What is Manganese?

Manganese is a naturally occurring metal found in rock, soil, and water. Manganese generally occurs in a mineral state combined with oxygen, chlorine, carbon, or sulfur. Manganese is a nutritional element essential to maintaining good physiological and mental health. It is also necessary for the proper development in children and is found in many dietary supplements.

Industry uses manganese for use in herbicides, pesticides, alloy steel production, and as a gasoline additive. Manganese is also found in welding materials. It is in these industrial contexts that manganese exposure becomes dangerous. At high levels, chronic manganese inhalation attacks the central nervous system causing manganism, a neurological disease with symptoms nearly identical to Parkinson's disease. Manganese exposure and inhalation symptoms include muscle stiffness and cramping, speech disturbances, tremors, impotence, and mental disturbances.
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Environmental and Industrial Manganese
Exposure Information

Manganese exposure results from the following sources:

• Air - fumes and exhaust from steel, iron, and power plants; dust from mining operations; exhaust from autos and trucks, occupational sources such as welding fumes.
• Water - naturally through lakes, rivers, and underground water; also, manganese can leak into bodies of water from waste disposal, natural manganese deposits, or the air.
• Soil - from natural manganese deposits, airborne manganese, waste disposal, pollution.
• Vegetation and Food Crops - by absorption from water, air, soil, herbicides, pesticides.

Read more manganese information and a glossary of terms.

Manganese Inhalation Information

Small amounts of manganese are essential for good health; however, victims of excessive manganese exposure run the risk of health problems from manganese inhalation. People who work with manganese on a daily basis are at the highest risk of manganese poisoning. Jobs that put workers at risk for high levels of manganese inhalation are:

• Welders
• Steel workers
• Railroad workers
• Miners
• Workers manufacturing or handling herbicides & pesticides
• Gasoline processing workers

In addition, people are at risk of manganese exposure and inhalation if they live near a factory or plant that works with manganese or if they live in a high traffic area where cars burn gasoline that contains manganese as an additive.
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Manganese Inhalation & Exposure Screening

There are several tests to determine whether a person is a victim of manganese inhalation or exposure. Manganese measurements can be taken from blood, urine, stools, and scalp hair, but they cannot determine how manganese will affect your health.

Are you interested in learning more manganese information about exposure ? Contact our manganese attorneys for a free screening.

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