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dc.contributor.authorGrandjean, Philippe
dc.contributor.authorSatoh, Hiroshi
dc.contributor.authorMurata, Katsuyuki
dc.contributor.authorEto, Komyo
dc.date.accessioned2012-04-25T18:19:00Z
dc.date.issued2010
dc.identifier.citationGrandjean, Philippe, Hiroshi Satoh, Katsuyuki Murata, and Komyo Eto. 2010. Adverse effects of methylmercury: environmental health research implications. Environmental Health Perspectives 118(8): 1137-1145.en_US
dc.identifier.issn0091-6765en_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:8620717
dc.description.abstractBackground: The scientific discoveries of health risks resulting from methylmercury exposure began in 1865 describing ataxia, dysarthria, constriction of visual fields, impaired hearing, and sensory disturbance as symptoms of fatal methylmercury poisoning. Objective: Our aim was to examine how knowledge and consensus on methylmercury toxicity have developed in order to identify problems of wider concern in research. Data sources and extraction: We tracked key publications that reflected new insights into human methylmercury toxicity. From this evidence, we identified possible caveats of potential significance for environmental health research in general. Synthesis: At first, methylmercury research was impaired by inappropriate attention to narrow case definitions and uncertain chemical speciation. It also ignored the link between ecotoxicity and human toxicity. As a result, serious delays affected the recognition of methylmercury as a cause of serious human poisonings in Minamata, Japan. Developmental neurotoxicity was first reported in 1952, but despite accumulating evidence, the vulnerability of the developing nervous system was not taken into account in risk assessment internationally until approximately 50 years later. Imprecision in exposure assessment and other forms of uncertainty tended to cause an underestimation of methylmercury toxicity and repeatedly led to calls for more research rather than prevention. Conclusions: Coupled with legal and political rigidity that demanded convincing documentation before considering prevention and compensation, types of uncertainty that are common in environmental research delayed the scientific consensus and were used as an excuse for deferring corrective action. Symptoms of methylmercury toxicity, such as tunnel vision, forgetfulness, and lack of coordination, also seemed to affect environmental health research and its interpretation.en_US
dc.language.isoen_USen_US
dc.publisherNational Institute of Environmental Health Sciencesen_US
dc.relation.isversionofdoi:10.1289/ehp.0901757en_US
dc.relation.hasversionhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2920086/pdf/en_US
dash.licenseLAA
dc.subjectempirical researchen_US
dc.subjectenvironmental exposureen_US
dc.subjectepidemiologyen_US
dc.subjectmethylmercury compoundsen_US
dc.subjectprevention and controlen_US
dc.subjectpublic policyen_US
dc.subjectseafooden_US
dc.subjecttoxicologyen_US
dc.titleAdverse Effects of Methylmercury: Environmental Health Research Implicationsen_US
dc.typeJournal Articleen_US
dc.description.versionVersion of Recorden_US
dc.relation.journalEnvironmental Health Perspectivesen_US
dash.depositing.authorGrandjean, Philippe
dc.date.available2012-04-25T18:19:00Z
dash.affiliation.otherSPH^Environmental+Occupational Medicine+Epien_US
dc.identifier.doi10.1289/ehp.0901757*
dash.contributor.affiliatedGrandjean, Philippe


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