Effects of elemental mercury exposure at a thermometer plant

Details

• Personal Author:
  Brightwell WS ; Brondum J ; Ehrenberg, Richard L. ; Hannon WH ; Hudson PJ ; McManus, Kevin P. ; Phipps, Frederick C. ; Smith AB ; Vogt RL
• Description:
  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. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Air Pollution Nervous System Nervous System Diseases Occupational Exposure Occupational Health Safety Urine
• Keywords:
  β2-microglobulin Air Quality Monitoring Author Keywords: Occupational Diseases Kidney Diseases Mercury Poisoning N-acetyl-b-D-glucosaminidase Nervous System Disorders Neurologic Manifestations Neuromotor Disorders Neurotoxic Effects Occupational Exposure Renal Toxicity Retinol Binding Protein Urinalysis

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• ISSN:
  0271-3586
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Georgia ; Minnesota ; Ohio ; OSHA Region 1 ; OSHA Region 4 ; OSHA Region 5 ; Vermont
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  OD - Office of the Director ; DBBS - Division of Biomedical and Behavioral Sciences
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  495-507
• Volume:
  19
• Issue:
  4
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:00200159
• Citation:
  Am J Ind Med 1991 Apr; 19(4):495-507
• CAS Registry Number:
  Mercury (CAS RN 7439-97-6)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1991
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• NAICS and SIC Codes:
  3829 - Measuring & controlling devices, not elsewhere classified - (SIC)
• Source Full Name:
  American Journal of Industrial Medicine
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:784394c00d6409880b0ae90d4e4ead3b94242de047fbee21b8696c89c8f7a7df4459dd5cd276d11da4bd12f439b4dd6ddfaf611670bea5f7085cc8bf23e9841c
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/204551/cdc_204551_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 906.57 KB ]