Manganese toxicity

Manganese is widely distributed in the biosphere: it constitutes approximately 0.085% of the Earth’s crust, making it the twelfth most abundant element. Exposure to high levels of oral, parental and air manganese may result in toxicity.

Manganese toxicity in humans is primary a concern for those exposed to high airborne concentration in the workplace, especially industrial workers and miners.

Severe neurological damage has been observed in inhabitants of Groote Eylandt, an island in the Gulf of Carpentaria off the north coasts of Australia which contains one of the world’s richest manganese mines.

In addition to neural damage, reproduction and immune dysfunction, nephritis, testicular damage, pancreatitis, lung disease, and hepatic damage can occur with manganese toxicity, though the frequency of these disorders in unknown. Manganese toxicity can result in a permanent neurological disorder known as manganese with symptoms that include tremor, difficulty walking and facial muscle spasms.

In the milder form, toxicity is expressed by hyperirritability, violent acts, hallucinations, disturbances of libido and coordination.

Cases of manganese toxicity in humans have reported only for adults; however, it has been suggested that infants may be at high risk for manganese toxicity due to a high absorptive capacity for the element and/or an immature excretory pathway for it.

Additionally, individuals with liver failure are at greater risk for toxicity because manganese homeostasis is maintained largely by lover though excretion in the bile.

The symptoms of manganese toxicity may appear slowly over months and years.
Manganese toxicity