Pj. Boogaard et al., EFFECTS OF EXPOSURE TO ELEMENTAL MERCURY ON THE NERVOUS-SYSTEM AND THE KIDNEYS OF WORKERS PRODUCING NATURAL-GAS, Archives of environmental health, 51(2), 1996, pp. 108-115
Early signs of alterations in renal and neurological functions were st
udied in three groups of workers who were exposed to different levels
of mercury that were below the current biological exposure index of 35
mu g/g creatinine. There were no differences among the three study gr
oups with respect to either motor nerve conduction velocity or tremor
frequency spectra of physiological tremors. Also, no significant corre
lations were found between the results of the neurological tests acid
any of the present or historical biological monitoring data. In contra
st, N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase was increased significantly in the
group with the higher exposure, compared with either the lower-exposu
re or control groups. N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase was correlated s
trongly with mercury concentration in urine and was correlated weakly
with historical biological monitoring data; however, there was no corr
elation with duration of exposure. These results suggest that after ex
posure to mercury at levels below the biological exposure index, a tra
nsient increase in N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase can be observed, bu
t is not an early indicator of developing renal dysfunction.