Mercury biomonitoring in urine and hair of women and children in a region with partly elevated mercury levels in soil in Switzerland

In a region in the upper Valais with partly elevated mercury levels in soil, we conducted a mercury biomonitoring study in urine and hair of women and children. Our research questions were, if the mercury in soil poses a health risk for the residential population, if there was an association between mercury-soil- and mercury-biomonitoring-values and to compare the biomonitoring-values with results from other studies. We invited all inhabitants that fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Furthermore, we used questionnaires to identify additional risk factors.

The final report can be downloaded here (only in German).