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Effects of elemental mercury exposure at a thermometer plant.

Ehrenberg-RL; Vogt-RL; Smith-AB; Brondum-J; Brightwell-WS; Hudson-PJ; McManus-KP; Hannon-WH; Phipps-FC

Am J Ind Med 1991 Apr; 19(4):495-507

http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ajim.4700190407

00200159

A study of mercury (7439976) exposure was conducted at a small, rural manufacturer of mercury thermometers and glass scientific products. An assessment was made of self reported symptom prevalences, neurological status and renal status for 84 exposed workers, and a comparison group of 79 unexposed workers at a nearby electronics factory. Personal breathing zone air samples ranged from 25.6 to 270.6 micrograms/cubic meter for thermometer workers. Urinary mercury levels ranged from 1.3 to 344.5 micrograms/gram creatinine. Static tremor, abnormal Romberg test results, dysdiadochokinesia, and difficulty with heel to toe gait were more prevalent among thermometer workers than comparison workers. These symptoms could not necessarily be associated with recent mercury exposure and there was some suggestion of an association with chronic exposure. A positive correlation was noted between urinary N-acetyl-b-D-glucosaminidase and urinary mercury levels. No consistent evidence was found for intergroup differences in proximal renal tubule function as measured by urinary beta2-microglobulin or retinol binding protein.

NIOSH-Author; Mercury-poisoning; Nervous-system-disorders; Neuromotor-disorders; Neurotoxic-effects; Renal-toxicity; Urinalysis; Air-quality-monitoring; Occupational-exposure; Author Keywords: occupational diseases; kidney diseases; neurologic manifestations; N-acetyl-b-D-glucosaminidase; ß2-microglobulin; retinol binding protein

AJIMD8

7439-97-6

19910401

Journal Article

1991

4

0271-3586

OD; DBBS

3829

American Journal of Industrial Medicine

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