A review on the distribution of Hg in the environment and its human health impacts

Abstract

Exposure to mercury is a silent threat to the environment and human life. It has the potential to harm almost every organ and body system. Mercury compounds are classified in different chemical types such as elemental, inorganic, and organic forms. The most significant source of ingestion-related mercury exposure in humans and animals is the consumption of fish. Long-term exposure to mercury compounds from different sources (e.g., water, food, soil, and air) can lead to toxic effects on skin, cardiovascular, pulmonary, urinary, gastrointestinal, and neurological systems. Mercury toxicity is found to pose more significant health hazards to certain occupational groups (e.g., goldminers and dental personnel). Because continuous exposure to mercury can be dangerous, it is desirable to re-evaluate the current reference (risk-free) values. This paper reviews the route of Hg exposure to humans, its human health impacts, the associated risk assessment, and treatment based on the recent findings from various studies.

Keywords: Health effects; Mercury exposure; Occupational risk; Speciation.