Introduction: Mercury is a chemical substance widely used in the mining industry, which leads to the population exposed occupationally and/or environmentally to develop neurological symptoms that affect their quality of life and work productivity. Objective: To determine mercury exposure and neurological effects in the exposed population of the municipality of Nechí, Colombia.Materials and methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out in people with occupational or environmental exposure in Nechí, Antioquia. Mercury measurements were taken in biological samples and a survey was used to characterize the variables of interest. Measures of central tendency and dispersion were calculated and statistically significant differences were evaluated.Results: 104 individuals with an average age of 47.9 ± 1.7 years were included. Of the individuals, 59.5% had occupational exposure and 40.5% had environmental exposure. Of the population studied, 86.9% of the participants were found to have mercury levels above the reference value. Regarding dietary habits, a statistically significant difference was reported with respect to fish consumption (carnivorous or non-carnivorous species) between the population with occupational and environmental exposure (p=0.039) and the area of origin of the fish, being higher in areas affected by mining and agriculture (p= 0.024). The most frequently reported clinical manifestations were tremors, headaches, poor memory, irritability and reduced muscle strength.Conclusion: The control of the health and environmental effects of mercury exposure is a great challenge for governmental entities. Colombia is one of the countries with the highest mercury contamination in the world and in Nechí mining is one of its main economic activities and as a consequence there is an important contamination of the ecosystem.
