The serum immunoglobulins in workers after prolonged occupational exposure to the mercury vapors

The mercury concentration in the blood and urine as well as the IgA, IgD, IgE, IgG, and IgM serum concentration was assayed in 89 men working during varying time intervals in a chlorine production plant using a mercury electrolysis method. In none of the workers studied the blood mercury concentration exceeded 50 micrograms x 1-1 and only in two cases the mercury excretion in the urine exceeded 200 micrograms x 1-1. Low levels of IgA and IgG were observed only in workers exposed to mercury vapors for more than 20 years.