For more information see http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Human Health Effects:

Evidence for Carcinogenicity:

Evaluation: There is inadequate evidence in humans for the carcinogenicity of mercury and mercury compounds. Overall evaluation: Metallic mercury and inorganic mercury compounds are not classifiable as to their carcinogenicity to humans (Group 3). [IARC. Monographs on the Evaluation of the Carcinogenic Risk of Chemicals to Man. Geneva: World Health Organization, International Agency for Research on Cancer, 1972 - PRESENT. (Multivolume work).,p. 58 324 (1993)]**QC REVIEWED**

CLASSIFICATION: D; not classifiable as to human carcinogenicity. BASIS FOR CLASSIFICATION: Based on inadequate human and animal data. Epidemiologic studies failed to show a correlation between exposure to elemental mercury vapor and carcinogenicity; the findings in these studies were confounded by possible or known concurrent exposures to other chemicals, including human carcinogens, as well as lifestyle factors (e.g., smoking). Findings from genotoxicity tests are severely limited and provide equivocal evidence that mercury adversely affects the number or structure of chromosomes in human somatic cells. HUMAN CARCINOGENICITY DATA: Inadequate. ANIMAL CARCINOGENICITY DATA: Inadequate.  [U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) on Mercury (Inorganic ) (7439-97-6) from the National Library of Medicine's TOXNET System, May 3, 1995]**QC REVIEWED**

4. A4= Not Classifiable as a Human Carcinogen. (1994) /Mercury, inorganic forms including metallic mercury, as Hg (Sin)  [American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists. Threshold Limit Values (TLVs) for Chemical Substances and Physical Agents and BiologicalExposure Indices (BEIs) for 1995-1996. Cincinnati, OH: ACGIH, 1995. 25]**QC REVIEWED**

Human Toxicity Excerpts:

SYMPTOMATOLOGY: A. First phase after ingestion of inorganic mercury salts. 1) Burning pain, sense of constriction, and ashen discoloration of the mucous membrane in mouth and pharynx, occurring immediately after the ingestion of corrosive mercury salts. 2) Within a few minutes intense epigastric pain, followed by diffuse abdominal pain and associated with almost continuous vomiting of mucoid material, which frequently contains blood and shreds of mucous membrane. 3) Severe purging, with liquid, bloody feces and considerable tenesmus. 4) Metallic taste, excessive salivation and thirst. 5) A rapid, weak pulse; Shallow breathing; Pallor; Prostration, collapse, and death. 6) Signs and symptoms listed above are not encountered with mercury compounds of low irritancy or with portals of entry other than the mouth. In these cases the first clinical evidence of poisoning may be phase 2.  [Gosselin, R.E., R.P. Smith, H.C. Hodge. Clinical Toxicology of Commercial Products. 5th ed. Baltimore: Williams and Wilkins, 1984.,p. III-270]**PEER REVIEWED**

SYMPTOMATOLOGY: Second phase. If death does not intervene, phase 2 begins in 1-3 days in untreated cases (unless vomiting so effectively removed the poison that absorption was negligible). 1) The gastroenteritis described above tends to subside in about 36 hr under the influence of local treatment. 2) Mercurial stomatitis may or may not appear within 24-36 hr. It is characterized by a glossitis and ulcerative gingivitis. Salivation is marked. In chronic neglected cases severe infections, loosening of teeth, and necrosis of the jaw are major complications. 3) Necrosis of the renal tubules is evident within 2-3 days. In sequence, the results are transient polyuria, albuminuria, cylindruria, hematuria, anuria, and eventual death associated with azotemia and renal acidosis or recovery within 10-14 days.  [Gosselin, R.E., R.P. Smith, H.C. Hodge. Clinical Toxicology of Commercial Products. 5th ed. Baltimore: Williams and Wilkins, 1984.,p. III-270]**PEER REVIEWED**

