A Small Dose of Mercury

• An Introduction into the Health Effects of Mercury

Mercury Dossier

Name: Mercury (Hg) (inorganic)

• Use: consumer products, industry, dental amalgams, switches, thermometers
• Source: mining, environment, workplace
• Recommended daily intake: none (not essential)
• Absorption: inhalation, intestine poor
• Sensitive individuals: fetus, children, women of childbearing age
• Toxicity/symptoms: nervous system, irritability tremor, drowsiness, depression, incoordination, and tremors, (mad as a hatter)
• Regulatory facts: ATSDR - MRL - Inhalation 0.2 µg/m3
• General facts: long history of use, liquid silver evaporates at room temperature, bacteria convert to organic methyl mercury
• Environmental: global environmental contaminate
• Recommendations: avoid, recycle mercury-containing devices

Name: Mercury (organic) (methyl mercury - Hg-CH3)

• Use: limited laboratory use
• Source: contaminates some fish (e.g. tuna, shark, pike)
• Recommended daily intake: none (not essential)
• Absorption: intestine (90%)
• Sensitive individuals: fetus, children, women of child bearing age
• Toxicity/symptoms: nervous system, developmental effects include cerebral palsy-like symptoms with involvement of the visual, sensory, and auditory systems, tingling around lips & mouth, tingling in fingers & toes, vision, hearing loss
• Regulatory facts: EPA - RfD - 0.1 µg/kg/day
  FDA - 1 ppm in commercial fish
  ATSDR - MRL - 0.30 µg/kg/day
• General facts: bacteria convert inorganic mercury to methyl mercury then in to food supply (bioaccumulation)
• Environmental: global environmental contaminate, bioaccumulates in some fish
• Recommendations: avoid, recycle mercury-containing devices

Mercury Chapter

• A Small Dose of Mercury - chapter pdf

PowerPoint presentation

• A Small Dose of Mercury - PowerPoint presentation (2.0 mgb)

More Information and References

European, Asian, and international Agencies

• United Nations Environment Program's Global Mercury Assessment. (accessed: 5 April 2009). This program aims to develop a global assessment of mercury and its compounds, including an outline of options for addressing any significant global adverse impacts of mercury.

• World Health Organization - Elemental Mercury and Inorganic Mercury: Human Health Aspects. (accessed: 5 April 2009). Document on human health aspects of inorganic and organic mercury.

• Swedish Chemicals Agency - Dental Amalgams.. (accessed: 5 April 2009). Sweden bans the use of dental amalgams.

North American Agencies

• Health Canada - Mercury (accessed: 5 April 2009). Health Canada provides information on the health effects and environmental distribution of mercury.

• Health Canada - The Safety of Dental Amalgam (accessed: 5 April 2009). Health Canada provides information on the health effects mercury dental amalgams.

• U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) - Advisory on Methyl Mercury and Fish (accessed: 5 April 2009). Site has recent FDA consumer information on methyl mercury.

• U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) - Questions and Answers on Dental Amalgam (accessed: 5 April 2009). Recent information from FDA regarding the use and safety of mercury amalgams.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

• EPA - Main site on Mercury (accessed: 5 April 2009).

• EPA Advice on Eating Non Commercial Fish – Advice for Women and Children (accessed: 5 April 2009).

• EPA Fact Sheet: Fish Caught by Family and Friends – Advice for Women and Children (accessed: 5 April 2009).

• EPA (1997). Mercury Study Report to Congress. Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards and Office of Research and Development. EPA-452-R-97 -003 through -010 (Volumes I-VIII0) (accessed: 5 April 2009

• EPA Integrated Risk Information System

• U.S. Agency for Toxic Substance Disease Registry (ATSDR) - Toxicology Profile Series on Mercury (accessed: 5 April 2009). ATSDR produces toxicology profile documents on many compounds including mercury.

• U.S. Agency for Toxic Substance Disease Registry (ATSDR) - Toxicology Profile Series on Mercury. (accessed: 5 April 2009). ATSDR's list of minimal risk levels.

• U.S. Department of Labor - Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA). (accessed: 5 April 2009).

• U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) (accessed: 5 April 2009). Site has maps and supply information on mercury.

• U.S. National Research Council (NRC) - Toxicological Effects of Methylmercury (accessed: 5 April 2009). The full NRC report on mercury can be read on the web, search on mercury.

• Washington State Department of Health - Fish Facts for Health Nutrition (accessed: 5 April 2009). Site has information on Washington State's advisory of fish consumption and mercury.

• Washington State Department of Ecology - Mercury Reduction in Washington - Including the Mercury Chemical Action Plan (accessed: 5 April 2009). Comprehensive information on uses and release of mercury in Washington and efforts to reduce mercury use and release. .

Non-Government Organizations

• The Mercury Policy Project (MPP) (accessed: 5 April 2009). "MPP works to raise awareness about the threat of mercury contamination and promote policies to eliminate mercury uses, reduce the export and trafficking of mercury, and significantly reduce mercury exposures at the local, national, and international levels."

• American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH®) (accessed: 5 April 2009). "ACGIH is a member-based organization and community of professionals that advances worker health and safety through education and the development and dissemination of scientific and technical knowledge."

• Northwest Compact Fluorescent Lamp (CFL) Recycling Project (accessed: 5 April 2009).

References

• Clarkson, T. (1998). Methylmercury and fish consumption: Weighing the risks. Can Med Assoc J, 158, 1465-1466.

• Clarkson, T. W. (2002). The three modern faces of mercury. Environ Health Perspect, 110 Suppl 1, 11-23.

• Gilbert, S. G., & Grant-Webster, K. S. (1995). Neurobehavioral effects of developmental methylmercury exposure. Environ Health Perspect, 6, 135-142.

• Kales, S. N., & Goldman, R. H. (2002). Mercury exposure: current concepts, controversies, and a clinic's experience. J Occup Environ Med, 44(2), 143-154.

• Martin, D. M., DeRouen, T. A., & Leroux, B. G. (1997). Is Mercury Amalgam Safe for Dental Fillings? Washington Public Health, 15(Fall), 30-32.

• MMWR. (1996a). Mercury exposure among residents of a building formerly used for industrial purposes - New Jersey, 1995. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 45(20), 422-424. (accessed: 5 July 2009).

• MMWR. (1996b). Mercury poisoning associated with beauty cream - Arizona, California, New Mexico and Texas, 1996. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 45(29), 633-635. (accessed: 5 July 2009).

• John Putman (1972). Quicksilver and Slow Death. National Geographic 142(4), October, 1972, 507-527.
  Zeitz, P., Orr, M. F., & Kaye, W. E. (2002). Public health consequences of mercury spills: Hazardous Substances Emergency Events Surveillance system, 1993-1998. Environ Health Perspect, 110(2), 129-132.