ECOLOGICAL AND HEALTH RISKS OF MERCURY EXPOSURE (A Systematic Literature Review)

Abstract

Mercury, also known as quicksilver, is a liquid metal that is silver in color, odorless, shiny, a good electrical conductor, with a freezing point in the range of -38.9°C and a boiling point in the range of 357°C. Mercury is a heavy metal that is highly toxic and easily mixes with enzymes in the human body, resulting in the loss of enzyme ability as a catalyst for important bodily functions. Mercury has the unique ability to combine with other elements to form organic and inorganic compounds. Exposure to increased levels of organic and inorganic mercury can damage the brain, kidneys, and developing fetus. Furthermore, higher levels of mercury exposure over a shorter period can cause damage to the lungs, increased heart rate, vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, and skin rashes. Metals are always found in both fresh and saltwater, although in small amounts. Some types of metals, whether light or heavy, are present in small quantities in water under normal conditions. Heavy metals in water are rarely in atomic form but are bound to other compounds, forming molecules. The objective of this literature study is to analyze the ecological and health risks of mercury exposure in order to obtain recommendations related to control and use efforts. The literature review used a comprehensive strategy in searching for journals both nationally and internationally. This literature review was written based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The search strategy utilized electronic databases such as ScienceDirect, ResearchGate, Google Scholar, SemanticScholar, and Springerlink. The keywords used were "Hg pollution" for the search in international journals, and "Risk Exposure of Hg" and "environmental health" for the search in general. The search results were then filtered based on full text availability and publication date from 2016 to 2022, resulting in 1005 articles that were considered relevant. These articles will be further screened based on inclusion criteria for the systematic literature review.