![]() ![]() ![]() For example, Scopoli (1771) precisely described the symptoms and signs of occupational poisoning with elemental mercury in mining sites and specifically mentioned the “unusually sad mental state of these workers.” As noted by Woodall in 1639, mercurous or quicksilver is: “The hottest, the coldest, a true healer, a wicked murderer, a precious medicine, and a deadly poison, a friend that can flatter and lye” (Woodall, n.d). Alongside these, early uses were many recorded instances of human poisoning events, largely within the artisanal occupational sector (e.g., alchemists, felt hat producers) or within medical practices (e.g., treatment of syphilis and skin infections). In Goldwater’s historical examination, diverse uses of mercury and its compounds were tracked back several hundred years BC in China, India, and across the Arabic world (Goldwater 1972). Mercury and its compounds have many properties that make them useful in society, though balancing these essential uses against the metal’s toxic properties proves challenging. Human biomonitoring studies have established that most people worldwide are exposed to some amount of mercury, and that there are notable vulnerable groups (e.g., Indigenous Peoples, artisanal and small-scale gold miners (ASGM)) due to dietary or occupational factors (Basu et al. The levels of mercury in certain aquatic and food items, consumer and industrial products, and occupational settings can be at levels deemed concerning to human health (UNEP & WHO 2008). International assessment projects have documented that: (1) sources of mercury pollution are globally distributed (2) emission levels continue to increase over time and (3) these emissions are largely due to anthropogenic activities (UNEP 2019a). The World Health Organization has listed mercury as one of its top 10 chemicals of public health concern (WHO 2020). Mercury is a chemical pollutant of human health concern worldwide. ![]() We conclude with perspectives on next steps for mercury health research in the post-Minamata Convention era. Entering the twenty-first century, studies on diverse source-exposure scenarios (e.g., ASGM, amalgams, contaminated sites, cosmetics, electronic waste) from across global regions have expanded understandings and exemplified the need to consider socio-environmental variables and local contexts when conducting health studies. As part of the health plenary for the 15th International Conference on Mercury as a Global Pollutant (ICMGP), this review paper details how scientific understandings have evolved over time, from tragic poisoning events in the mid-twentieth century to important epidemiological studies in the late-twentieth century in the Seychelles and Faroe Islands, the Arctic and Amazon. Operationalizing the Convention and tracking its effectiveness requires empathy of the diversity and variation of mercury exposure and risk in populations worldwide. Mercury (Hg) is a chemical of health concern worldwide that is now being acted upon through the Minamata Convention. ![]()
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