YMPTOMATOLOGY: 4) Especially in untreated cases, a membranous colitis
may first appear many days after the original exposure. It is evidenced by dysentery, tenesmus, ulceration of the colonic mucosa, and hemorrhage. Liver necrosis sometimes develops. In neglected cases collapse and death may occur weeks after the start of the illness. 5) Rarely neurologic signs and symptoms may appear late in the course of a slow convalescence after an acute exposure.  [Gosselin, R.E., R.P. Smith, H.C. Hodge. Clinical Toxicology of Commercial Products. 5th ed. Baltimore: Williams and Wilkins, 1984.,p. III-270]**PEER REVIEWED**

THE MOST CONSISTENT & PRONOUNCED EFFECTS OF /CHRONIC/ EXPOSURE TO ... ELEMENTAL MERCURY VAPOR ... ARE ON CNS. EFFECTS ... ARE NEUROLOGICAL & PSYCHIATRIC. COMMON SYMPTOMS INCL DEPRESSION, IRRITABILITY, EXAGGERATED RESPONSE TO STIMULATION (ERETHISM), EXCESSIVE SHYNESS, INSOMNIA, EMOTIONAL INSTABILITY, FORGETFULNESS, CONFUSION, & VASOMOTOR DISTURBANCES SUCH AS EXCESSIVE PERSPIRATION & UNCONTROLLED BLUSHING. TREMORS ARE ALSO COMMON ... THESE ARE EXAGGERATED WHEN TASK IS REQUIRED BUT MINIMAL WHEN PATIENT IS AT REST OR ASLEEP. A FINE TREMBLING OF FINGERS, EYELIDS, LIPS, & TONGUE MAY BE INTERRUPTED INTERMITTENTLY BY COARSE SHAKING MOVEMENTS. ... ERETHISM & TREMORS ARE REVERSIBLE.  [Gilman, A.G., L.S.Goodman, and A. Gilman. (eds.). Goodman and Gilman's The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics. 7th ed.
New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc., 1985. 1612]**PEER REVIEWED**

CUTE INTOXICATION FROM INHALING MERCURY VAPOR IN HIGH CONCN USED TO BE COMMON AMONG THOSE WHO EXTRACTED MERCURY FROM ITS ORES ... THE CONDITION IS CHARACTERIZED BY METALLIC TASTE, NAUSEA, ABDOMINAL PAIN, VOMITING, DIARRHEA, HEADACHE, & SOMETIMES ALBUMINURIA. AFTER FEW DAYS, SALIVARY GLANDS SWELL, STOMATITIS & GINGIVITIS DEVELOP, & A DARK LINE OF MERCURY SULFIDE FORMS ON INFLAMED GUMS. TEETH MAY LOOSEN, & ULCERS MAY FORM ON LIPS & CHEEKS. IN MILDER CASES, RECOVERY OCCURS WITHIN 10-14 DAYS, BUT IN OTHERS, POISONING OF CHRONIC TYPE MAY ENSUE ... SOME OF ACUTE CASES HAVE RESULTED FROM EXPOSURE CONCN OF 1.2 TO 8.5 MG HG/CU M.  [Clayton, G. D. and F. E. Clayton (eds.). Patty's Industrial Hygiene and Toxicology: Volume 2A, 2B, 2C: Toxicology. 3rd ed. New York: John Wiley Sons, 1981-1982. 1775]**PEER REVIEWED**

IT IS STILL NOT KNOWN TO WHAT DEGREE RENAL DAMAGE MAY OCCUR IN CONNECTION WITH CHRONIC EXPOSURE TO MERCURY VAPOR. SEVERE NEPHROTIC CHANGES HAVE NOT BEEN DESCRIBED IN PATIENTS EXPOSED ONLY TO MERCURY VAPOR. IN PATIENTS EXPOSED TO COMBINATION OF MERCURY DUST & VAPOR, SUCH CHANGES HAVE BEEN REPORTED. ... AN INCREASED FREQUENCY OF ANEUPLOIDY IN LYMPHOCYTES FROM MERCURY VAPOR EXPOSED WORKERS /ARE REPORTED/.  [Friberg, L., Nordberg, G.F., Kessler, E. and Vouk, V.B. (eds). Handbook of the Toxicology of Metals. 2nd ed. Vols I, II.: Amsterdam: Elsevier Science Publishers B.V., 1986. 401]**PEER REVIEWED**

