Resumen

DORIA MESQUIDAZ, Eliel; MARRUGO NEGRETE, José  y  PINEDO HERNANDEZ, Jose. Exposure to mercury mine workers of gold in northern Colombia. Salud, Barranquilla [online]. 2013, vol.29, n.3, pp.534-541. ISSN 0120-5552.

Objective: We evaluated mercury exposure through a biomarker of exposure in a gold mine in northern Colombia. Materials and Methods: Analysis of Hg - T was performed cold vapor atomic absorption spectroscopy (CVAAS) in a population of workers in the mine Alacran (department of Cordoba - Colombia) Results: The levels of Hg - T in urine are around 3.16 pig/L. and 339.15 pig/L. The high values of Hg in urine is due to occupational exposure of workers in artisanal gold mine where metallic mercury is used for the recovery of precious metal. The 28.6% of the samples of the mine workers Alacran exceded those recommended level by the World Health Organization (20 pig / L). Conclusions: Contained mercury levels in urine samples show a potential risk to the health of the mine workers Alacran due to occupational exposure this metal in the process of amalgamation of Gold With the results obtained in this investigation are seeks to implement management plans for the prevention, aimed at reducing the risk factors on the health of populations living in the mine the Alacran.

Palabras clave : urine; mercury; cold vapor; mine; exposure; occupational.

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