Elemental mercury exposure: correlation of urine mercury indices with ulnar nerve conduction studies

Technical Report · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1988

OSTI ID:6648414

Levine, S P; Cavender, G D; Langolf, G D; Albers, J W

An electrophysiological evaluation was made of the ulnar nerve in 18 men who were exposed to elemental mercury vapor in the course of their jobs at a mercury-cell chlorine plant. The men averaged 31 years of age, ranging from 19 to 56. Urinary mercury levels were available for three years prior to the evaluation of the ulnar nerve. Abnormal nerve conduction studies were obtained in five subjects, with three having prolonged sensory distal latency, one having prolonged motor distal letency and one having both prolonged motor and sensory distal latencies with a low normal SNAP amplitude. Over half of the mercury levels were significantly higher in this abnormal group. The highest correlation obstained was between sensory latency and the number of months urine mercury exceeded 0.50 milligrams/liter. The authors conclude that exposure to elemental mercury can affect both motor and sensory peripheral nerve conduction and that the degree of involvement can be related to time-integrated urine mercury levels.

• Research Organization: Michigan Univ., Ann Arbor (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6648414
• Report Number(s): PB-88-247606/XAB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

551000 -- Physiological Systems
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59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BIOLOGICAL WASTES
BODY FLUIDS
DISEASES
ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY
ELEMENTS
MATERIALS
MERCURY
METALS
NERVOUS SYSTEM DISEASES
OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES
PHYSIOLOGY
URINE
WASTES