... BRAIN IS CRITICAL ORGAN IN HUMANS FOR CHRONIC MERCURY VAPOR EXPOSURE; IN SEVERE CASES, SPONGEOUS DEGENERATION OF BRAIN CORTEX CAN OCCUR AS A LATE SEQUELA TO PAST EXPOSURE. ... RENAL PROTEINURIA HAS ... BEEN DESCRIBED FOLLOWING EXPOSURE TO MERCURY VAPOR. OTHER REPORTED EFFECTS FROM ELEMENTAL MERCURY ARE CONTACT DERMATITIS FROM MERCURY AMALGAM FILLINGS & MERCURY SENSITIVITY OCCURRING AMONG DENTAL STUDENTS.   [Clayton, G. D. and F. E. Clayton (eds.). Patty's Industrial Hygiene and Toxicology: Volume 2A, 2B, 2C: Toxicology. 3rd ed. New York: John Wiley Sons, 1981-1982. 1777]**PEER REVIEWED**

ORAL DOSES OF 100-500 G HAVE BEEN GIVEN TO MAN WITH LITTLE EFFECT, BECAUSE OF POOR ABSORPTION, ALTHOUGH THEY OCCASIONALLY RESULTED IN DIARRHEA.  [National Research Council. Drinking Water & Health Volume 1. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 1977. 274]**PEER REVIEWED**

HUMAN EXPOSURE TO ELEMENTAL MERCURY WITH NEAR-FATAL CONSEQUENCES HAS BEEN REPORTED AS LATE AS 1976. A 14-YR OLD BLACK BOXER WAS HOSPITALIZED 2 DAYS AFTER AN IV INJECTION OF 20 ML HG (ABOUT 270 G) WITH MERCURY EMBOLI IN BOTH LUNG FIELDS, METAL DENSITIES IN ABDOMEN, & SMALL POOLS OF MERCURY IN RIGHT VENTRICLE. HE HAD SLIGHTLY ELEVATED TEMPERATURE, SHALLOW RESPIRATION, GENERAL MALAISE, & PLEURITIC CHEST PAIN, WITH SHORTNESS OF BREATH FOR 24 HR. PULMONARY FUNCTION WAS REDUCED. HE SHOWED GRADUAL IMPROVEMENT AFTER 5 MO WITHOUT EVIDENCE OF RENAL OR HEPATIC DAMAGE. ... TWO SIMILAR INSTANCES /ARE REPORTED/ OF SELF-ADMIN METALLIC MERCURY BY SC INJECTION IN AMT OF 20 TO 40 G. ALTHOUGH AN ABSCESS RESULTED AT INJECTION SITE ... THERE WERE NO OTHER CLINICAL FEATURES OF MERCURY POISONING. BECAUSE THESE DOSAGES FAILED TO PRODUCE FRANK MERCURY POISONING, THE TDLO FOR MAN OF ELEMENTAL MERCURY PARENTERALLY MUST LIE BETWEEN 40 & 270 G. ... /ANOTHER REPORT/ GIVES 1429 MG/KG (ABOUT 100 G FOR 70 KG PERSON) AS ORAL LDLO FOR ADULT. /SRP: THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS PRODUCED WERE NOT CAUSED BY MERCURY BUT BY MICROEMBOLI/.  [Clayton, G. D. and F. E. Clayton (eds.). Patty's Industrial Hygiene and Toxicology: Volume 2A, 2B, 2C: Toxicology. 3rd ed. New York: John Wiley Sons, 1981-1982. 1775]**PEER REVIEWED**

