A recent study shows the levels of manganese in the Marietta area air exceeds background levels and health based guidelines but it's unknown whether or not the amount of exposure could cause health effects. So this investigation by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry recommended that the U.S. EPA try to find out.

In 2000 the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) also known as ATSDR started a series of investigations on the air quality in the Marietta area.

From April 2007 until March 2008 ATSDR with the Ohio EPA monitored the levels of metals in the air at five monitoring sites in Wood and Washington Counties.

Scientists said they found manganese was the only metal that exceeded background levels and health based guidelines.

ATSDR Region 5 senior environmental scientist Mark Johnson said the manganese levels exceed the screening level but scientists don't know whether or not the levels are high enough to be associated with health effects.

The report said there is a gap in data on chronic low level manganese exposures in the general population.

So this study recommended that the U.S. EPA conduct a health study to find out whether or not this exposure could cause subtle neurological effects over time.

Johnson said the U.S. EPA is funding the health study on the Marietta area and will be recruiting residents to help them try to answer this question.

A public meeting will be held this Tuesday from 7 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. at Marietta College in Thomas Hall Room 124.

For more information on the study, log on to our home page www.wtap.com and click on the hot button.