Abstract

A survey of mercury poisoning was carried out among people living in 3 villages along Jakarta Bay (Muara Angke, Kalibaru, and Pajagalan) during October - December 1980. A total of 3178 persons were included in the survey. From this number 77 persons were selected for further clinical examination by a neurologist. Based on the clinical symptoms and laboratory findings of 51 persons examined not a single case of mercury poisoning was found in the study area. The average of total mercury content of 77 hair samples is 5,57 ± 7,03 ppm (SD), and the ratio of methyl mercury to total mercury has a range from 0,4   46,1 %. It was concluded that the mercury content in hair from the inhabitants surveyed along the Jakarta Bay was within the normal range.