Tremor in workers with low exposure to metallic mercury

Journal Article · Mon Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1986 · Am. Ind. Hyg. Assoc. J.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1080/15298668691390232· OSTI ID:6787646

Verberk, M M; Salle, H J.A.; Kemper, C H

In a fluorescent lamp production factory, a newly developed lightweight balance-tremormeter was used to measure postural tremor of the finger in 21 workers (ages 28 to 61) exposed for 0.5-19 yr to metallic mercury. In addition, tremor was measured in an indirect way by means of a hole-tremormeter. The excretion of mercury in urine was 9-53 (average 20) ..mu..mol/mol creatinine. With increasing mercury excretion, the following parameters increased: the acceleration of the tremor, the contribution of the neuromuscular component (8-12 Hz) to the power spectrum of the acceleration, the width of the power-spectrum and the score on the hole-tremormeter. The study indicates that exposure to metallic mercury below the current TLV (50 ..mu..g/m/sup 3/) may increase the tremor of the finger.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Amsterdam, Netherlands
• OSTI ID: 6787646
• Journal Information: Am. Ind. Hyg. Assoc. J.; (United States), Vol. 47:9
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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