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INTRODUCTION:In connection with request and financial assistance of Swiss Development Agency ‘’Mercury exposureand health impact assessment study among small scale miners in mercury free technology, wasconducted by researchers of Toxicology division of NCPH.GOAL:To determine mercury exposure level in biological samples of local small scale miners from mercury freetechnology introduced area. To reveal chronic mercury intoxicated patients,MATERIALS AND METHODS:Totally 147 artisanal miners from 33 cooperatives for small scale mining from Bayan-Îvoo soum ofBayankhongor, Bornuur sum of Tuv, Bayangol, Mandal and Tunkhel sum of Selenge province areparticipated in this study and the study was performed by cross sectional study methods during April toDecember, 2014.Over all 147 participants were in the first part of study, 60.5% out of 147 (89 participants) were in secondparts, and another 35.4% (52 people) were participated to the third parts of study. The participants wereundergone in to toxicological, dermatological and neurological examinations and the WHO guidance formercury exposure determination was followed in this study.RESULTS:On the results of all testing we revealed that there were 2 cases of chronic mercury intoxicated patientsfrom each Bayangol Bornuur soum, 2 from Mandal soum, and 3 from Bayanovoo soum.Overall 7 patientswere diagnosed as chronic mercury intoxicated and it comprised 4.7%of (n=147) all involved participants.We have observed that average height of total medical examination number was (2.9) in Bornuur soum.It indicated that there will have higher number of patients would exist in Bornuur soum than others.Ourstudy result has shown that neurological symptoms like tremor and imbalance were more diagnosedamong participants from Mandal and Bayngol soums. It implies that the health of the small scale minersfrom this soum more affected and needed to be investigating further.CONCLUSIONS:Mercury is still being used among artisanal gold miners even thoughit is still illegal. Further medicalevaluation and assistance needed to be taken for newly diagnosed 7 patients.
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Background Concentrations of lead, chromium, cadmium, mercury, arsenic and boron in waste water treatment sample and soil sample of Mich Company in Khongor, Darkhan-Uul province were detected with high concentration by WHO, UNEP and FAO study in 1998. Therefore, the conclusion was required to conduct environmental audit and to determine pollution frame and risks [1, 2]. According to recommendation of WHO, UNEP and FAO study, it is required to conduct re-survey study of environ¬mental pollution in Khongor, Darkhan-Uul province. Goal Study was aimed to conduct re-survey study of environmental pollution and human health exposure assessment in Khongor, Darkhan-Uul province. Objectives: 1. To determine environmental pollution by questionnaire study and chemical analysis for mercury, chromium, arsenic, lead, cadmium and boron in hair, blood, urine and environment. 2. To develop guidance for next actions. Results Average concentration of arsenic in soil sample of Mich Co, Ltd was 8.458 mg/kg or 1.4 fold higher (95%CI 5.472- 11.444) than reference value (6.0 mg/kg) in “MNS 5850:2008 -Soil quality. Reference value for soil pollutants and elements” standard and mercury and cadmium were not detected (Table 1). Chromium and boron were detected with acceptable level in water samples and average concentration of arsenic (0.0014 mg/l) was lower than reference value (0.01mg/l) in “MNS 900:2005 Drinking water, Hygiene requirements and control” standard. This result shows that there was not arsenic migration from soil to water. Concentrations of lead, cadmium, chromium, arsenic, boron and mercury in soil and water samples were detected with acceptable level (Table 1). Conclusions: 1. Lead, mercury, cadmium, chromium and boron levels in environmental samples of Khongor, Darkhan-Uul province were at subordinate level from reference values in national standards. 2. Arsenic concentrations in biological samples were determined as a higher level, but in environmental samples its amounts were corresponded with acceptable level. Thus there was not environmental pollution exposure to human health. Because of detoxication processes of contaminated moulds by mercury and cyanides in MICH company area, it is possible to this area polluted by arsenic or gold associated elements. Thus it is necessary to decrease arsenic pollution in soil. 3. Concentrations of cadmium, arsenic, lead and mercury in hair, urine and blood samples were less than refer¬ence value of Human biomonitoring commission of Germany (HBM), PHI of USA, Clinical chemist’s agency of Russia and Canadian medical research center. So, in Khongor soum had not those of toxic elements ex¬posure to human health. 4. The boron and chromium concentrations of hair, urine and blood samples exceeded the maximum admissible limits in half of all cases, while their amounts in environmental samples were at permissible level according to national standards. And there was no statistical significance correlation (p=0.735) between chromium and boron concentrations in biological and environmental samples.