ACCIDENTAL RELEASE OF LARGE QUANTITIES OF METALLIC MERCURY INTO GI TRACT DURING SURGICAL MANIPULATIONS PRODUCED NO MORE SERIOUS REACTION THAN NON-PERSISTENT FISTULOUS TRACTS. IT IS APPARENT THAT BROKEN GLASS IS CHIEF HAZARD ASSOC WITH INGESTION OF /MERCURY FROM/ MERCURY THERMOMETERS. IN CASE OF IV SELF-ADMINISTRATION OF LIQUID MERCURY, PULMONARY EMBOLIZATION TERMINATED LIFE BEFORE THERE WERE SIGNS OF SYSTEMIC INTOXICATION. ... IN ABSENCE OF EMBOLI, MERCURY CAN BE ABSORBED FROM PARENTERAL DEPOTS TO PRODUCE INTOXICATION. SUCH DEPOTS ARE CLEARLY & BIZARRELY VISIBLE ON X-RAY. ... EXCEPT FOR GASTROINTESTINAL SIGNS ALL OF THE PROTEAN MANIFESTATIONS OF MERCURIALISM ARE POSSIBLE AFTER RESPIRATORY EXPOSURE /TO MERCURY VAPOR/.

[Gosselin, R.E., R.P. Smith, H.C. Hodge. Clinical Toxicology of Commercial Products. 5th ed. Baltimore: Williams and Wilkins, 1984.,p. II-134]**PEER REVIEWED**

In a case report on a 54 yr old man who experienced a two-day exposure to high levels of mercury (Hg) vapor, (the air concn must have been very high as it resulted in a urine concn of 100 ug Hg/l), noted that the man developed a syndrome resembling amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The syndrome disappeared when urinary mercury returned to normal.   [Adam CR et al; Am Med Assoc 250: 642-3 (1983) as cited in USEPA; Mercury Health Effects Update p.5-5 (1984) EPA 600/8-84-019F]**PEER REVIEWED**

... /Investigators/ were able to confirm an increased prevelance of albuminuria in 51 male workers exposed to mercury vapor when compared to a control group (51) matched for age, sex, socioeconomic status, and job responsibilities. The median (range) mercury levels in urine for controls were 1.3 (0.6-4.7) and for exposed were 71 (9.9-286) ug Hg/g creatinine (creatinine is proportional to the lean body mass, and therefore does not change greatly for a given individual or for groups of workers having roughly similar body weights). Observations on psychomotor performance indicated that decrement in performance was found in mercury-exposed workers but occurred independently from the presence of proteinuria. 

[Roels H et al; Int Arch Occup Environ Health 50: 77-93 (1982) as cited in USEPA; Mercury Health Effects Update p.5-7 (1984) EPA 600/8-84-019F]**PEER REVIEWED**

/Investigators/ studied the excretion of specific proteins and enzymes in urine samples of 87 control workers (mean urinary mercury in the range of 3.3 to 4.6 ug Hg/g creatinine, based upon three separate visits) and in 105 exposed workers (mean urinary mercury in the range of 63 to 71 ug Hg/g creatinine, based upon three separate visits). The range of individual values was 0.4 to 275 ug Hg/g creatinine. The corresponding mean blood mercury values were 5 and 17.5 ug Hg/l, respectively. Highly significant correlations were found between blood and urinary mercury concn. Urinary gamma glutamyl transferase correlated with urinary mercury levels in the exposed group. The prevalence of greater than normal activities of the enzymes, N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase and gamma glutamyl transferase, appeared to incr when the mercury concn in urine exceeded 100 ug Hg/g creatinine, but there was no evidence of a dose-response relationship over the full range of mercury concn. [Stondard MD et al; Int Arch Occup Environ Health 6: 480-3 (1983) as cited in USEPA; Mercury Health Effects Update p.5-8 (1984) EPA 600/8-84-019F]**PEER REVIEWED**

Aneuploidy and other chromosomal aberrations have been observed in lymphocytes from whole blood cultures of workers occupationally exposed to mercury, including people working with mercury amalgams.  [USEPA; Mercury Health Effects Update p.5-11 (1984) EPA 600/8-84-019F]**PEER REVIEWED**

Humans exposed occupationally to metallic mercury cmpd or Hg amalgams had significantly increased occurrence of lymphocytic aneuploidy but not structural chromosome aberrations relative to controls.  [Nat'l Research Council Canada; Effect of Mercury in the Canadian Environment p.115 (1979) NRCC No. 16739]**PEER REVIEWED**

