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Signs and symptoms of mercury-exposed gold miners

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Bose-O'Reilly S., Bernaudat L., Siebert U., Roider G., Nowak D., Drasch G.

International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health

2017

vol. 30

issue 2

249-269

Objectives Gold miners use mercury to extract gold from ore adding liquid mercury to the milled gold-containing ore. This results in a mercury-gold compound, called amalgam. Miners smelt this amalgam to obtain gold, vaporizing it and finally inhaling the toxic mercury fumes. The objective was to merge and analyze data from different projects, to identify typical signs and symptoms of chronic inorganic mercury exposure. Material and Methods Miners and community members from various artisanal small-scale gold mining areas had been examined (Philippines, Mongolia, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Indonesia). Data of several health assessments were pooled. Urine, blood and hair samples were analyzed for mercury (N = 1252). Questionnaires, standardized medical examinations and neuropsychological tests were used. Participants were grouped into: Controls (N = 209), living in an exposed area (N = 408), working with mercury as panners (N = 181), working with mercury as amalgam burners (N = 454). Chi2 test, linear trend test, Mann-Whitney test, Kruskal-Wallis test, correlation coefficient, Spearman’s rho, and analysis of variance tests were used. An algorithm was used to define participants with chronic mercury intoxication. Results Mean mercury concentrations in all exposed subgroups were elevated and above threshold limits, with amalgam burners showing highest levels. Typical symptoms of chronic metallic mercury intoxication were tremor, ataxia, coordination problems, excessive salivation and metallic taste. Participants from the exposed groups showed poorer results in different neuropsychological tests in comparison to the control group. Fifty-four percent of the high-exposed group (amalgam burners) were diagnosed as being mercury-intoxicated, compared to 0% within the control group (Chi2 p < 0.001). Conclusions Chronic mercury intoxication, with tremor, ataxia and other neurological symptoms together with a raised body burden of mercury was clinically diagnosed in exposed people in artisanal small-scale mining areas. The mercury exposure needs to be urgently reduced. Health care systems need to be prepared for this emerging problem of chronic mercury intoxication among exposed people. Int J Occup Med Environ Health 2017;30(2):249–269

HSP70 (HSPA1) polymorphisms in former workers with chronic mercury vapor exposure

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Chernyak Y. I., Merinova A. P.

International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health

2017

vol. 30

issue 1

77-85

Objectives To investigate 4 loci of 3 HSP70 genes in caustic soda production plant former workers, who have been exposed to metallic mercury vapors for a long time, and including numerous cases of chronic mercury intoxication (CMI). Material and Methods Polymorphisms in HSP70 gene family members (HSP1A1 (+190G/C, rs1043618), HSPA1B (+1267A/G and +2074G/C, rs1061581) and HSP1AL (+2437T/C, rs2227956)) genes were studied among 120 male workers involved in caustic soda production by mercury electrolysis at 2 plants in Eastern Siberia. These subjects had been chronically exposed to metallic mercury vapors for > 5 years and divided into 3 groups based on the occurrence and time of the CMI diagnosis, or absence of this disease. The Group 1 consisted of individuals (N = 46), who had had contact with mercury but were not diagnosed with the CMI. The Group 2 included workers (N = 56), who were diagnosed with the CMI longer than 14 years ago. The Group 3 consisted of the subjects (N = 18), who had been diagnosed with the CMI 3–5 years ago. The logistic regression analysis was used for 3 genetic models with and without adjustment for age and duration of mercury vapor exposure. Results We found that genotypes СС-HSPA1A (+190G/C) and GG-HSPA1B (+1267A/G) had a high predictive risk of the CMI development (adjusted odds ratio ($\text{OR}_\text{adj}$) = 5.58, p = 0.026 and $\text{OR}_\text{adj}$ = 14.7, p = 0.0015, respectively). Twelve individuals with the CMI had a specific combination of СС-HSPA1A (+190G/C) and GG-HSPA1B (+1267A/G) genotypes, which strongly associated with the diagnosis ($\text{OR}_\text{adj}$ = 12.3, p = 0.0285). Moreover, significant association with the CMI was also obtained for the haplotype G-C of 1267A/G and 190G/C polymorphisms (OR = 2.1, p = 0.018). Conclusions The association of СС-HSPA1A (+190G/C) and GG-HSPA1B (+1267A/G) genotypes and their combination for the CMI individuals suggests the role for HSPA1 genes in mercury-dependent mechanisms of the CMI development and progression. Int J Occup Med Environ Health 2017;30(1):77–85

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2 International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health

1 Bernaudat L.

1 Bose-O'Reilly S.

1 Chernyak Y. I.

1 Drasch G.

1 Merinova A. P.

1 Nowak D.

1 Roider G.

1 Siebert U.

2 2017

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Signs and symptoms of mercury-exposed gold miners

HSP70 (HSPA1) polymorphisms in former workers with chronic mercury vapor exposure