Mercury as a serious health hazard for children in gold mining areas

In many developing countries, mercury is used to extract gold from ore in small-scale mining areas. Exposure through mercury in these small-scale mining communities is a serious health hazard, especially to the children living and working there. Many children begin working with immediate contact to...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental research 2008-05, Vol.107 (1), p.89-97
Main Authors: Bose-O’Reilly, Stephan, Lettmeier, Beate, Matteucci Gothe, Raffaella, Beinhoff, Christian, Siebert, Uwe, Drasch, Gustav
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Biological and medical sciences
Case-Control Studies
Chemical and industrial products toxicology. Toxic occupational diseases
Child
Child labor
Children
Environmental Exposure - statistics & numerical data
Female
Gold
Hair - chemistry
Humans
Indonesia
Male
Medical sciences
Mercury
Mercury - blood
Mercury - urine
Mercury Poisoning, Nervous System - blood
Mercury Poisoning, Nervous System - etiology
Mercury Poisoning, Nervous System - urine
Mercury vapor
Metals and various inorganic compounds
Mining
Neuropsychological Tests
Small-scale mining
Tanzania
Toxicology
Zimbabwe
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:In many developing countries, mercury is used to extract gold from ore in small-scale mining areas. Exposure through mercury in these small-scale mining communities is a serious health hazard, especially to the children living and working there. Many children begin working with immediate contact to mercury from the very early age of seven. In Indonesia and Zimbabwe, 166 children were clinically examined for mercury. The mercury concentration in the blood, urine, and hair was analyzed. Compared to the control groups, the exposed children showed typical symptoms of mercury intoxication, such as ataxia. The children working with mercury had high levels of this substance in the various biomonitors. The exposure derives mainly from the liquid mercury used to bind gold, forming an amalgam. The amalgam is heated and the smelting amalgam releases mercury vapor plus the wanted gold. Mercury vapor in contrast to liquid mercury is highly toxic. This elemental, vaporized mercury is the main form of exposure. Since in over 50 countries children live in small-scale gold mining areas and are exposed in a similar way to mercury, immediate action is needed to reduce this severe chemical health hazard for children. Child labor with hazardous substances such as mercury must be stopped.
ISSN:0013-9351
1096-0953
DOI:10.1016/j.envres.2008.01.009