Mercury vapor in residential building common areas in communities where mercury is used for cultural purposes versus a reference community

Garetano, Gary; Stern, Alan H.; Robson, Mark G.; Gochfeld, Michael

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2008.02.034

Cited by 14 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…21 Of particular concern, elemental mercury may persist indoors and release vapor for years after initial contamination. 20,[22][23][24] The National Regulatory Council report on mercury called for more studies in higher risk populations, and in different regions of the U.S. 25 The study population in Brooklyn, New York has a large number of recent immigrants of Caribbean origin. Fresh and canned fish and shellfish are an important part of their regular diet.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessment of prenatal mercury exposure in a predominately Caribbean immigrant community in Brooklyn, NY

et al. 2012

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Prenatal mercury exposure and its fetotoxic effects may be of particular concern in urban immigrant communities as a result of possible contributing cultural factors. The most common source of exposure in these communities is ingestion of fish and shellfish contaminated with methylmercury. Other sources of exposure may occur in ritualistic practices associated with Hispanic and Caribbean-based religions. This study 1) assessed total mercury levels in both random urine specimens from pregnant women, and in cord blood; and 2) examined environmental sources of exposure from a convenience sample in a predominantly Caribbean immigrant population in Brooklyn, New York. A questionnaire designed in collaboration with health professionals from the Caribbean community assessed the frequency of fish consumption, ritualistic practices, occupational exposures, and use of dental amalgams and mercury-containing skin and household products. The geometric mean for total mercury in cord blood was 2.14 μg L(-1) (95%CI: 1.76-2.60) (n = 78), and 0.45 μg L(-1) (95%CI: 0.37-0.55) (n = 183) in maternal urine corrected for creatinine (μg g(-1)). Sixteen percent of cord blood mercury levels exceeded the estimated equivalent of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Reference Dose (5.8 μg L(-1) blood). Predictors of cord blood mercury included maternal fish consumption and foreign birth of the mother. Predictors of urine mercury included foreign birth of the mother, number of dental amalgams, and special product use. There were no reports of mercury use in ritualistic practices or in cosmetics; however some women reported use of religious medals and charms. This study characterized risk factors for mercury exposure in a sample of urban, predominantly Caribbean-born blacks. Findings may help target interventions in this population, which might include appropriate fish selection and consumption frequency during pregnancy, and safe handling of mercury-containing products in the home.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessment of prenatal mercury exposure in a predominately Caribbean immigrant community in Brooklyn, NY

et al. 2012

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“…Until the 1990s, mercury was contained in building products, such as an antimicrobial additive in paints (Mielke and Gonzales, 2008). Cases are also found, however, where mercury is deliberately released, for example in the practice of certain cultural or religious rites (Garetano et al., 2006, 2008; Riley et al., 2001). Individual exposure to mercury can be tracked by human biomonitoring (Link et al., 2007; Muhlendahl, 1990; Seifert et al., 2000).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Estimating human indoor exposure to elemental mercury from broken compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs)

et al. 2012

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After accidental breakage of a compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) indoors, dwellers could be exposed to high mercury concentrations. From the results of our studies in test chambers and real rooms using different lamp types and scenarios, it was possible to estimate the possible human uptake of mercury by inhalation. Immediate action is important to reduce indoor mercury concentrations to a minimum level. The first step is to maximize ventilation followed by careful collection of spilled mercury.

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“…While information alone is not enough to address a broad range of questions dealing with EJ, it forms the basis for a range of evaluations that include exposure assessment, risk assessment, ( 9‐18 ) risk management, ( 19‐21 ) natural resource damage assessment and reparations, ( 22‐24 ) cultural/religious exposures, eco‐cultural dependency web analysis, ( 25, 26 ) and eco‐cultural attribute analysis. ( 6,8,15,27‐29 ) There is now a substantial literature on environmental justice and equity, ( 30‐36 ) and this article adds to this paradigm.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 91%

“…Many Native American peoples and other environmental justice communities do not draw a clear line between environmental, cultural, historical, and spiritual aspects of their world: all matters are connected, ( 35,60 ) and it is this interconnection that has often been ignored in data gathering and information provision. Native American ties to the environment are much more complex and intense than is generally understood by risk assessors.…”

Section: Issues Unique To Native American Communitiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ecological Information Needs for Environmental Justice

et al. 2010

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The concept that all peoples should have their voices heard on matters that affect their well-being is at the core of environmental justice (EJ). The inability of some people of small towns, rural areas, minority, and low-income communities, to become involved in environmental decisions is sometimes due to a lack of information. We provide a template for the ecological information that is essential to examine environmental risks to EJ populations within average communities, using case studies from South Carolina (Savannah River, a DOE site with minority impacts), Washington (Hanford, a DOE site with Native American impacts), and New Jersey (nonpoint, urbanized community pollution). While the basic ecological and public health information needs for risk evaluations and assessments are well described, less attention has been focused on standardizing information about EJ communities or EJ populations within larger communities. We suggest that information needed about EJ communities and populations includes demographics, consumptive and nonconsumptive uses of their regional environment (for example, maintenance and cosmetic, medicinal/religious/cultural uses), eco-dependency webs, and eco-cultural attributes. A purely demographics approach might not even identify EJ populations or neighborhoods, much less their spatial relation to the impact source or to each other. Using information from three case studies, we illustrate that some information is readily available (e.g., consumption rates for standard items such as fish), but there is less information about medicinal, cultural, religious, eco-cultural dependency webs, and eco-cultural attributes, all of which depend in some way on intact, functioning, and healthy ecosystems.

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Mercury vapor in residential building common areas in communities where mercury is used for cultural purposes versus a reference community

Cited by 14 publications

References 19 publications

Assessment of prenatal mercury exposure in a predominately Caribbean immigrant community in Brooklyn, NY

Assessment of prenatal mercury exposure in a predominately Caribbean immigrant community in Brooklyn, NY

Estimating human indoor exposure to elemental mercury from broken compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs)

Ecological Information Needs for Environmental Justice

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