Subclinical psychomotor and neuromuscular changes in workers exposed to inorganic mercury.

Details

• Personal Author:
  Chaffin, Don B. ; Miller JM ; Smith RG
• Description:
  Subclinical psychomotor and neuromuscular changes are studied in 77 workers exposed to inorganic mercury (7439976) while engaged in chloralkali manufacturing or manufacturing of magnetic materials as a means of recognizing overexposure subclinically so that appropriate corrective action can be taken before permanent damage is incurred. Unremitting abnormalities of dermatographia (skin writing) and eye-lid fasciculations occur in those with current elevated urine and blood mercury levels. Increase in the frequency of forearm tremor, increase in the bandwidth of the surface electromyogram, decrease in the speed of hand and foot tapping with increase in response time and variation in eye-hand coordination are found to be reversible below a mercury body burden of about 600 micrograms per liter of blood. Psychomotor control is considered to be greatly affected by elevated levels of mercury in the blood, and health status testing using behavioral and neurological measures are recommended for any person routinely exposed to mercury when the blood concentrations exceed 100 micrograms per liter. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Blood Hazardous Substances Hematologic Tests Laboratories Mercury Metals Metals, Heavy Nervous System Occupational Health Poisoning Safety Urine

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• Keywords:
  Blood-chemistry Blood-tests Clinical-analysis Contract-099-71-0062 Exposure-limits Heavy-metals Industrial-health Laboratory-diagnosis Mercurialism Mercury-poisoning Metal-poisoning Monitoring Neuromuscular-function NIOSH-Contract NIOSH-Publication Physiological-response Psychomotor-function Thresholds Toxic-substances Urine-chemistry

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• ISSN:
  0002-8894
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Contract
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  36
• Issue:
  10
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:00053604
• Citation:
  Am Ind Hyg Assoc J 1975 Oct; 36(10):725-733
• CAS Registry Number:
  Mercury (CAS RN 7439-97-6)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1976
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Source Full Name:
  American Industrial Hygiene Association Journal
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:cfd8c65be9973b4204c3f8aad4a7881ef3e1125e591fa33b51cc6fed1a4b290bcba52324d3f287bdf3d3e47bf0a02699da024f2979d594cd316052c05910f91d
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/184087/cdc_184087_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 852.32 KB ]