Methylmercury in human hair: a study of a Papua New Guinean population exposed to methylmercury through fish consumption.

The mean methylmercury concentration in hair of a Papua New Guinean population was 15.5 micrograms/g (range = 3.2-50.5 micrograms/g). Nearly all individuals consumed fish 2 to 3 times daily. In contrast, the mean methylmercury concentration in hair of a nearby control group who consumed a similar amount of fish was 6.4 micrograms/g (range = 0.62-25.7 micrograms/g). A control group that consumed fish much less frequently had a mean methylmercury concentration in hair of 2.4 micrograms/g (range = 0.33-9.0 micrograms/g). No statistically significant variations in methylmercury concentrations in hair were found with sex or age within any of the three populations.