The case of a 25 yr old woman with previous metallic mercury skin deposits
treated by excision of the affected area and oral administration of 125 mg penicillamine 2 times/day, is reported. Symptoms of metallic mercury intoxication were not shown. Biopsy of the lumps produced a salmon pink fluid containing globules of metallic mercury. One yr after the incident no signs of long term intoxication were shown.  [Grounds RM; J R Soc Med 77: 611-13 (1984)]**PEER REVIEWED**

The case of an 8 mo old girl with acute mercury vapor intoxication successfully treated with oxygen, intravenous injections of nafcillin sodium (100 mg/kg/day), and chloramphenicol sodium succinate (100 mg/kg/day) is reported.  [Jaffe KM et al; Am J Dis Child 137: 749-51 (1983)]**PEER REVIEWED**

CHRONIC ABSORPTION FROM HANDLING OF MERCURY OR EXPOSURE TO ITS VAPORS HAS LED TO A CHARACTERISTIC DISCOLORATION OF THE FRONT SURFACE OF THE LENS. ... ROSE-BROWN OR PINKISH HOMOGENEOUS REFLEX IS SEEN ... IN SOME CASES INVOLVING WHOLE ANTERIOR SURFACE ... SOMETIMES ... ANTERIOR SUBCAPSULAR DISC.  [Grant, W.M. Toxicology of the Eye. 3rd ed. Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas Publisher, 1986. 583]**PEER REVIEWED**

Mothers exposed to elemental mercury through their dental work /were/ found to have significantly increased mercury content in their babies' placentae and membranes. [Shepard, T.H. Catalog of Teratogenic Agents. 5th ed. Baltimore, MD: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1986. 364]**PEER REVIEWED**

Neonates have absorbed significant amounts of mercury after the breakage of elemental mercury switches in their incubators.  [Ellenhorn, M.J. and D.G. Barceloux. Medical Toxicology - Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Poisoning. New York, NY: Elsevier Science Publishing Co., Inc. 1988. 1048]**PEER REVIEWED**

67 patients with oral lichen planus of the atrohic-erosive or reticular plaque type were examined. Dental amalgam in contact with mucosal lesions was present in 64 patients, and gold fillings in 33. Patch testing with a standard procedure was performed with components of dental fillings. 11 patients (16%) reacted to at least one of the mercury compoundsa compared to 8% in a reference group. Most positive reactions were caused by elemental mercury and ammoniated mercury.  [Mobacken H et al; Contact Dermatitis 10 (1): 11-5 (1984)]**PEER REVIEWED**

Increased metabolic rate increases ... food consumption and exposure to mercury through the food chain.  [USEPA; Ambient Water Quality Criteria Doc: Mercury p.12 (1984) EPA 440/5-84-026]**PEER REVIEWED**

AMONG INORG CMPD, ELEMENTAL MERCURY & DIVALENT MERCURY SALT ARE ... OF TOXICOLOGICAL INTEREST. IT IS DOUBTFUL WHETHER MERCUROUS MERCURY HAS ANY SURVIVAL IN THE ORGANISM, ALTHOUGH AT PRESENT POSSIBILITY ... THAT MERCUROUS MERCURY MAY BE INT IN REDOX TRANSFORMATION OF ELEMENTAL & MERCURIC
MERCURY OR VICE VERSA IN BODY.  [Friberg, L., Nordberg, G.F., Kessler, E. and Vouk, V.B. (eds). Handbook of the Toxicology of Metals. 2nd ed. Vols I, II.: Amsterdam: Elsevier Science Publishers B.V., 1986. 389]**PEER REVIEWED**

MOLECULAR STRUCTURE OF THE MERCURY CMPD, ITS STABILITY IN THE ORGANISM & ITS ROUTES OF BIOTRANSFORMATION & EXCRETION WILL GOVERN TOXICOLOGICAL PROPERTIES FOR THE HIGHER ORGANISMS. THUS EACH MERCURY CMPD HAS ITS OWN TOXICOLOGY IN RELATION TO DOSE-EFFECT & DOSE-RESPONSE RELATIONSHIPS. /MERCURY CMPD/  [Friberg, L., Nordberg, G.F., Kessler, E. and Vouk, V.B. (eds). Handbook of the Toxicology of Metals. 2nd ed. Vols I, II.: Amsterdam: Elsevier Science Publishers B.V., 1986. 389]**PEER REVIEWED**

