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Article

Health Impact Assessment of Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining Area in Myanmar, Mandalay Region: Preliminary Research

1
Research Institute for Humanity and Nature, 457-4 Motoyama, Kamigamo, Kita-ku, Kyoto 603-8047, Japan
2
Graduate School of Science & Engineering, Ehime University, 2-5 Bunkyo-cho, Matsuyama City, Ehime Prefecture 790-8577, Japan
3
Faculty of Collaborative Regional Innovation, Ehime University, 3 Bunkyo-cho, Matsuyama City, Ehime Prefecture 790-8577, Japan
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(18), 6757; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17186757
Received: 31 August 2020 / Revised: 12 September 2020 / Accepted: 14 September 2020 / Published: 16 September 2020
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multiple Environmental Exposures and Cardiorespiratory Diseases)
Increasing artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) in developing countries has raised health concerns in mining communities. A preliminary health survey was conducted in Thabeikkyin Township, Mandalay Region, Myanmar, in February 2020 to assess the health conditions of an ASGM community. Respiratory function and other clinical assessments were evaluated in miners and non-miners, and participants’ hair was analyzed for heavy metals. Respiratory function of miners was similar to that of non-miners. However, miners’ respiratory function declined with longer mining activity duration. In total, 3 out of 18 miners showed neurological signs and symptoms of chronic mercury intoxication. The median concentration of the hair mercury was significantly higher in miners than non-miners (P = 0.01), and 9 out of 18 miners and 2 out of 11 non-miners showed the warning level of mercury. We found that, despite an association between declining respiratory function and length of time mining, only a minority of miners showed clinical features of chronic mercury intoxication. Further clinical surveys with a larger sample size are necessary to determine the broader health status of this community. In addition, clinical indicators such as pulmonary function tests are recommended as additional criteria for the diagnosis of mercury intoxication. View Full-Text
Keywords: artisanal and small-scale gold mining; health; respiratory function; mercury intoxication; Myanmar; spirometry artisanal and small-scale gold mining; health; respiratory function; mercury intoxication; Myanmar; spirometry
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MDPI and ACS Style

Kyaw, W.T.; Kuang, X.; Sakakibara, M. Health Impact Assessment of Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining Area in Myanmar, Mandalay Region: Preliminary Research. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17, 6757. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17186757

AMA Style

Kyaw WT, Kuang X, Sakakibara M. Health Impact Assessment of Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining Area in Myanmar, Mandalay Region: Preliminary Research. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2020; 17(18):6757. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17186757

Chicago/Turabian Style

Kyaw, Win T., Xiaoxu Kuang, and Masayuki Sakakibara. 2020. "Health Impact Assessment of Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining Area in Myanmar, Mandalay Region: Preliminary Research" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 17, no. 18: 6757. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17186757

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