Mercury forms
1. Elemental (or metallic)
- Oxidative states:
- Elemental (Hg0),
- Mercurous (Hg+1)
- Mercuric (Hg+2)
- Alkyl (carbon-chain): methylmercury (MeHg)
- Aryl (aromatic ring)
- Chlorine: mercuric chloride
- Sulfur: mercuric sulfide
- Oxygen: mercuric oxide
ABsorption
Exposure Pathways:
Human absorption varies based on the mercury form and pathway.
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Elemental mercury - vapor
Inorganic mercury
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Organic mercury
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distribution |
Half-life & Excretion |
Mercury is diffused into the blood and distributed throughout the body to the brain, kidney, liver, hair and skin.
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Adult half-life estimates:
Excretion:
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Biomarkers
Mercury biomarkers include urine, blood, hair, nails, cord blood and cord tissue. Cord blood and cord tissue are biomarkers for prenatal exposure. Although Hg concentrations in nails are closely correlated with those in hair and blood, nails are not commonly used as a biomarker and do not offer a stable measure of time. Therefore, the three main biomarkers discussed are urine, hair, and blood.
Urine
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Hair
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Blood
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Reference (normal) mercury levels:
Blood: 5-10 µg/L (total mercury)
Urine: <20 ug/L (total mercury)
Hair: 1 µg Hg/g (mostly as MeHg)
Blood: 5-10 µg/L (total mercury)
Urine: <20 ug/L (total mercury)
Hair: 1 µg Hg/g (mostly as MeHg)
Sources
Alfthan GV (1997) Toenail mercury concentration as a biomarker of methylmercury exposure. Biomarkers 2(4):233-238.
Berglund M, Lind B, Björnberg KA, Palm B, Einarsson Ö, Vahter M (2005) Inter-individual variations of human mercury exposure biomarkers: a cross-sectional assessment. Environ Health 40:20.
Bernhoft RA (2012) Mercury Toxicity and Treatment: A Review of the Literature. Journal of Environmental and Public Health 2012: 1-10.
Branco V, Caito S, Farina M, Teixeira da Rocha J, Aschner M, Carvalho C (2017) Biomarkers of mercury toxicity: Past, present, and future trends. J Toxicol Environ Health B Crit Rev 20(3):119-154.
Broussard LA, Hammett-Stabler CA, Winecker RE, Ropero-Miller JD (2002) The Toxicology of Mercury. Laboratory Medicine 33(8):614-623.
Bose-O’Reilly S, McCarty KM, Steckling N, Lettmeier B (2010) Mercury Exposure and Children’s Health. Curr Probl Pediatr Adolesc Health Care 40:186–215.
Morton J, Mason HJ, Ritchie KA & White M (2004) Comparison of hair, nails and urine for biological monitoring of low level inorganic mercury exposure in dental workers. Biomarkers 9(1):47-55.
National Research Council (US) Committee on the Toxicological Effects of Methylmercury (2000) Toxicological Effects of Methylmercury: 2, CHEMISTRY, EXPOSURE, TOXICOKINETICS, AND TOXICODYNAMICS. National Academies Press, Washington, DC.
Nuttall KL (2004) Interpreting Mercury in Blood and Urine of Individual Patients. Ann Clin Lab Sci 34(3):235-250.
Park J-D and Zheng W (2012) Human Exposure and Health Effects of Inorganic and Elemental Mercury. J Prev Med Public Health 45(6): 344–352.
Satoh H (2000) Occupational and environmental toxicology of mercury and its compounds. Ind Health 38: 153–164.
(SCOEL) Scientific Committee on Occupational Exposure Limits (2007) Recommendation from the Scientific Committee on Occupational Exposure Limits for elemental mercury and inorganic divalent mercury compounds. European Commission, SCOEL/SUM/84.
WHO and UNEP DTIE Chemicals Branch (2008) Guidance for identifying populations at risk from mercury exposure. Inter-organization Programme for the Sound Management of Chemicals, Geneva, Switzerland.
Ye B-J, Kim B-G, Jeon M-J, Kim S-Y, Kim H-C, Jang T-W, Chae J-J, Choi W-J, Ha M-N, Hong Y-S (2016) Evaluation of mercury exposure level, clinical diagnosis and treatment for mercury intoxication. Ann Occup Environ Med 28:5.
Berglund M, Lind B, Björnberg KA, Palm B, Einarsson Ö, Vahter M (2005) Inter-individual variations of human mercury exposure biomarkers: a cross-sectional assessment. Environ Health 40:20.
Bernhoft RA (2012) Mercury Toxicity and Treatment: A Review of the Literature. Journal of Environmental and Public Health 2012: 1-10.
Branco V, Caito S, Farina M, Teixeira da Rocha J, Aschner M, Carvalho C (2017) Biomarkers of mercury toxicity: Past, present, and future trends. J Toxicol Environ Health B Crit Rev 20(3):119-154.
Broussard LA, Hammett-Stabler CA, Winecker RE, Ropero-Miller JD (2002) The Toxicology of Mercury. Laboratory Medicine 33(8):614-623.
Bose-O’Reilly S, McCarty KM, Steckling N, Lettmeier B (2010) Mercury Exposure and Children’s Health. Curr Probl Pediatr Adolesc Health Care 40:186–215.
Morton J, Mason HJ, Ritchie KA & White M (2004) Comparison of hair, nails and urine for biological monitoring of low level inorganic mercury exposure in dental workers. Biomarkers 9(1):47-55.
National Research Council (US) Committee on the Toxicological Effects of Methylmercury (2000) Toxicological Effects of Methylmercury: 2, CHEMISTRY, EXPOSURE, TOXICOKINETICS, AND TOXICODYNAMICS. National Academies Press, Washington, DC.
Nuttall KL (2004) Interpreting Mercury in Blood and Urine of Individual Patients. Ann Clin Lab Sci 34(3):235-250.
Park J-D and Zheng W (2012) Human Exposure and Health Effects of Inorganic and Elemental Mercury. J Prev Med Public Health 45(6): 344–352.
Satoh H (2000) Occupational and environmental toxicology of mercury and its compounds. Ind Health 38: 153–164.
(SCOEL) Scientific Committee on Occupational Exposure Limits (2007) Recommendation from the Scientific Committee on Occupational Exposure Limits for elemental mercury and inorganic divalent mercury compounds. European Commission, SCOEL/SUM/84.
WHO and UNEP DTIE Chemicals Branch (2008) Guidance for identifying populations at risk from mercury exposure. Inter-organization Programme for the Sound Management of Chemicals, Geneva, Switzerland.
Ye B-J, Kim B-G, Jeon M-J, Kim S-Y, Kim H-C, Jang T-W, Chae J-J, Choi W-J, Ha M-N, Hong Y-S (2016) Evaluation of mercury exposure level, clinical diagnosis and treatment for mercury intoxication. Ann Occup Environ Med 28:5.