DISTURBANCES OF EYES IN MERCURY POISONING CONSISTS OF DISCOLORATION OF CORNEA & LENS, TREMOR OF EYELIDS, & POSSIBLY ... DISTURBANCES OF VISION & EXTRAOCULAR MUSCLES. ... IN VERY YOUNG CHILDREN ACRODYNIA. ... CHARACTERTISTIC BY OCULAR SYMPTOMS ... PHOTOPHOBIA ... CONJUNCTIVITIS, ITCHING ... KERATITIS ...  [Grant, W.M. Toxicology of the Eye. 3rd ed. Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas Publisher, 1986. 583]**PEER REVIEWED**

Idiosyncratic reactions to mercury and mercury cmpd on local contact have been seen in connection with mercury applied locally to skin and mucous membranes. Typical manifestations are erythemas and contact dermatitis. ... A special form of hypersensitivity was found in children between 4 months and 4 years of age. This syndrome, called acrodynia or pink disease, is characterized by a general rash over the body. Other symptoms are chills, swelling & irritation of hands, feet cheeks & nose, usually followed by desquamation, loss of hair & ulceration. In addition to skin symptoms, the disease features irritability, photophobia, sleeplessness & profuse perspiration, which may lead to dehydration. Perspiration is accompanied by dilated & enlarged sweat glands & desquamation of soles & palms. Hyperplasia & hyperkeratosis of skin in peripheral parts of extremities are seen. ... Acrodynia cases ... usually show increased levels of mercury in urine (above 50 ug/l).  [Friberg, L., Nordberg, G.F., Kessler, E. and Vouk, V.B. (eds). Handbook of the Toxicology of Metals. 2nd ed. Vols I, II.: Amsterdam: Elsevier Science Publishers B.V., 1986. 413]**PEER REVIEWED**

THERE ... IS A DISEASE OF INFANTS KNOWN AS ACRODYNIA OR "PINK DISEASE" IN WHICH INORGANIC MERCURY SEEMS TO PLAY A ROLE. IT IS CHARACTERIZED BY NEUROPSYCHIATRIC DISTURBANCES, PERIPHERAL VASCULAR EFFECTS, DISTURBANCES OF SENSATION OF THE EXTREMITIES, STOMATITIS, & OTHER VAGUE, NONSPECIFIC SIGNS. /INORGANIC MERCURY/  [Doull, J., C.D.Klassen, and M.D. Amdur (eds.). Casarett and Doull's Toxicology. 3rd ed., New York: Macmillan Co., Inc., 1986. 426]**PEER REVIEWED**

CHRONIC POISONING WITH INORGANIC MERCURY CAUSES GINGIVITIS, STOMATITIS, & EXCESSIVE SALIVATION. MERCURIALENTIS (A COLORED REFLEX FROM THE LENS) IS ALSO OBSERVED BUT DOES NOT INDICATE INTOXICATION. ... ANOREXIA, WEIGHT LOSS, ANEMIA, AND MUSCULAR WEAKNESS ARE ALSO ASSOC WITH CHRONIC EXPOSURE ... /INORGANIC MERCURY CMPD/  [Gilman, A.G., L.S.Goodman, and A. Gilman. (eds.). Goodman and Gilman's The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics. 7th ed. New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc., 1985. 1611]**PEER REVIEWED**

... /A disease/ prevalent among hatters ... manifested all the characteristics of mercurial poisoning: Swelling & ulceration of gums, loosening of teeth, fetid breath, abnormal flow of saliva & shaking palsy of limbs. ... Outstanding findings in these reports incl irritability, timidity, apprehension & restlessness; Vasomotor disorders ... incr reflexes, gingivitis & slight abnormalities in speech. Psychic disturbances were detected. ... Incr of systolic blood pressure, albuminuria, & hematuria were also noted. /Mercury cmpd/  [Hamilton, A., and H. L. Hardy. Industrial Toxicology. 3rd ed. Acton, Mass.: Publishing Sciences Group, Inc., 1974. 132]**PEER REVIEWED**

