TY  - JOUR
AB  - BACKGROUND: Mercury (Hg) exposure from artisanal gold mining has adverse effects on the neuromotor function in adults. However, few studies have examined this relationship in children. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the impact of Hg exposure on children's neuromotor function. METHODS: Cross-sectional data on Hg risk factors and demographics were collected from n = 288 children (response = 68.9%). Based on complete cases (CCs) (n = 130) and multiple imputations (n = 288), associations between fingernail Hg and four different neuromotor function components were calculated using multiple logistic regression adjusted for confounders. RESULTS: Of the children, 11.1, 14.9, 63.9, and 10.4% had pathologic pure motor skills, adaptive fine motor skills, adaptive gross motor skills, and static balance, respectively. No significant association between fingernail Hg and any neuromotor component was found. However, Hg burning in the household was significantly associated with children's pathologic pure motor skills (OR 3.07 95% CI 1.03-9.18). CONCLUSION: Elemental Hg exposure in the household might have adverse long-term effects on children's pure motor skills.
AU  - Ohlander, J.*
AU  - Huber, S.M.*
AU  - Schomaker, M.*
AU  - Heumann, C.*
AU  - Schierl, R.*
AU  - Michalke, B.
AU  - Jenni, O.G.*
AU  - Caflisch, J.*
AU  - Muñoz, D.M.*
AU  - von Ehrenstein, O.S.*
AU  - Radon, K.*
C1  - 48399
C2  - 41044
CY  - Abingdon
SP  - 27-35
TI  - Mercury and neuromotor function among children in a rural town in Chile.
JO  - Int. J. Occup. Environ. Health
VL  - 22
IS  - 1
PB  - Taylor & Francis Ltd
PY  - 2016
SN  - 1232-1087
ER  - 

TY  - JOUR
AB  - Since German reunification in 1990, most heavy industries in Eastern Germany have been shut down. Although air quality has improved in terms of sulfur dioxide and particulate matter (PM), the content of certain metals in PM in industrial areas is persistently high. Lifetime pneumonia prevalence in schoolchildren born after unification in the heavy-metal industrial area Hettstedt remain elevated. One difference between low and high pneumonia-prevalence areas seems to be the residual concentrations of heavy metals in respirable air. Toxicological and human exposure studies of Hettstedt particles have shown metal-rich PM from Hettstedt to have greater toxicity and inflammatory properties than the PM of the control region. Past industrial emissions might still play a decisive role decades after the closing of sources, and pneumonia should be considered a possible acute health burden caused by metal-rich air pollution.
AU  - Kohlhammer,Y.*
AU  - Rzehak, P.
AU  - Behr, J.*
AU  - Wichmann, H.-E.
AU  - Heinrich, J.
C1  - 3201
C2  - 24630
SP  - 167-174
TI  - High prevalence of pneumonia in children of a smelter town.
JO  - Int. J. Occup. Environ. Health
VL  - 13
IS  - 2
PB  - Abel Publ. Services
PY  - 2007
SN  - 1232-1087
ER  -