Elemental mercury exposure: peripheral neurotoxicity.

Details

• Personal Author:
  Albers JW ; Cavender GD ; Langolf GG ; Levine SP
• Description:
  The effect of mercury (7439976) vapor exposure on the ulnar nerve was determined in human subjects. Eighteen asymptomatic male workers from a mercury cell chlorine plant were evaluated for mercury exposure by urinalysis and for compound muscle action potential, sensory nerve action potential, negative peak amplitude, motor and sensory distal latency, and maximum motor velocity (max MCV) of the ulnar nerve by conventional techniques. Average urine mercury concentrations ranged from 0.02 to 0.45 milligrams per liter. The mean compound muscle action potential amplitude was low and motor latency long when compared with normal values, although no individual amplitude was outside the normal range. Workers with prolonged distal latencies had significantly higher urine mercury concentrations when compared to those with normal latencies. Significant correlations between increasing urine mercury concentrations and prolonged motor and sensory distal latencies were established. The authors conclude that exposure to inorganic mercury can affect both motor and sensory peripheral nerve conduction in a manner consistent with a mild sensorimotor neuropathy. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Mercury Metals, Heavy Nervous System Diseases Occupational Health Poisoning Safety Surveys And Questionnaires
• Keywords:
  Health-surveys Heavy-metals Mercury-poisoning Nerve-function Nervous-system-disorders NIOSH-Grant NIOSH-Publication Occupational-medicine
• ISSN:
  0007-1072
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Michigan ; OSHA Region 5
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  136-139
• Volume:
  39
• Issue:
  2
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:00124430
• Citation:
  Br J Ind Med 1982 May; 39(2):136-139
• Contact Point Address:
  Industrial & Operations Engr University of Michigan Industrial & Operations Engr Ann Arbor, Mich 48109
• CAS Registry Number:
  Mercury (CAS RN 7439-97-6)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1982
• Performing Organization:
  University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  19720701
• Source Full Name:
  British Journal of Industrial Medicine
• End Date:
  19830430
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:947f5a8f8b95ee8184ac86471f1342d682d26ec26720d11e346aeec83f5ee882cec3b3605fbc9d48a3e9337134334435bfb288ef373a8322d77b9e1ea5fa45de
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/184567/cdc_184567_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 620.77 KB ]