Estudo dos níveis de exposição e efeitos à saúde por mercúrio metálico em uma população urbana de Poconé, Mato Grosso, Brasil

Abstract

This paper evaluates the levels of exposure to and health effects of metallic mercury emissions into the atmosphere by gold dealers in the town of Poconé, Mato Grosso State, Brazil. The project was based on the comparison of referred morbidity, clinical examination, and metallic mercury urinary concentrations in three population groups. The first group consisted of downtown residents who were exposed to metallic mercury emissions. The second group resided on the outskirts of the town and the third in an agricultural area. Urinary concentrations of metallic mercury showed highly significant differences between groups from downtown and the outskirts as compared to the control group. Investigation of individuals with high concentrations showed that exposure in the downtown area might have come from gold dealers' establishments. In the group from the town outskirts, exposure might have been from amalgam-smelting done inside homes. Referred morbidity data showed an increased proportion of complaints and alterations in clinical examinations by downtown residents as compared to the other groups.It was concluded that there was a possibility of exposure and health effects caused by metallic mercury for residents from the first two groups.

Low level methylmercury exposure affects neuropsychological function in adults

“…According to data from the state of Mato Grosso, the annual gold production in this region in 1985 was 2.12 tons, which is estimated to involve the use of about 1 ton of mercury for amalgamation [5]. Studies on exposures of gold miners and gold processors in the region have demonstrated substantial exposures to mercury as well as releases to the environment [29,33,34]. …”

Avaliação dos níveis de chumbo e mercúrio em população exposta ambientalmente na Região Centro-oeste do Brasil

“…In the current study, mean HgU concentration (1.41 ± 0.97µg L -1 ) was 28.85% of the mean (4.89µg L -1 ) found in 1995 in residents of the city of Poconé, when the gold mining operations were in full swing in the region 40 . However, this level was above the mean HgU in dentists who did not use the metal in their work (0.92 ± 0.33µg L -1 ) 15 and the mean (0.44 ± 0.41µg L -1 ) in adult women living in the vicinity of the Aamjiwnaang First Nation Reserve (Ontario, Canada), in the Great Lakes region, known for Hg pollution 41 .…”

A Odontologia em Saúde do Trabalhador como uma Nova Especialidade Profissional: Definição do Campo de Atuação e Funções do Cirurgião-Dentista na Equipe de Saúde do Trabalhador

“…Santino detalhou os aspectos da intoxicação por chumbo inorgânico desde as fontes, a toxicologia, controle ambiental, clínico, laboratorial e tratamento. Descreveu as doenças ocupacionais decorrentes da exposição ao chumbo inorgânico e seus compostos e destacou dentre as suas manifestações, a linha de Burton como mais um dado para auxiliar no diagnóstico da intoxicação profissional Câmara et al (1996). estudaram os níveis de exposição ao pó de mercúrio e seus efeitos na população de Paconé, Mato Grosso devido ao mercúrio metálico proveniente das casas compradoras de ouro.…”