Either acute or chronic exposure may produce permanent changes to affected organs and organ systems. Acute poisoning due to mercury vapors affects the lung primarily, in the form of acute interstitial pnuemonitis, bronchitis, and bronchiolitis. ... In general, chronic exposure produces four classical signs: gingivitis, sialorrhea, increased irritability, and muscular tremors. Rarely are all four seen in together in an individual case.  [Sittig, M. Handbook of Toxic And Hazardous Chemicals. Park Ridge, NJ: Noyes Data Corporation, 1981. 424]**PEER REVIEWED**

Total mercury level (TML) of scalp and pubic hair from 85 women working in the dental profession (45 dentists and 36 dental assistants) in the Lublin, Poland region was measured. A control group consisted of 34 women not occupationally exposed to mercury. TML values for scalp hair (0.042-59.546 mg/kg) and pubic hair (not detected to 18.166 mg/kg) were significantly greater (P= 0.00014 and 0.0001, respectively; Mann-Whitney U-test) in the exposed group than the control group. Significantly greater (35.3%, P= 0.040; Wilcoxon matched pairs signed-rank test) TML values were noted for scalp hair relative to pubic hair. The number of years of dental profession work was significantly associated with scalp hair TML (rs= 0.500, P= 0.00001) and pubic hair TML (rs= 0.311, P= 0.0036). Likewise, the number of mercury-containing amalgams used per week significantly affected mercury deposits in scalp hair (rs= 0.378, P= 0.0032) and pubic hair (rs= 0.239, P= 0.0292). Reproductive failure was recorded for 23.9% of the pregnancies in women in the dental profession group versus only 11.1% in women of the control group. The reproductive failures for women in the test group were significantly associated with scalp hair TMLs (P= 0.0038) and pubic hair TMLs (P= 0.00032). Prevalence of menstrual disorders in mercury-exposed women was significantly related to TML values of scalp hair (P= 0.0444) but not for pubic hair.  [Sikorski R et al; Int Arch Occup Environ Health 59 (6): 551-7 (1987)]**QC REVIEWED**

Human Toxicity Values:

Lethal Blood Level: The concn of inorganic mercury present in blood (serum or plasma) that has been reported to cause death in humans is: 0.04-2.2 mg%; 0.4-22 ug/ml. /Inorganic Mercury/  [Winek, C.L. Drug and Chemical Blood-Level Data 1985. Pittsburgh, PA: Allied Fischer Scientific, 1985.]**PEER REVIEWED**

Skin, Eye and Respiratory Irritations:

MANY MERCURY CMPD ... ARE IRRITATING TO SKIN & MAY PRODUCE DERMATITIS WITH OR WITHOUT VESICATION. CONTACT WITH EYES CAUSES ULCERATION OF CONJUNCTIVA & CORNEA. /MERCURY CMPD/
[Gosselin, R.E., R.P. Smith, H.C. Hodge. Clinical Toxicology of Commercial Products. 5th ed. Baltimore: Williams and Wilkins, 1984.,p. III-263]**PEER REVIEWED**

Medical Surveillance:

Routine medical surveillance: Periodic medical examinations, including analysis of blood and urine for amount of mercury present for all workers directly involved in production of mercurials, or otherwise exposed to contact with mercury compounds or mercury vapor. /Mercury compounds/
[Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology. 3rd ed., Volumes 1-26. New York, NY: John Wiley and Sons, 1978-1984.,p. 15(81) 167]**PEER REVIEWED**

