Exposure and toxic effects of elemental mercury in gold-mining activities in Ecuador

Harari, Raúl; Harari, Florencia; Gerhardsson, Lars; Lundh, Thomas; Skerfving, Staffan; Strömberg, Ulf; Broberg, Karin

doi:10.1016/j.toxlet.2011.09.006

Cited by 70 publications

(70 citation statements)

References 21 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…Harari et al (2012), Steckling et al (2011), Tomicic et al (2011), Paruchuri et al (2010), Bose-O’Reilly et al (2008, 2010a), Counter et al (2006), and Drake et al (2001) all reported urinary Hg concentrations well above 100 μg Hg/g-creatinine. Data on urinary concentrations of Hg are provided in Figure 1 and Supplemental Material, Table S4.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 92%

Mercury Exposure and Health Impacts among Individuals in the Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining Community: A Comprehensive Review

Gibb

O’Leary

2014

Environ Health Perspect

346

207

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background: Mercury (Hg) is used in gold mining to extract gold from ore by forming “amalgam”—a mixture composed of approximately equal parts mercury and gold. Approximately 15 million people, including approximately 3 million women and children, participate in artisanal small-scale gold mining (ASGM) in developing countries. Thirty-seven percent of global air emissions of Hg are produced by ASGM. The recently adopted Minamata Convention calls for nations to gather health data, train health-care workers, and raise awareness in regard to ASGM activity.Objective: The purpose of our review was to evaluate the current literature regarding the health effects of Hg among those working and/or living in or near ASGM communities.Methods: We searched PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar for studies relating to health effects and biomarkers of Hg exposure in ASGM communities. Articles published from 1990 through December 2012 were evaluated for relevance.Discussion: Studies reporting health assessments, kidney dysfunction, neurological disorders and symptoms, and immunotoxicity/autoimmune dysfunction in individuals living in or near an ASGM community were identified. More than 60 studies that measured biomarkers of Hg exposure in individuals living in or near ASGM communities were also identified. These studies, conducted in 19 different countries in South America, Asia, and Africa, demonstrated that hair and urine concentrations are well above World Health Organization health guidance values in ASGM communities.Conclusions: ASGM workers and their families are exposed to Hg vapor, and workers, workers’ families, and residents of nearby and downstream communities are consuming fish heavily contaminated with methylmercury.Citation: Gibb H, O’Leary KG. 2014. Mercury exposure and health impacts among individuals in the artisanal and small-scale gold mining community: a comprehensive review. Environ Health Perspect 122:667–672; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1307864

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 92%

Mercury Exposure and Health Impacts among Individuals in the Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining Community: A Comprehensive Review

Gibb

O’Leary

2014

Environ Health Perspect

346

207

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Hence, elevated Hg exposure is prevalent among human populations with high fish consumption (Driscoll et al, 2013;Johansen et al, 2007;Selin, 2009). Although MeHg is the most bioaccumulative form of Hg, all forms exhibit toxic effects on mammals, the degree of which depends on species, dose, time, and route of exposure (Harari et al, 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Passive air sampling of gaseous elemental mercury: a critical review

et al. 2016

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract. Because gaseous elemental mercury (GEM) is distributed globally through the atmosphere, reliable means of measuring its concentrations in air are important. Passive air samplers (PASs), designed to be cheap, simple to operate, and to work without electricity, could provide an alternative to established active sampling techniques in applications such as (1) long-term monitoring of atmospheric GEM levels in remote regions and in developing countries, (2) atmospheric mercury source identification and characterization through finely resolved spatial mapping, and (3) the recording of personal exposure to GEM. An effective GEM PAS requires a tightly constrained sampling rate, a large and stable uptake capacity, and a sensitive analytical technique. None of the GEM PASs developed to date achieve levels of accuracy and precision sufficient for the reliable determination of background concentrations over extended deployments. This is due to (1) sampling rates that vary due to meteorological factors and manufacturing inconsistencies, and/or (2) an often low, irreproducible and/or unstable uptake capacity of the employed sorbents. While we identify shortcomings of existing GEM PAS, we also reveal potential routes to overcome those difficulties. Activated carbon and nanostructured metal surfaces hold promise as effective sorbents. Sampler designs incorporating diffusive barriers should be able to notably reduce the influence of wind on sampling rates.

show abstract

“…Hg 0 is oxidized into mercuric Hg (Hg 2+ ) in red blood cells and other tissues (Nordberg et al 2007). Gold miners are at risk of Hg poisoning (Baeuml et al 2011; Bose-O’Reilly et al 2010a, 2010b; Drasch et al 2001; Harari et al 2012; Lettmeier et al 2010), and Hg 0 pollution from the gold-extraction process may also affect the health of other persons living close to mining areas (Bose-O’Reilly et al 2010a, 2010b). …”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Polymorphisms in Genes Encoding Potential Mercury Transporters and Urine Mercury Concentrations in Populations Exposed to Mercury Vapor from Gold Mining

Engström

Ameer

Bernaudat

et al. 2013

Environ Health Perspect

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background: Elemental mercury (Hg0) is widely used in small-scale gold mining. Persons working or living in mining areas have high urinary concentrations of Hg (U-Hg). Differences in genes encoding potential Hg-transporters may affect uptake and elimination of Hg.Objective: We aimed to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in Hg-transporter genes that modify U-Hg.Methods: Men and women (1,017) from Indonesia, the Philippines, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe were classified either as controls (no Hg exposure from gold mining) or as having low (living in a gold-mining area) or high exposure (working as gold miners). U-Hg was analyzed by cold-vapor atomic absorption spectrometry. Eighteen SNPs in eight Hg-transporter genes were analyzed.Results: U-Hg concentrations were higher among ABCC2/MRP2 rs1885301 A–allele carriers than among GG homozygotes in all populations, though differences were not statistically significant in most cases. MRP2 SNPs showed particularly strong associations with U-Hg in the subgroup with highest exposure (miners in Zimbabwe), whereas rs1885301 A–allele carriers had higher U-Hg than GG homozygotes [geometric mean (GM): 36.4 µg/g creatinine vs. 21.9; p = 0.027], rs2273697 GG homozygotes had higher U-Hg than A–allele carriers (GM: 37.4 vs. 16.7; p = 0.001), and rs717620 A–allele carriers had higher U-Hg than GG homozygotes (GM: 83 vs. 28; p = 0.084). The SLC7A5/LAT1 rs33916661 GG genotype was associated with higher U-Hg in all populations (statistically significant for all Tanzanians combined). SNPs in SLC22A6/OAT1 (rs4149170) and SLC22A8/OAT3 (rs4149182) were associated with U-Hg mainly in the Tanzanian study groups.Conclusions: SNPs in putative Hg-transporter genes may influence U-Hg concentrations.

show abstract

Exposure and toxic effects of elemental mercury in gold-mining activities in Ecuador

Cited by 70 publications

References 21 publications

Mercury Exposure and Health Impacts among Individuals in the Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining Community: A Comprehensive Review

Mercury Exposure and Health Impacts among Individuals in the Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining Community: A Comprehensive Review

Passive air sampling of gaseous elemental mercury: a critical review

Polymorphisms in Genes Encoding Potential Mercury Transporters and Urine Mercury Concentrations in Populations Exposed to Mercury Vapor from Gold Mining

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About