MRC PhD students

Title: Mercury contamination in the vicinity of an industrial processing plant in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: exposure and attitudes.

Investigator: Vathiswa Papu, South African Medical Research Council
Supervisors: Angela Mathee and Brendon Barnes, MRC, South Africa, Prof Trudy Harpham, London South Bank University
                             
Mercury is a persistent toxic metal that originates from both natural and anthropogenic sources and has been identified as a priority global environmental contaminant (UNEP 2002). Although mercury toxicity varies according to its chemical forms; such as elemental mercury and both organic as well as inorganic mercury - all forms are toxic to living organisms and the environment (Malm et al., 1995). The study is being conducted subsequent to a mercury-contamination incident that occurred a decade ago, in which unknown quantities of mercury-contaminated waste were discharged into a local river.

The study aims to examine current human and environmental mercury exposure in the vicinity of the mercury processing plant, and explore people's awareness of mercury exposure from fish consumption and their perceptions with regard to the contamination that occurred in that river.

The study will consist of two phases - a quantitative and a qualitative phase. The quantitative phase will involve the collection of hair, fish and sediment samples for mercury analysis in a suitable laboratory. The study population will consist of residents downstream of the mercury processing plant. An upstream control group will be matched for age and sex.
 
The study is at the planning phase. Data collection is planned for March 2007.