Biomonitoring methylmercury (MeHg) exposure is problematic in resource-limited settings and with difficult-to-access populations where traditional biomarker approaches present logistical, economic, and ethical issues. The present study aimed to validate the use of dried blood spots (DBS) to assess MeHg exposure in a real-world contaminated field setting. Whole-blood and DBS samples were collected from electronic waste workers (n = 20) from Agbogbloshie (Ghana) in 2017, and DBS were also artificially created in the laboratory using the field-collected blood. Whole-blood MeHg concentrations averaged 0.84 µg/L, which was not different from levels measured in the corresponding DBS samples (field-collected or artificially created). Whole-blood MeHg comprised 61% of the blood total Hg concentrations. Linear regression analysis revealed no differences in MeHg concentrations between whole-blood samples and field-collected DBS (slope 0.89, R² = 0.94) and between field and laboratory DBS (slope 0.89, R² = 0.96). The MeHg content in DBS punch blanks averaged 0.86 pg and thus was not of concern. These findings indicate that DBS are a suitable tool for assessing MeHg exposure in real-world environmental settings that may be heavily contaminated. Environ Toxicol Chem 2021;40:2183–2188. © 2021 SETAC

中文翻译：

---

从加纳 Agbogbloshie 采样的电子废物工人干血斑中的甲基汞测量

生物监测甲基汞 (MeHg) 暴露在资源有限的环境中以及在传统生物标志物方法存在后勤、经济和伦理问题的难以进入的人群中存在问题。本研究旨在验证使用干血斑 (DBS) 来评估真实世界污染现场环境中的甲基汞暴露。全血和 DBS 样本是从电子废物工人（n = 20) 于 2017 年来自 Agbogbloshie（加纳），并且 DBS 也是在实验室中使用现场采集的血液人工创建的。全血甲基汞浓度平均为 0.84 µg/L，与相应 DBS 样品（现场采集或人工创建）中测得的水平没有差异。全血甲基汞占血液总汞浓度的 61%。线性回归分析显示，全血样本和现场采集的 DBS（斜率 0.89，R ²  = 0.94）以及现场和实验室 DBS 之间（斜率0.89， R ^{2 ）之间的甲基汞浓度没有差异} = 0.96)。DBS 冲压坯料中的甲基汞含量平均为 0.86 皮克，因此无需担心。这些发现表明，DBS 是评估可能受到严重污染的现实环境中的甲基汞暴露的合适工具。环境毒物化学2021；40:2183–2188。© 2021 SETAC