Discussion paper on the effects of mercury on maternal health

List of Abbreviations and Technical terms

TOX/2025/03

Last updated: 27 January 2025

Acronym

Definition

ALSPAC

Avon longitudinal study of parents and children

ANA

Antinuclear antibody

ABC

ATP-binding cassette

ATSDR

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry

BDNF

Brain-derived neurotropic factor

BHg

Blood mercury

BKMR

Bayesian kernel machine regression

BMDL

Benchmark-dose lower confidence limit

BMI

Body mass index

BSID-II

Bayley’s scale of infant development-II

Bw

Bodyweight

CONTAM

Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain

COT

Committee on the Toxicity of Chemicals in Food,

Consumer Products and the Environment

CpG

CG dinucleotides

DDE

p,p’-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene

DDST

Denver Developmental Screening Test

DDT

Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane

Defra

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

DHA

Docosahexaenoic acid

EARLI

Early Autism Risk Longitudinal Investigation

EFSA

European Food Safety Authority

EV

Extracellular vesicle

FAO

Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations

NR3C1

Glucocorticoid receptor

GRIN2B

Glutamate receptor subunit NR2B

GST

Glutathione S-transferase

GSTM1

Glutathione S-transferase M1

GSTT1

Glutathione S-transferase T1

Hg

Mercury

HHg

Hair mercury

HRV

Heart rate variability

Ig

Immunoglobulin

IVF

In vitro fertilisation

JECFA

Joint Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations / World Health Organisation Expert Committee on

Food Additives

LCPUFA

Long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid

MC

SCDS main cohort

MDI

Mental development index

MeHg

Methylmercury

miRNA

Micro RNA

MOCEH

Mothers and Children's Environmental Health

NC1

SCDS nutrition cohort 1

NC2

SCDS nutrition cohort 2

NNNS

NICU network neurobehavioral scales

NOAEL

No observed adverse effect level

OWO

Overweight or obesity

PC

Principal component

PCB

Polychlorinated biphenyls

PDI

Psychomotor development index

PE

Preeclampsia

PFAS

Perfluoroalkyl substances

PHIME

Mixed Element exposure in a susceptible population EU

Sixth Framework Programme

PTWI

Provisional tolerable weekly intake

PUFA

Polyunsaturated fatty acid

RmtDNAcn

Relative mitochondrial DNA copy number

ROS

Reactive oxygen species

S

Sulfur

SACN

Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition

SCDS

Seychelles child development study

SCOOP

Scientific cooperation

Se

Selenium

SGA

Small-for-gestational age

TDS

Total diet survey

THg

Total mercury

TWI

Tolerable weekly intake

VitA

Vitamin A

WHO

World health organisation