Author/Editor     Franko, Alenka
Title     Vpliv dolgoletne poklicne izpostavljenosti hlapom elementarnega živega srevra na delovanje ledvic pri rudarjih v Rudniku živega srebra Idrija
Type     monografija
Place     Ljubljana
Publisher     Medicinska fakulteta
Publication year     2003
Volume     str. 64
Language     slo
Abstract     Introduction The kidneys are one of the main target organs for elemental mercury (Hg°). The increased excretion of high and low molecular proteins and the increased activity of some enzymes in urine are the first indicators of renal dysfunction in the case of the exposure to Hg°. Our research was aimed at examining the hypothesis whether the miners exposed to elemental mercury vapours in the air face a greater risk to develop renal dysfunction than their unexposed counterparts. Methods The research included 53 miners from the Idrija Mercury Mine (Slovenia), who were all exposed to Hg°, and 53 unexposed subjects as the control group. The miners were examined in the post-exposure period. The exposure to Hg° was assessed on the basis of the following environmental indicators of past exposure: the number of years of exposure to Hg°, the number of days of Hg exposure, the cycles of exposure to Hg°, the annual time-weighted exposure to Hg°, the integrated exposure intensity. The concentrations of mercury in urine determined during the biological monitoring were used to calculate the following cumulative biological indicators of the exposure to Hg°: the average concentration of Hg in urine during the entire period of exposure and the sum of peak concentrations of Hg in urine. The glomerular kidney function was determined by a quantitative analysis of albumin and IgG in urine. The tubular kidney function was assessed by a quantitative analysis of a,-microglobulin in urine and by the determination of the enzymatic activity of N-acetyl-[3-D-glucosaminidase (NAG) and its isoenzymes in urine. The descriptive statistics was used. The correlations were calculated using Pearson's correlation coefficient and the differences between the exposed and non-exposed groups were analysed with the t-test. (Abstract truncated at 2000 characters).
Descriptors     OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
MERCURY
KIDNEY DISEASES
KIDNEY FUNCTION TESTS
MINING
ALBUMINURIA
GLOMERULAR FILTRATION RATE
IGG
ALPHA-GLOBULINS
ACETYLGLUCOSAMINIDASE
CREATININE
UREA
SMOKING
ALCOHOL DRINKING
BLOOD PRESSURE
TIME FACTORS
SPECTROPHOTOMETRY, ATOMIC ABSORPTION