Mercuric Chloride Poisoning Due to Ingestion of a Stool Fixative

Abstract

We present a case of ingestion of a commonly used stool fixative containing 675?mg of mercuric chloride per 15 mL vial. Early chelator therapy with dimercaprol and aggressive hydration were initiated and the patient remained asymptomatic. Safety packaging of this product is recommended.     

Predictors of treatment outcomes after removal of amalgam fillings: associations between subjective symptoms,psychometric variables and mercury levels

Weidenhammer W, Bornschein S, Zilker T, Eyer F, Melchart D, Hausteiner C. Predictors of treatment outcomes after removal of amalgam fillings: associations between subjective symptoms, psychometric variables and mercury levels. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol 2010. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S Abstract – Objective: This analysis aimed to study predictors of different treatment outcomes and associations between subjective symptoms, psychometric variables and mercury levels in patients who subjectively attributed their health problems to dental amalgam. Material and methods: A secondary and retrospective analysis of data of a recently published randomized clinical trial was performed. Seventy‐eight patients [44% female, mean (SD) age 35 (6) years, randomly assigned to either amalgam removal or a health promotion program] were included into statistical analysis. Prior to intervention and 12 months later, questionnaires for assessing symptoms, psychological distress and health status were presented, and mercury levels in blood and urine were determined. Results: The patients’ personality profile at study onset was characterized by slightly reduced extraversion and slightly elevated emotional instability. Overall, subjective symptoms decreased slightly and there were no statistically significant differences in the decrease of symptoms after intervention between both groups. Decrease of mercury levels after intervention was closely associated with removal of amalgam fillings (r_mult = 0.64 in regression analysis). Statistically significant correlations could be found between mercury levels and subjective symptoms with respect to baseline (r = 0.29–0.39) and to changes after intervention (r = 0.24–0.42), but not for psychological distress (r = 0.05–0.25) and health related quality of life (r = ?0.03–0.18). Prediction of symptom improvement after intervention was poor (r_mult = 0.44). Conclusions: Results contribute some new aspects to the inconsistent findings in the literature with respect to associations between symptoms and subtoxic mercury levels. More emphasis should be placed on exploring individual vulnerability for amalgam sensitivity.     

微波消解-原子荧光光谱法测定8种保健品中汞和砷含量

目的测定8种保健品中汞和砷的含量。方法用微波消解系统消化样品，用原子荧光光谱仪测含量。结果汞和砷的检出限分别为0.010μg／L和0．033μg／L，RSD分别为1．65％和1．37％，平均回收率分别为97．36％和97．28％。结论微波消解-原子荧光光谱法具有操作简便、准确、灵敏、重现性好等优点，可用于8种保健品中汞和砷的含量测定。     

微波消解测定食品中铅、镉、砷、汞的方法探讨

[目的]通过对微波消解条件的最优化研究,以达到快速、简便、准确的测定食品中铅(Pb)、镉(Cd)、砷(As)、汞(Hg)。[方法]采用标准样品进行不同处理方法间的对比实验,来证明新方法的准确度、精密度满足现行标准要求。[结果]微波消解前处理,回收率和相对标准偏差(RSD)分别为Pb:89．3％-106．7％,6．87％;Cd:93．4％-116．2％,7．23％; As:89．2％-113．5％,9．05％;Hg:91．9％-111．2％,7．70％。与国标法比较差别没有显著性。[结论]微波消解技术具有快速、简便、准确的特点,是能适用于食品中微量元素测定前处理要求的新技术。     

职业性汞中毒观察对象的驱汞治疗

目的对职业性汞中毒观察对象进行现场驱汞治疗。方法选取嵊泗县三家以生产汞温度计为主的医疗有限公司尿汞浓度x≥0·05mg/L企业职工为对象。根据尿汞浓度0·05≤x<0·08、0·08≤x<0·15、0·15≤x<0·2、x≥0·2(mg/L)分成4个治疗小组,统一询问既往史、职业史、个人卫生习惯、症状等,并作一般内外科、肝肾功能、心电图和血常规检查。排除肝脏、肾脏功能异常的职工后,确定147名职业性汞中毒观察对象进行三巯基丁二酸口服驱汞治疗,由职业病防治专家现场为企业制定职工驱汞治疗方案,治疗前和每个疗程后进行尿汞测定。结果除2名因药物不良反应中断治疗外,145名职业性汞中毒观察对象完成全程治疗。4个治疗小组第1组驱汞后尿汞浓度升高人数显著多于降低人数,差值均数为正且数字较大;第2组驱汞后尿汞浓度升高人数比降低人数多,差值均数为正,升高程度小于第1组;第3、4组尿汞浓度升高人数低于降低人数,差值均数为负,升高程度第4组高于第3组。人均驱汞量估算值大于5·108±3·268mg/人。随访一年,无一例职业性汞中毒病人发生。结论职业性汞中毒观察对象的现场驱汞治疗是安全、经济的。     

松原市区居民发汞水平及影响因素分析

为了弄清第二松花江流域的环境现状,在第二松花江下游的松原市区搜集了113名居民的头发样品,用冷蒸气原子吸收法测定头发样品中的总汞含量。头发样品中总汞含量为0.07~39.6 mg/kg,平均为1.081mg/kg。在113份样品中,有17人头发中总汞含量超过了美国环保局制定的1 mg/kg的限值,占总人数的15%,说明在松原市地区仍有人群汞中毒的风险。在影响发汞含量的因素中,经常吃鱼人群的发汞含量大于不常吃鱼人群的发汞含量;吸烟、饮酒、染发人群的发汞含量分别高于不吸烟、不饮酒、未染发人群的发汞含量,居民的年龄和性别对发汞水平没有显著影响。     

A screening level probabilistic risk assessment of mercury in Florida Everglades food webs

A screening level probabilistic assessment of risks was performed on three species of piscivorous wildlife at the top of Everglades aquatic food webs: the American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis), the great egret (Egretta alba), and the raccoon (Procyon lotor varius). Ranges of dietary exposure concentrations (and probability distribution functions) were derived for two general areas of the Everglades: Shark Slough and the southcentral Everglades (highly contaminated with Hg), and the northern Everglades (a lower Hg contaminated area in and near Water Conservation Area 1). Ranges of toxicity reference values and probability distribution functions were derived from literature on the toxicity of dietary methyl Hg to birds and mammals. Probability distributions of risk estimates for each receptor were generated using Monte Carlo simulations and indicated that piscivorous wildlife feeding in the south-central region of the Everglades are at high risk from consumption of Hg-contaminated prey. Alligators had 100% exceedences of chronic risk thresholds, and great egrets had 99% exceedences. In the northern Everglades, exceedences of chronic risk thresholds were substantially lower but were still present (6-34% exceedences). Results support previous studies suggesting that top predators of the Everglades may be at risk from Hg contamination and indicate that Hg risks are location-dependent.