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Cited by 96Mercury impact and mitigation studiesHeavy Metal Exposure and ToxicityContact Dermatitis and Allergies

Population-Based Inorganic Mercury Biomonitoring and the Identification of Skin Care Products as a Source of Exposure in New York City

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McKelvey, Wendy, Jeffery, Nancy, Clark, Nancy, Kass, Daniel, Parsons, Patrick J.·2011·Environmental Health Perspectives
DOI 10.1289/ehp.1002396PMC PMC3040607
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Abstract

Background: Mercury is a toxic metal that has been used for centuries as a constituent of medicines and other items. Objective: We assessed exposure to inorganic mercury in the adult population of New York City (NYC). Methods: We measured mercury concentrations in spot urine specimens from a representative sample of 1,840 adult New Yorkers in the 2004 NYC Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Cases with urine concentrations ≥ 20 μg/L were followed up with a telephone or in-person interview that asked about potential sources of exposure, including ritualistic/cultural practices, skin care products, mercury spills, herbal medicine products, and fish. Results: Geometric mean urine mercury concentration in NYC was higher for Caribbean-born blacks [1.39 μg/L; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.14–1.70] and Dominicans (1.04 μg/L; 95% CI, 0.82–1.33) than for non-Hispanic whites (0.67 μg/L; 95% CI, 0.60–0.75) or other racial/ethnic groups. It was also higher among those who reported at least 20 fish meals in the past 30 days (1.02 μg/L; 95% CI, 0.83–1.25) than among those who reported no fish meals (0.50 μg/L; 95% CI, 0.41–0.61). We observed the highest 95th percentile of exposure (21.18 μg/L; 95% CI, 7.25–51.29) among Dominican women. Mercury-containing skin-lightening creams were a source of exposure among those most highly exposed, and we subsequently identified 12 imported products containing illegal levels of mercury in NYC stores. Conclusion: Population-based biomonitoring identified a previously unrecognized source of exposure to inorganic mercury among NYC residents. In response, the NYC Health Department embargoed products and notified store owners and the public that skin-lightening creams and other skin care products that contain mercury are dangerous and illegal. Although exposure to inorganic mercury is not a widespread problem in NYC, users of these products may be at risk of health effects from exposure.

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  • The threat of mercury poisoning is real in the Caribbean.

    “The Caribbean population was previously believed to be under threat of mercury poisoning due to its higher than average fish consumption, however recent research including work by Drescher et al,5 Mckelvey et al.14 and this current study indicates that the threat of Mercury poisoning is indeed real in the Caribbean, but may be more due to its cultural use of skin lightening creams than fish cons”

    From The Evaluation of Total Mercury and Arsenic in Skin Bleaching Creams Commonly used in Trinidad and Tobago and their Potential Risk to the People of the Caribbean (2017) · cites this paper as Mckelvey et al.14

    The Discussion (page not provided) reports inorganic mercury exposure from skin-lightening creams among Dominicans and possibly Caribbean groups in New York City. It does not establish mercury poisoning in the Caribbean itself, or show that creams pose a greater threat there than fish consumption. (LLM, conf=0.88)

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  • Use of products like Deluxe Silken can lead to symptoms of mercury poisoning including Nephrotic Syndrome.

    “Deluxe Silken is approximately 14,000 times the recommended limit for Mercury and use of products of this kind can lead to symptoms of Mercury poisoning including Nephrotic Syndrome as have been documented in the US,14,29 Barbados5 and Indonesia.30”

    From The Evaluation of Total Mercury and Arsenic in Skin Bleaching Creams Commonly used in Trinidad and Tobago and their Potential Risk to the People of the Caribbean (2017) · cites this paper as [14]

    The paper’s Discussion reports US poisonings associated with mercury-containing skin-lightening creams, and its introductory toxicity passage says topical mercury can damage the kidneys (page not supplied). It does not identify Deluxe Silken or mention nephrotic syndrome, so it supports the general risk but not that specific condition or product. (LLM, conf=0.86)

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  • Recent publications have reported that mercury is still being used in many skin lightening products found in Mexico, Africa, The United States and Asia.

    “Recent publications have reported that mercury is still being used in many skin lightening products found in Mexico,12 Africa,13 The United States14 and Asia.15”

    From The Evaluation of Total Mercury and Arsenic in Skin Bleaching Creams Commonly used in Trinidad and Tobago and their Potential Risk to the People of the Caribbean (2017) · cites this paper as [14]

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Authors
McKelvey, W., Jeffery, N., Clark, N., Kass, D., & Parsons, P. J.
Affiliations
  • New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (US)
  • New York State Department of Health (US)
Corresponding author
McKelvey, Wendy
ORCID
Venue
Environmental Health Perspectives
Publisher
American Chemical Society (ACS)
Published
2010-10-05
Volume
119
Issue
2
Pages
203-209
ISSN
  • 0091-6765 (ISSN-L)
  • 1552-9924
DOI
10.1289/ehp.1002396
PMC
PMC3040607
OpenAlex
W2329493788
Cited by
96
References
30
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 9 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 9 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 8 · 2014: 9 · 2013: 4 · 2012: 6
FWCI
3.43
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Environmental Health Perspectives (publishedVersion, public-domain)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, public-domain)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U38EH000464-01, U38EH000464)
  • U.S. Public Health Service (U59CCU223 39202, U50CCJU222455, U50CCU223290)
  • National Center for Environmental Health
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Mercury impact and mitigation studies
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Heavy Metal Exposure and Toxicity
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Dermatology › Contact Dermatitis and Allergies
Keywords
inorganic mercury, mercury exposure, skin bleaching creams, skin care products, urinary mercury, biomonitoring, fish consumption, Dominican immigrants, New York City
MeSH terms
Cosmetics, Environmental Exposure, Environmental Monitoring, Humans, Mercury, Skin Care

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