Health Consultation Exposure Investigation: Investigation into Potential Exposures to Mercury Vapor in Small-Scale and Recreational Mining - 2012, Nome Small Scale Mining Areas, Nome, Alaska, September 5, 2013

摘要

The Alaska Section of Epidemiology (SOE) learned that gold miners in Nome were potentially exposed to mercury vapor from mining, purifying, and heating gold. In collaboration with federal and state partners, SOE conducted an exposure investigation (EI) at the Nome Small-Scale Mining site. The EI assessed urine mercury levels in 18 people who may have been exposed to mercury from gold mining and gold processing activities. Participants included 15 gold miners, one person who frequently heated gold, and two residential contacts of the latter. SOE informed participants of their results, which indicated if they had relatively recent mercury exposures.