ArticleBMC public health2017
Reduced egfr, elevated urine protein and low level of personal protective equipment compliance among artisanal small scale gold miners at Bibiani-Ghana: a cross-sectional study.
Article in BMC public health, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 13 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
13 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 35 citations in OpenAlex.
- Mercury Exposure and Its Health Effects in Workers in the Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining (ASGM) Sector-A Systematic Review.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Pooled it
- Occupational Risk Factors for Kidney Disease: A Comprehensive Review.Journal of Korean medical science · 2025Review
- Serum protein α-klotho mediates the association between lead, mercury, and kidney function in middle-aged and elderly populations.Environmental health and preventive medicine · 2025Article
- Clinical and diagnostic evaluation of a wild ocelot (Open veterinary journal · 2024Article
- Current Levels of Environmental Exposure to Cadmium in Industrialized Countries as a Risk Factor for Kidney Damage in the General Population: A Comprehensive Review of Available Data.International journal of molecular sciences · 2023Review
- Nonfatal Occupational Injuries Among Artisanal and Small-scale Gold Mining Workers in Ethiopia.Environmental health insights · 2023Article
- Mercury Exposure in Artisanal Mining: Assessing the Effect of Occupational Activities on Blood Mercury Levels Among Artisanal and Small-Scale Goldminers in Ghana.Biological trace element research · 2022Article
- Health Studies in the Context of Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining: A Scoping Review.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2021Article
- Clinical, Paraclinical, and Evolutionary Profiles of Kidney Failure in Gold Miners Hospitalized in a Nephrological Service in a Sub-Saharan African Country.International journal of nephrology · 2020Article
- Co-exposures to toxic metals cadmium, lead, and mercury and their impact on unhealthy kidney function.Environmental science and pollution research international · 2019Article
- The Clinical Importance of the Mercury Problem in Artisanal Small-Scale Gold Mining.Frontiers in public health · 2019Review
- Disposition of methylmercury over time in a 75% nephrectomized rat model.Journal of toxicology and environmental health. Part A · 2018Article
- Variation in thyroid hormone levels is associated with elevated blood mercury levels among artisanal small-scale miners in Ghana.PloS one · 2018Article
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Authors and funding
5 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundMercury is a toxic metal with its effects on human health ranging from acute to chronic in a very short time of exposure. Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) is the main source of direct human exposure to mercury.
aimTo access the effect of mercury exposure on the renal function and level of personal protective equipment (PPE) compliance among small-scale gold miners in Bibiani District of the Western Region of Ghana
method110 consenting male gold miners were purposively recruited for this study. A structured questionnaire was used to collect socio-demographic information from the participants. Work place assessment and interviews were conducted. Urine samples were analysed for protein; blood was analysed for mercury and creatinine. Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was calculated using the chronic kidney disease-epidemiology collaboration (CKD-EPI) equation.
resultsOf the 110 participants, 61(55.5%) exceeded the occupational exposure threshold (blood mercury <5μg/L). Urine protein (41.72±68.34, P<0.0001), serum creatinine (2.24±1.19, P<0.0001) and blood mercury (18.37±10.47, P<0.0001) were significantly elevated among the exposed group compared to the non-exposed group. However, the exposed group had a significantly reduced eGFR (P<0.0001). There was a significant correlation (r=0.7338, p<0.0001) between blood mercury concentration and urine protein concentration. An increase in blood mercury correlated negatively (r = -0.8233, P<0.0001) with eGFR among the exposed group. High urine protein (P< 0.0001) and high serum creatinine (P< 0.0001) were significantly associated with increased mercury exposure. Increased mercury exposure was significantly associated with burning of amalgam (P=0.0196), sucking of excess mercury (P=0.0336), longer work duration (P=0.0314) and low educational background (P=0.0473).
conclusionSmall scale miners at the Bibiani work site are exposed to excess mercury. Proteinuria and reduced eGFR is common in mine workers exposed to excess mercury. We found poor PPE compliance among the study population.
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