title: Impacts of Mercury Pollution Controls on Atmospheric Mercury Concentration and Occupational Mercury Exposure in a Hospital.
abstract: Mercury (Hg) and Hg-containing products are used in a wide range of settings in hospitals. Hg pollution control measures were carried out in the pediatric ward of a hospital to decrease the possibility of Hg pollution occurring and to decrease occupational Hg exposure. Total gaseous Hg (TGM) concentrations in the pediatric ward and hair and urine Hg concentrations for the pediatric staff were determined before and after the Hg pollution control measures had been implemented. A questionnaire survey performed indicated that the pediatric staff had little understanding of Hg pollution and that appropriate disposal techniques were not always used after Hg leakage. TGM concentrations in the pediatric ward and urine Hg (UHg) concentrations for the pediatric staff were 25.7 and 22.2% lower, respectively, after the Hg pollution control measures had been implemented than before, which indicated that the control measures were effective. However, TGM concentrations in the pediatric ward remained significantly higher than background concentrations and UHg concentrations for the pediatric staff were remained significantly higher than the concentrations in control group, indicating continued existence of certain Hg pollution.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang, 550081, China. ping_ligyig@163.com.
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Comprehensive Ward, Affiliated Hospital of Guiyang Medical University, Guiyang, 550004, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Comprehensive Ward, Affiliated Hospital of Guiyang Medical University, Guiyang, 550004, China.
authors.forename: Wuyan
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Xiong
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants; D001272:Atmosphere; D005740:Gases; D006197:Hair / Q000737:chemistry; D006748:Hospital Departments / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis* / Q000652:urine*; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010372:Pediatrics; D011786:Quality Control; D012306:Risk; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013821:Thermometers; D014556:Urine / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D005740:Gases; D008628:Mercury
keywords: Atmospheric mercury; Impact; Mercury pollution control; Pediatric ward; Urine mercury