Mercury concentrations in autopsy tissues from inhabitants of Tarragona Province, Spain

Mercury levels were determined in 5 tissues of 60 non-occupationally autopsied subjects, mean age 65 years, from Tarragona Province, Spain. The influence of the place of residence, i.e. whether it was a rural or an industrial area, of age, sex, drinking and smoking habits was also evaluated. Average concentrations of mercury in brain, liver, bone, lung, and kidney were 34.1 (12 - 115), 140.2 (15 - 627), 9.8 (2 - 79), 28.5 (2 - 163) and 111.7 (7 - 1,185) μg/kg wet weight, respectively. No significant differences in mercury concentrations were observed for any of the analyzed tissues in relation to the place of residence. However, the brain levels of mercury increased with the age for both sexes, while in contrast the mercury levels in bone decreased significantly with age. Sex, drinking and smoking habits had no influence on tissue mercury concentrations.