February 2001 |
ToxFAQs™ |
for |
Manganese |
(Manganeso) |
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This fact sheet answers the most frequently
asked health questions about manganese. For more information,
you may call the ATSDR Information Center at 1-888-422-8737.
This fact sheet is one in a series of summaries about hazardous
substances and their health effects. This information is important
because this substance may harm you. The effects of exposure
to any hazardous substance depend on the dose, the duration,
how you are exposed, personal traits and habits, and whether
other chemicals are present.
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HIGHLIGHTS: Manganese is a
trace element and eating a small amount from food or water
is needed to stay healthy. Exposure to excess levels of
manganese may occur from breathing air, particularly where
manganese is used in manufacturing, and from drinking
water and eating food. At high levels, it can cause damage
to the brain, liver, kidneys, and the developing fetus.
This chemical has been found in at least 603 of 1,467
National Priorities List sites identified by the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA). |
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What
is manganese? |
Manganese is a naturally occurring metal
that is found in many types of rocks. Pure manganese is silver-colored,
but does not occur naturally. It combines with other substances
such as oxygen, sulfur, or chlorine. Manganese can also be
combined with carbon to make organic manganese compounds.
Common organic manganese compounds include pesticides, such
as maneb or mancozeb, and methylcyclopentadienyl manganese
tricarbonyl (MMT), a fuel additive in some gasolines.
Manganese is an essential trace element
and is necessary for good health. Manganese can be found in
several food items, including grains and cereals, and is found
in high amounts in other foods, such as tea.
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What
happens to manganese when it enters the environment? |
- Manganese can enter the air from iron, steel, and power
plants, coke ovens, and from dust from mining operations.
- It can enter the water and soil from natural deposits,
disposal of wastes, or deposits from airborne sources.
- Manganese exists naturally in rivers, lakes, and underground
water.
- Plants in the water can take up some of the manganese
from water and concentrate it.
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How
might I be exposed to manganese? |
- Everyone is exposed to small amounts of manganese in air,
water, and food.
- Individuals who work in occupations that mine or use manganese
are likely to be exposed to excess levels in their work
environment.
- People who improperly use pesticides such as maneb and
mancozeb, may be exposed to excess levels.
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How
can manganese affect my health? |
Some individuals exposed to very high
levels of manganese for long periods of time in their work
developed mental and emotional disturbances and slow and clumsy
body movements. This combination of symptoms is a disease
called "manganism." Workers usually do not develop symptoms
of manganism unless they have been exposed to manganese for
many months or years. Manganism occurs because too much manganese
injures a part of the brain that helps control body movements.
Exposure to high levels of airborne manganese,
such as in a manganese foundry or battery plant, can affect
motor skills such as holding one's hand steady, performing
fast hand movements, and maintaining balance. Exposure to
high levels of the metal may also cause respiratory problems
and sexual dysfunction.
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How
likely is manganese to cause cancer? |
There are no human cancer data available
for manganese. Exposure to high levels of manganese in food
resulted in a slightly increased incidence of pancreatic tumors
in male rats and thyroid tumors in male and female mice.
The EPA has determined that manganese
is not classifiable as to human carcinogenicity.
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How
does manganese affect children? |
Daily intake of small amounts of manganese
is needed for growth and good health in children. Manganese
is constantly present in the mother and is available to the
developing fetus during pregnancy. Manganese is also transferred
from a nursing mother to her infant in breast milk at levels
that are appropriate for proper development.
Children, as well as adults, who lose
the ability to remove excess manganese from their bodies develop
nervous system problems. Because at certain ages children
take in more than adults, there is concern that children may
be more susceptible to the toxic effects of excess manganese.
Animal studies indicate that exposure
to high levels of manganese can cause birth defects in the
unborn. There is no information on whether mothers exposed
to excess levels of manganese can transfer the excess to their
developing fetus during pregnancy or to their nursing infant
in breast milk.
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How
can families reduce the risk of exposure to manganese? |
In most situations, there is no need
to reduce one's exposure to manganese because it is an essential
nutrient for good health.
Excess levels of manganese may be present
in soils, especially at or near hazardous waste sites. Therefore,
it is important to discourage hand-to-mouth activity in young
children, especially near hazardous waste sites or in areas
that may have increased manganese levels in the soil.
Manganese is also present in pesticides
that may be used around the home. These pesticides should
be used in a manner consistent with manufacturer's instructions.
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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.
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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.
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References |
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease
Registry (ATSDR). 2000. Toxicological
Profile for manganese. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services, Public Health Service.
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Where can I get more information? |
ATSDR can tell you where to find occupational
and environmental health clinics. Their specialists can recognize,
evaluate, and treat illnesses resulting from exposure to hazardous
substances. You can also contact your community or state health
or environmental quality department if you have any more questions
or concerns. For more information, contact:
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Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
Division of Toxicology
1600 Clifton Road NE, Mailstop F-32
Atlanta, GA 30333
Phone: 1-888-42-ATSDR (1-888-422-8737)
FAX: (770)-488-4178
Email: ATSDRIC@cdc.gov
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