What is Manganese?
Manganese is a metal that
can be found in many types of rock. It does not occur
naturally in pure form; instead, it is usually
combined with oxygen, chlorine, carbon, or sulfur.
Manganese is a dietary element essential to
maintaining good health. It is also necessary for
proper development in children.
[Back to
Top]
What is
Manganism?
Manganism, a disease
caused by exposure to excessive levels of manganese,
attacks the central nervous system, kidney, and liver.
Manganism, or manganese poisoning, is characterized by
diminished motor skills and psychological
disturbances. Manganism has been classified as a
Parkinson’s syndrome.
[Back to Top]
What is
Manganese Poisoning?
Manganese poisoning, or manganese toxicity, causes
several health effects. The side effects of manganese
poisoning include:
- Tremors
- Impaired hand-eye
coordination
- Weakness or lethargy
- Clumsiness
- Awkward gait
- Difficulty with
facial expression
- Speech difficulties
- Psychological
problems
- Respiratory
difficulties
- Decreased sexual
function
- Damage to developing
fetus
[Back to Top]
Is there a medical
test to show whether I've been exposed to manganese?
Tests are available
that show levels of manganese in different body
fluids. Measurements of manganese in blood, urine,
feces, and scalp hair can be used to determine
exposure to excess levels of manganese by testing
whether levels of the metal in your body tissues are
greater than normal. However, these tests cannot
predict how the levels in your tissues will affect
your health. Your doctor can take samples and send
them to a testing laboratory.
[Back to Top]
What is Parkinson’s
Disease?
Parkinson’s disease is
a disorder characterized by shaky movements and
difficulty with walking and coordination. Parkinson’s
disease is caused by the progressive destruction of
the nerve cells that control muscle movement.
[Back to Top]
Has the federal
government made recommendations to protect human
health?
The EPA has set a non-enforceable guideline for the
level of manganese in drinking water at 0.05
milligrams per liter (0.05 mg/L).
The
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
has set a limit of 5 milligrams manganese per cubic
meter (5 mg/m³) of workplace air for the average
amount of manganese during an 8-hour workday, 40-hour
workweek.
The
National Research Council has recommended safe and
adequate daily intake levels for manganese that range
from 0.3 to 1 mg/day for children up to 1 year, 1 to 2
mg/day for children up to age 10, and 2 to 5 mg/day
for children 10 and older.
[Back to
Top]
|
