Metallic Mercury Hazards to our Health

Mercury (Hg) is accused of being metal pollutants in Buyat actually been used by humans as a drug since many centuries ago, as a diuretic, antibacterial, antiseptic, skin ointments and even as a laxative. Currently mercury is rarely used because of more effective drugs with the risk of side effects that are smaller have been found. However mercury is still widely used in the fields of industry and agriculture, so that mercury poisoning was found.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis of diseases caused by mercury poisoning is difficult to enforce because of the slow course of the disease and early clinical signs are not clear. Sources of pollution is the most important thing that must be investigated and proven as a reference to determine a disease is the result of mercury poisoning.

 There are three forms of mercury (Hg), the Hg vapor (element Hg), Hg salts, and organic Hg. Hg elements typically used in laboratory research, while Hg salts have been used as anthelmintic (HgCl2), and even now is still used in some skin creams as an antiseptic. Additionally Hg salts are also used in the electronics industry, the manufacture of plastics, fungicides, germicides, algam formula for tooth patch.

 Metallic Mercury Hazards to our Health

One of the most organic Hg compounds are dangerous methylmercury. These compounds have been used as a plant fungicide. Mercury poisoning in humans due to the consumption of mercury-containing grains wheat germ has happened in Iraq, Pakistan, Ghana and Guatemala during the fall of 1971. Iraq has to import large quantities of wheat seeds are preserved with methyl mercury and distribute the grain to be planted in the spring planting season. Although he was given a formal warning, wheat is still ground and made into bread. consequently, 6530 people were treated in hospitalization and 500 people died.

 Cases due to Mercury

Minamata disease is also caused by methyl mercury. Minamata is a small town in Japan, where a large chemical plant waste products directly into Minamata Bay. The chemical plant using inorganic mercury as a catalyst, and some have been methylated before it is piped into the bay. Furthermore microorganisms convert inorganic mercury into methylmercury which is then absorbed by plankton algae and subsequently accumulated in fish through the food chain. Minamata residents who consume large amounts of fish were the first victims. Reported 121 people were poisoned and 46 people died.

Metallic Mercury Hazards to our Health 2013-07-21T02:59:00-07:00 Rating: 4.5 Diposkan Oleh: Usgi