| 1. |
- Engström, Karin, et al.
(författare)
-
Polymorphisms in Genes Encoding Potential Mercury Transporters and Urine Mercury Concentrations in Populations Exposed to Mercury Vapor from Gold Mining.
- 2013
-
Ingår i: Environmental Health Perspectives. - : Environmental Health Perspectives. - 1552-9924 .- 0091-6765. ; 121:1, s. 85-91
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Elemental mercury (Hg0) is widely used in small-scale gold mining. Individuals working or living in mining areas have high urinary concentrations of Hg (U-Hg). Differences in genes encoding potential Hg-transporters may affect uptake and elimination of Hg. Objective: To identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in Hg-transporter genes that modify U-Hg. Methods: 1,017 men and women from Indonesia, the Philippines, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe were classified either as controls (no Hg exposure from gold mining) or as having low (living in a gold-mining area) or high exposure (working as gold miners). U-Hg was analyzed by cold-vapor atomic absorption spectrometry. Eighteen SNPs in eight Hg-transporter genes were analyzed. Results: U-Hg concentrations were higher among ABCC2/MRP2 rs1885301 A-allele carriers than among GG homozygotes in all populations, though differences were not statistically significant in most cases. MRP2 SNPs showed particularly strong associations with U-Hg in the subgroup with highest exposure (miners in Zimbabwe) where rs1885301 A-allele carriers had higher U-Hg than GG homozygotes (geometric mean (GM): 36.4 µg/g creatinine vs. 21.9; p=0.027), rs2273697 GG homozygotes had higher U-Hg than A-allele carriers (GM: 37.4 vs. 16.7; p=0.001), and rs717620 A-allele carriers had higher U-Hg than GG homozygotes (GM: 83 vs. 28; p=0.084). The SLC7A5/LAT1 rs33916661 GG genotype was associated with higher U-Hg in all populations (statistically significant for all Tanzanians combined). SNPs in SLC22A6/OAT1 (rs4149170) and SLC22A8/OAT3 (rs4149182) were associated with U-Hg mainly in the Tanzanian study groups. Conclusions: SNPs in putative Hg-transporter genes may influence U-Hg concentrations.
|
|
| 2. |
- Kolbinger, Vitus, et al.
(författare)
-
Polymorphisms in potential mercury transporter ABCC2 and neurotoxic symptoms in populations exposed to mercury vapor from goldmining
- 2019
-
Ingår i: Environmental Research. - : Elsevier BV. - 0013-9351. ; 176
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Artisanal small-scale gold miners have high levels of mercury in human specimens often above recommended threshold values. There are differences reported in the manifestation of neurological symptoms of individuals with a comparable level of exposure to mercury, suggesting a genetic component influencing the susceptibility to mercury neurotoxicity. Objective: To investigate associations between polymorphisms (rs1885301, rs717620, rs2273697) in the potential Hg-transporter ABCC2 gene and neurological effects. Methods: 968 participants from the Philippines, Indonesia, Tanzania and Zimbabwe were included in this study (age 12–59 years). For the statistical analysis the countries were categorized into Africa (Philippines, Indonesia) and Asia (Tanzania, Zimbabwe). Study participants were from three exposure groups: without mercury exposure from goldmining (n = 129); living in mercury-contaminated areas (n = 281) and mercury working exposure (n = 558). To identify chronic inorganic mercury intoxication we applied a modified neurological score sum including eight binary coded parameters (from anamnestic, clinical and neurophysiological examinations). Associations between genotype and neurological score sum, as well as between genotype and separate neurological tests (ataxia of gait, dysdiadochokinesia, ataxia heel to shin, pencil tapping test and matchbox test) were evaluated. Results: We found that ABCC2 genotype were associated with performance on certain neurological tests: for rs1885301, A-allele carriers in the African populations showed significantly worse performance than GG carriers on the pencil tapping test; whereas for rs2273697, A-allele carriers in the African and Asian populations showed a significantly better performance than GG carriers on this test. When including an interaction term between genotype and exposure subgroup, interaction effects were also seen for the pencil tapping test and matchbox tests for rs2273697 in Asia. Conclusions: The results suggest that certain ABCC2 polymorphisms may influence the neurotoxic effects in mercury-burdened individuals. ABCC2 alleles associated with worse neurological performance in the present study. These alleles have previously been correlated with higher levels of urinary mercury concentrations in the same cohort. Taken together, these associations between ABCC2 genotype, mercury levels, and neurological effects support the hypothesis that some ABCC2 genotypes may have a higher neurotoxic potential, although further functional studies are needed to prove causation.
|
|
| 3. |
|
|
| 4. |
- Landrigan, Philip, et al.
(författare)
-
Reducing disease and death from Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) - the urgent need for responsible mining in the context of growing global demand for minerals and metals for climate change mitigation
- 2022
-
Ingår i: Environmental Health. - : BioMed Central (BMC). - 1476-069X. ; 21:1
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) takes place under extreme conditions with a lack of occupational health and safety. As the demand for metals is increasing due in part to their extensive use in 'green technologies' for climate change mitigation, the negative environmental and occupational consequences of mining practices are disproportionately felt in low- and middle-income countries. The Collegium Ramazzini statement on ASM presents updated information on its neglected health hazards that include multiple toxic hazards, most notably mercury, lead, cyanide, arsenic, cadmium, and cobalt, as well as physical hazards, most notably airborne dust and noise, and the high risk of infectious diseases. These hazards affect both miners and mining communities as working and living spaces are rarely separated. The impact on children and women is often severe, including hazardous exposures during the child-bearing age and pregnancies, and the risk of child labor. We suggest strategies for the mitigation of these hazards and classify those according to primordial, primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention. Further, we identify knowledge gaps and issue recommendations for international, national, and local governments, metal purchasers, and employers are given. With this statement, the Collegium Ramazzini calls for the extension of efforts to minimize all hazards that confront ASM miners and their families.
|
|
