Great Lakes Centers For Environmental & Occupational Safety and Health, University of Illinois at Chicago, School of Public Health, World Health Organization Collaborating Center United Nations Development Programme Global Environment Facility Global Project on Healthcare Waste MERCURY MERCURY Its Properties, Sources and Health Effects and Health Effects Prepared and annotated by Jorge Emmanuel, PhD, DES, REP, PE, CHMM Professor of Chemical Engineering & Chief Technical Advisor, UNDP GEF Project Peter Orris, MD, MPH, FACP, FACOEM Professor & Director, Global Toxics Policy Center, School of Public Health, University of Illinois at Chicago
38
Embed
Mercury Sources and Health Effects...Mercury: Effects of Low Dose Prenatal Exposure P. Grandjean, et. al., Neurotoxicology and Teratology , 19:6, 1997 Per cent of children with low
This document is posted to help you gain knowledge. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think about it! Share it to your friends and learn new things together.
Transcript
Great Lakes Centers For Environmental & Occupational Safety
and Health, University of Illinois at Chicago, School of Public
Health, World Health Organization Collaborating Center
United Nations Development ProgrammeGlobal Environment Facility
Global Project on Healthcare Waste
MERCURYMERCURYIts Properties, Sources and Health Effectsand Health Effects
Prepared and annotated by
Jorge Emmanuel, PhD, DES, REP, PE, CHMMProfessor of Chemical Engineering & Chief Technical Advisor, UNDP GEF Project
Peter Orris, MD, MPH, FACP, FACOEMProfessor & Director, Global Toxics Policy Center, School of Public Health, University of Illinois at Chicago
MERCURYMERCURY
Silver-colored, odorless, liquid metal at room temperature
MERCURYMERCURY
Cinnabar
(mercury ore)
Slave mines
during the
Roman era
Tomb of Mayan
King Pakal was
sprinkled with
cinnabar
683 CE
Range of Global Mercury Emissions in 2005Range of Global Mercury Emissions in 2005
The global air emissions of mercury from human activitiesis about 1930 tonnes per year.
and Cognitive Developmentand Cognitive Development
Prenatal methyl mercury exposure
sufficient to increase the mercury
concentration in maternal hair at child
birth by 1 micrograms per gram could
decrease the child’s IQ
by about 0.7 points.
JT Cohen, DC Bellinger and BA Shaywitz, Am J Prev Med, 29(4):353-65, November 2005.
�Lost productivity due to
methyl mercury toxicity
amounts to $8.7 billion
annually
�Of this amount, $1.3 billion is
attributable to mercury
emissions from U.S. power
plants.
Public Health and Economic Consequences of Public Health and Economic Consequences of Methyl Mercury Toxicity to the Developing BrainMethyl Mercury Toxicity to the Developing Brain
Photo: Illinois State Geological Survey
L Trasande, PJ Landrigan, and C Schechter, Environ Health Perspect 113(5):590–596 (May 2005).
Maternal Fish ConsumptionMaternal Fish Consumption
and Risk of Preterm Deliveryand Risk of Preterm Delivery
Compared with women delivering
at term . . . women who delivered
before 35 weeks’ gestation were
more likely to have higher hair
mercury levels.
F Xue, C Holzman, MH Rahbar, K Trosko and L Fischer, Environmental Health Perspectives, Vol. 115, No. 1, January 2007
Summary of Health Effects of Summary of Health Effects of
Methyl Mercury on HumansMethyl Mercury on Humans
Mercury: Declining Threshold of HarmMercury: Declining Threshold of Harm
20001990198019700.01
0.1
1
10
100
YEAR
Level associated withharmful effectRegulatory standard (maximum safe exposure or highend exposure from allowed fishcontamination)
FDA WHO
EPA
ATSDRDA
ILY
IN
TA
KE
(mic
rog
ram
s/k
g/d
ay
Hg
)
Faroe Islands
study
Hg Exposure Potential from SeafoodHg Exposure Potential from Seafood
• Swordfish, shark > 1 ppm
• Tuna steak ≈ 0.3 – 0.5 ppm
• Canned tuna ≈ 0.1-0.3 ppm
�1/month consumption of swordfish/shark =
RfD
�> 2 times/week of canned tuna > RfD
ppm = concentration in parts per million
RfD = Reference Dose
Mercury and OmegaMercury and Omega--3 Fatty Acids3 Fatty Acids
• Additional data in 2003 raised interest in mercury as a cardiac toxin.
• Omega-3 fatty acids in fish are cited as a health benefit of fish and shellfish to help protect against heart disease.
• Substantial species-specific differences in the distribution of mercury and of omega-3s.
– Species high in mercury …
not necessarily high in omega-3s
– Species high in omega-3s …
not necessarily higher in mercury
Keep Mercury Out Of The FishKeep Mercury Out Of The Fish
Not Fish Out Of The Mother!Not Fish Out Of The Mother!
Hg
• Major sources from the health sector:
� Medical waste incineration
� Mercury-containing products
Mercury SourcesMercury Sources
• Major global sources include:
� Coal combustion
� Gold mining, metal production
� Waste incineration
� Product-use
Environmental Mercury andEnvironmental Mercury and
Medical Waste IncineratorsMedical Waste Incinerators
• In the United States, medical waste incinerators
accounted for 10% of the total mercury emissions from
Thanks to Anne Krantz, MD, MPH (University of Illinois), Dan HryThanks to Anne Krantz, MD, MPH (University of Illinois), Dan Hryhorczuk, MD, MPH horczuk, MD, MPH
(University of Illinois), Ashley Iwanaga, MPH (UNDP GEF Project)(University of Illinois), Ashley Iwanaga, MPH (UNDP GEF Project), ,
Health Care Without Harm, and postings on the Internet Health Care Without Harm, and postings on the Internet