2021年期间,居住在莫斯科(n=30,626)或莫斯科地区(n=5637)的36,263名年龄在20至40岁之间的非职业暴露妇女参加了这项研究。用电感耦合等离子体质谱法(ICP-MS)评价毛发Hg含量。育龄妇女的头发汞水平用于评估潜在的智商损失及其成本。
结果:结果表明,2010年至2015年以及2016年至2021年期间的头发汞含量明显低于2005年至2009年的26%和51%,分别。2005年女性头发汞含量最高(0.855微克/克),比2020年观察到的最低值(0.328µg/g)高出2.5倍以上。多元回归分析显示,分析年份与头发Hg含量之间存在显着负相关(β=-0.288;p<0.001)。计算表明,2005年儿童智商损失的成本超过1.0(16)亿美元,而在2020年,智商损失的成本约为0.15(0.28)亿美元。
结论:综合来看,我们的数据表明,从2005年到2021年,俄罗斯育龄妇女中汞的积累显著减少,通过降低汞引起的智商损失的成本,从而带来预期的经济效益.