Occupational Metal Mercury Exposure of Workers in an Iranian Fluorescent Bulb Factory

Mahdi Balali-Mood, Beeta Balali-Mood, Mohssen Namaei-Ghasemi, Sepidah Naghibzadah, and Sepidah Hajforoush

Medical Toxicology Center, Imam Reza Hospital, Medical School, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Islamic Republic of Iran

Corresponding author: Prof. Mahdi Balali-Mood, M.D., Ph.D., Director
    Medical Toxicology Centre
    Imam Reza Hospital, Medical School
    Mashhad University of Medical Sciences
    Mashhad 91735-348, Islamic Republic of Iran
    Telephone: + 98 511 8819301/8594594
    Fax number: + 98 511 8813714/8591057
    E-mail: mbalalimood@ hotmail.com

CEJOEM 2006, Vol.12. No.1.: 15–22

Key words:
Mercury, Hg, exposure, poisoning, occupational, vapour, inhalation, metal

Abstract:
The aim of this study was to assess the level of exposure and possible chronic Hg poisoning in workers of a fluorescence bulb factory (FBF) in Mashhad (Iran) compared to a compact factory (CF) with no detectable airborne Hg at the workplace as control. Clinical and para-clinical investigations were undertaken in both groups. The air Hg levels in both factories were measured with a personal pump sampler and a dragger gas detector using Hg tube. Urinary Hg concentrations of the workers were determined by atomic absorption spectrometry with a mercuric hydride system. The air Hg concentration (0.65 mg/m³) at the workplaces of FBF was much higher than in CF (<0.01 mg/m³). The urinary Hg concentrations of the workers in FBF (54.6 ± 40.30 μg/L) were also higher than those in CF (4.97 ± 2.10 μg/L). A positive correlation was found between the air Hg concentrations of the workplace and the urinary Hg concentrations of the workers. As Hg metal vapour exposure is a health hazard in FBF, air Hg monitoring in the workplaces and assessment of urinary Hg concentration of the workers are required. In addition to treatment, antidotal therapy to prevent Hg poisoning is recommended in workers with urinary Hg concentrations more than 50 μg/L.

Received: 1 February 2006
Accepted: 6 June 2006

| Back |