The employees of chloralkali plants were studied to correlate the signs and symptoms of mercury toxicity with levels of exposure. For purposes of comparison, 40 workers were divided into three groups according to their actual contact with mercury in the tasks. No significant trend and differences of age adjusted odds ratios of symptoms and signs were found in three groups. Only in low exposure group we found one case with a slightly prolonged latency of evoked potential of peroneal nerve and another one with mild hand tremor and visual field constrition in high exposure group. Because the exposure was stopped for 40 days before examination, the clinical findings were probably under estimated. Pulmonary function tests were also performed. After adjustment of sex, age, height and smoking, the percentage prediction of the forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV10) and the maximal expiratory flow at 50 percent of vital capacity (V(subscript max)50) revealed a borderline significant association (0.05 ＜P＜0.01) with the level of chlorine exposure. We conclude that mercury level, neurologic symptoms and signs, and pulmonary function of this cohort should continually be followed up in the future.

鹼氯工廠作業員 ； 汞 ； 視野縮小

Chloralkali Workers, Mercury, Visual Field Constrition