Minamata disease is a well-known mercury contamination that happened in Japan in 1953. Due to demand during world war, second mercury disaster occurred in Niigata Prefecture in 1965. This is a review on the Niigata Minamata disease based on available documents and local expert opinions on the disaster. The aims of this paper are to record exposure history like the source of mercury in Agano River and specific fish that was associated with the disease. It is for an appraisal of the basic mercury exposure control, particularly to protect Japanese and world population during that time. There was indication that initial exposure limit for mercury was calculated incorrectly, and higher safe dose was applied. This epidemiological study is very useful and significant in comprehend the correct estimation of the human exposure to any hazardous substances.
Mercury Poisoning, Nervous System

No abstract available.
Mercury Poisoning*

No abstract available.
Korea* ; Mercury Poisoning*

Mercury occurs in various chemical forms, and it is different to health effects according to chemical forms. In consideration of the point, the evaluation of the mercury exposure to human distinguished from occupational and environmental exposure. With strict to manage occupational exposure in factory, it is declined mercury intoxication cases by metallic and inorganic mercury inhalation to occupational exposure. It is increasing to importance in environmental exposure and public health. The focus on the health impact of exposure to mercury is more on chronic, low or moderate grade exposure—albeit a topic of great controversy—, not high concentration exposure by methylmercury, which caused Minamata disease. Recently, the issue of mercury toxicity according to the mercury exposure level, health effects as well as the determination of what mercury levels affect health are in the spotlight and under active discussion. Evaluating the health effects and Biomarker of mercury exposure and establishing diagnosis and treatment standards are very difficult. It can implement that evaluating mercury exposure level for diagnosis by a provocation test uses chelating agent and conducting to appropriate therapy according to the result. but, indications for the therapy of chelating agents with mercury exposure have not yet been fully established. The therapy to symptomatic patients with mercury poisoning is chelating agents, combination therapy with chelating agents, plasma exchange, hemodialysis, plasmapheresis. But the further evaluations are necessary for the effects and side effects with each therapy.
Chelating Agents ; Diagnosis* ; Environmental Exposure ; Humans ; Inhalation ; Mercury Poisoning ; Mercury Poisoning, Nervous System ; Occupational Exposure ; Plasma Exchange ; Plasmapheresis ; Public Health ; Renal Dialysis

BACKGROUND: Humans are exposed to mercury via many different routes and in different forms. Studies concerned with the exposure in the general population were done many times in the past. But, the treatment of mercury exposure and mercury intoxication is limited. Therefore, chelators such as birth anti lewistite, 2,3-dimercaptopropanol (BAL), dimercaptopropane-1-sulphonate (DMPS), and dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) were given to patients with acute symptoms resulting from the central nervous system due to confirmed mercury poisoning. In this paper, we reported the effects of oral Vitamin C on mercury excretion. METHODS: This study has been reviewed in the clinical findings of 213 patients aged 30-80 who visited Kosin University Gospel Hospital during 3 months from March to September 2007. We measured hair mercury levels at the initial visit and at 3-4 months after the oral vitamin C (4 g/day) treatment. RESULTS: The number of patients who had initial hair mercury level over 1.5 ppm were 57 patients among 213 patients, and 41 patients rechecked the hair mercury level. Twenty patients who had hair mercury level over 1.5 ppm were treated with oral vitamin C for 3 months and rechecked the hair mercury level and 21 patients without vitamin C treatment. The vitamin treatment group had a hair mercury level that was three times lower than the non-treated group. CONCLUSION: The vitamin C oral treatment significantly decreased the level of hair mercury.
Aged ; Ascorbic Acid ; Central Nervous System ; Chelating Agents ; Dimercaprol ; Hair ; Humans ; Mercury Poisoning ; Parturition ; Succimer ; Vitamins

