Renal function in miners intermittently exposed to elemental mercury vapour.

The authors investigated renal damage in 45 mercury miners under conditions of relatively short and low-level exposure to elemental (metallic) mercury vapour (Hg0). The analysis included urinary mercury, immunoelectrophoresis of urinary proteins, immunofixation and high-resolution electrophoresis, quantitative analysis of urinary albumin, and urinary alpha 1-microglobulin before and after exposure. The activity of urinary N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (NAG) enzyme was determined after exposure. The average duration of exposure of miners was 37 (6-82) days. Urinary mercury significantly increased during exposure. Immunoelectrophoretic changes in the composition of urinary proteins occurred after exposure in 22 of 45 miners, of whom 15 showed high molecular weight (HMW) pattern of urinary proteins and seven showed low molecular weight (LMW) pattern. Only a slight increase in the urinary alpha 1-microglobulin concentration and NAG activity was found in miners with the LMW pattern of urinary proteins. The results point to a slight glomerular and tubular damage in a significant proportion of exposed miners with increased absorption of mercury vapour.

The action of mercury on cell membranes.

The action of mercuric chloride and methyl mercuric chloride on the membrane lateral domain organization of bovine, equine, and canine erythrocytes was studied. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra of spin-labeled erythrocytes were analyzed with respect to their lateral domain structure. Continuous alteration of the membrane domain populations revealed that mercuric compounds affect the membrane via the evolution of toxic events in the cells.

Mortality from cardiovascular diseases and exposure to inorganic mercury.

OBJECTIVE: To study the mortality from cardiovascular and other chronic non-neoplastic diseases after long term exposure to inorganic mercury. Limited information is available on the effect of chronic exposure to mercury on the cardiovascular system. METHODS: The mortality was studied among 6784 male and 265 female workers from four mercury mines and mills in Spain, Slovenia, Italy, and the Ukraine. Workers were employed between 1900 and 1990; the follow up period lasted from the 1950s to the 1990s. The mortality of the workers was compared with national reference rates. RESULTS: Among men, there was a slight increase in overall mortality (standardised mortality ratio (SMR) 1.08, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.04 to 1.12). An increased mortality was found from hypertension (SMR 1.46, 95% CI 1.08 to 1.93), heart diseases other than ischaemic (SMR 1.36, 95% CI 1.20 to 1.53), pneumoconiosis (SMR 27.1, 95% CI 23.1 to 31.6), and nephritis and nephrosis (SMR 1.55, 95% CI 1.13 to 2.06). The increase in mortality from cardiovascular diseases was not consistent among countries. Mortality from hypertension and other heart diseases increased with estimated cumulative exposure to mercury; mortality from ischaemic heart disease and cerebrovascular diseases increased with duration of employment, but not with estimated exposure to mercury. Results among women were hampered by few deaths. CONCLUSION: Despite limited quantitative data on exposure, possible confounding, and likely misclassification of disease, the study suggests a possible association between employment in mercury mining and refining and risk in some groups of cardiovascular diseases.