Data from: Variation in thyroid hormone levels is associated with elevated blood mercury levels among artisanal small-scale miners in Ghana

Background: Mercury can be very toxic to human health even at low dose of exposure. Artisanal small-scale miners (ASGMs) use mercury in gold production, hence are at risk of mercury-induced organ dysfunction. Aim: We determined the association between mercury exposure, thyroid function and work-related factors among artisanal small-scale gold miners in Bibiani-Ghana. Method: We conveniently recruited 137 consenting male gold miners at their work site in Bibiani-Ghana, in a comparative cross-sectional study. Occupational activities and socio-demographic data of participants were collected using a questionnaire. Blood sample was analysed for total mercury and thyroid hormones. Results: Overall, 58.4% (80/137) of the participants had blood mercury exceeding the occupational exposure threshold (blood mercury ≥5μg/L). T3(P<0.0001) and T4(P<0.0001) were significantly reduced among the exposed group compared to the non-exposed. TSH showed no significant variation between the exposed and non-exposed groups. Longer work duration (≥5years), gold amalgamation, gold smelting and sucking of excess mercury with the mouth were associated with increased odds of mercury exposure. Blood mercury showed negative correlation with T3(r = -0.29, P<0.0001), and T4(r = -0.69, P<0.0001) and positive correlation with work duration (r = 0.88, P<0.001). Even though a positive trend of association between blood mercury and TSH levels was recorded, it was not significant (r = 0.07, P = 0.4121). Conclusion: Small scale miners in Bibiani are exposed to mercury above the occupational threshold which may affect thyroid hormone levels.背景：即便在低暴露剂量下，汞对人体健康仍具有显著毒性。手工小型金矿采矿者（Artisanal Small-Scale Miners, ASGMs）在黄金生产过程中会使用汞，因此面临汞诱导的器官功能障碍风险。研究目的：本研究旨在探讨加纳比比亚尼地区手工小型金矿采矿者的汞暴露、甲状腺功能与职业相关因素之间的关联。研究方法：本研究采用对比性横断面研究设计，在加纳比比亚尼的工作现场便利招募了137名签署知情同意的男性金矿矿工。研究人员通过问卷收集了参与者的职业活动信息与社会人口学数据，并采集血液样本用于总汞与甲状腺激素水平检测。研究结果：总体而言，58.4%（80/137）的参与者血汞水平超过职业暴露阈值（血汞≥5μg/L）。与非暴露组相比，暴露组的三碘甲状腺原氨酸（T3，P<0.0001）与甲状腺素（T4，P<0.0001）水平显著降低。促甲状腺激素（TSH）在两组间未出现统计学意义上的显著差异。工作时长≥5年、黄金汞齐化作业、黄金熔炼以及用嘴吸取多余汞均与汞暴露风险升高显著相关。血汞水平与T3（r=-0.29，P<0.0001）、T4（r=-0.69，P<0.0001）呈负相关，与工作时长（r=0.88，P<0.001）呈正相关。尽管血汞水平与TSH水平存在正向关联趋势，但该关联未达到统计学显著性（r=0.07，P=0.4121）。结论：加纳比比亚尼地区的小型金矿采矿者面临超出职业暴露阈值的汞暴露，该暴露情况可能会对其甲状腺激素水平造成影响。