This is a case of 27-year-old male who sustained multiple metallic embolism from non-accidental self-injection of elemental mercury through the intravenous route. The patient allegedly self-injected at least twenty thermometers' worth of elemental mercury in a span of one year. The patient presented with generalized body fatigue, difficulty in position sense, distal hand weakness, tremors, labile mood, insomnia, and emotional instability. Physical examination showed multiple subcutaneous granulomas in the extremities at the sites of elemental mercury injection. Radiographic studies in the lungs, abdomen and extremities showed multiple dense spherules and pinpoint opacities indicative of metallic mercury embolism. Serum mercury levels were elevated. The patient underwent multiple hemodialysis sessions due to acute renal failure and tubular nephropathy secondary to mercury poisoning. The patient was eventually referred to the anesthesia department for excision of foreign body granulomas. Fentanyl, Propofol, Atracurium and Sevoflurane were used to induce and maintain anesthesia. Intra-operative course was unremarkable. Chelation therapy with DMSA (2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid) was done postoperatively. Serum mercury was undetectable 20 days after surgery and chelation therapy. There were no postoperative complications. The patient was discharged well after 43 days of admission.
Human ; Male ; Adult ; EMBOLISM ; CHELATION THERAPY ; MERCURY POISONING, NERVOUS SYSTEM ; CUSHING SYNDROME

Acrodynia is caused by chronic mercury poisoning and/or mercury, hypersensitivity occuring in infants and children only. Ingestion or inhalation of mercury contained in some house paints, calomel ingestion, the use of mercury ointments and other mercurial preparations can be the causes of acrodynia. We herein report a 3-year-old boy with typical acrodynia after expoaure to house paints and lacquer for 2 months. His hands and feet were erythematous and edematous vesiculo-bullous lesion with acral dark bluish discoloration. Mercury levels of blood and urine were significantly incresed by 61. 2ug/dl and 264ug/L (normal; below 30ug/dl and 100ug/L).
Acrodynia* ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Eating ; Foot ; Hand ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Infant ; Inhalation ; Lacquer ; Male ; Mercury Poisoning ; Ointments ; Paint

No abstract available.
Autistic Disorder ; Mercury Poisoning ; Thimerosal*

This research was conducted to evaluate the effect of improvement in work environment and of segregation in a fluorescent lamp manufacturing factory. Among the total of 80 workers, 8 workers whose mercury concentration in urine reached a hazardous level (200-299 microgram/l) were moved to mercury free workplace. The follow-up examination for their mercury concentration in urine was done three times; on May 3, 1988, September 1, 1988 and April 3, 1989. The results were as follows: 1. Mercury concentration in the air was reduced from 0.140 to 0.107 mg/m3 in 4 months, and to 0.087 mg/m3 in one year after environmental improvement in workplace. However the level still exceeded the Threshold Limit Value. 2. The geometric mean of urinary mercury concentration among 80 workers was 173.0 microgram/l (5.1~458.6 microgram/l). The distribution of workers according to urinary mercury concentration showed that 9 workers (11.2%) were above the mercury poisoning level (300 microgram/l), 24 workers (30.0%) were 200-299 microgram/l, 35 workers (43.8%) were 50-199 microgram/l, and 12 workers (15.0%) were below 50 microgram/l. 3. Among the 24 workers whose urinary mercury concentration was 200-299 microgram/l, 8 were able to be followed up. Their mean urinary mercury concentration before segregation was 244.9 microgram/l, but decreased to 151.4 microgram/l in four months, 128.8 microgram/l in six months, and 46.8 microgram/l in one year after segregation.
Follow-Up Studies ; Mercury Poisoning

Mercury is highly toxic and can be absorbed through skin contact. From December 5, 2020 to February 16, 2021, occupational disease laboratory of the First People's Hospital of Baiyin received 30 urine mercury test samples from a beauty salon in Lanzhou City. The test results showed that 28 samples exceeded the normal value (normal value: 4 μg/g Cr) . 15 patients were treated with sodium dimertopropyl sulfonate for mercury removal and tiopron for liver protection, and the prognosis was good.
Humans ; Mercury/adverse effects* ; Cosmetics/adverse effects* ; Mercury Poisoning ; Skin