A complete history and physical examination should be performed to detect
existing conditions that might place the exposed employee at increased risk and to establish a baseline for future health monitoring. This examination should detect any signs or symptoms of unacceptable mercury absorption such as weight loss, insomnia, tremors, personality changes, or other evidence of central nervous system involvement, as well as evidence of kidney damage. The skin should be examined for evidence of chronic disorders. Urinalysis should include at a minimum, specific gravity, albumin, glucose, and a microscopic examination of centrifuged sediment. Determination of mercury level in the urine may be helpful in assessing extent of absorption.  [NIOSH/OSHA; Occupational Health Guide for Chemical Hazards: Inorganic Mercury (1981) DHHS Pub. NIOSH 81-123]**PEER REVIEWED**

SINCE MERCURY CMPD IN GENERAL MAY CAUSE INJURY TO THE KIDNEYS IT IS DESIRABLE TO EXCLUDE FROM EMPLOYMENT PERSONS WHO HAVE HAD PREVIOUS KIDNEY DISEASE. ATTENTION TO DENTAL AND ORAL HYGIENE IS IMPORTANT ... /MERCURY CMPD/  [International Labour Office. Encyclopedia of Occupational Health and Safety. Volumes I and II. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Co., 1971. 865]**PEER REVIEWED**

Preemployment and periodic examinations should be concerned especially with the skin, respiratory tract, central nervous system and kidneys. The urine should be examined and urinary mercury levels determined periodically. Signs of weight loss, gingivitis, tremors, personality changes and insomnia should be suggestions of possible mercury intoxication. /Mercury cmpd/  [Sittig, M. Handbook of Toxic and Hazardous Chemicals and Carcinogens, 1985. 2nd ed. Park Ridge, NJ: Noyes Data Corporation, 1985. 571]**PEER REVIEWED**

Populations at Special Risk:

Children are more susceptible than adults to mercury poisoning.  [Britt DL, Hushon JM; Biological Effects, Criteria and Standards for Hazardous Pollutants Associated with Energy Technologies p.6-38 (1976)]**PEER REVIEWED**

Persons with a history of allergies or known sensitization to mercury, chronic respiratory disease, nervous system disorders, or kidney disorders are at increased risk from exposure.  [NIOSH/OSHA; Occupational Health Guide for Chemical Hazards: Inorganic Mercury p.1 (1981) DHHS Pub. NIOSH 81-123]**PEER REVIEWED**

Probable Routes of Human Exposure:

The dominant food source of mercury in the human diet is fish and fish products. ... In terms of total mercury (Hg), the diet greatly exceeds other media, including air and water, as a source of human exposure and absorption of Hg.  [USEPA; Mercury Health Effects Update p.2-4 (1984) EPA
600/8-84-019F]**PEER REVIEWED**

Accumulation of mercury in the terrestrial and aquatic food chains results in risks for man mainly through the consumption of: fish from contaminated waters; especially predator species, tuna fish, swordfish and other large oceanic fish even if caught a considerable distance off shore; other seafoods including muscles and crayfish; fish-eating birds and mammals; and eggs of fish eating birds.  [WHO; Environ Health Criteria: Mercury p.55 (1976)]**PEER REVIEWED**

ONE OF MAJOR SOURCES OF ... EXPOSURE IS IN CHLOR-ALKALI PLANTS ... /OTHER SOURCES ARE/ MINING & REFINING OF MERCURY ... FROM PROCESSING OF CINNABAR (HGS) ... MFR & USE OF LIQ HG-CONTAINING INSTRUMENTS ... AN OFTEN UNREALIZED SOURCE OF EXPOSURE THROUGH BREAKAGE, SPILLAGE, OR CARELESS HANDLING.  [Clayton, G. D. and F. E. Clayton (eds.). Patty's Industrial Hygiene and Toxicology: Volume 2A, 2B, 2C: Toxicology. 3rd ed. New York: John Wiley Sons, 1981-1982. 1770]**PEER REVIEWED**

... MOTHERS EXPOSED TO ELEMENTAL MERCURY THROUGH THEIR DENTAL WORK PLACE ... /SHOWED/ SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED MERCURY CONTENT IN THEIR BABIES' PLACENTA & MEMBRANES. ... EXPOSURE LIMITS FOR WOMEN OF CHILDBEARING AGE & LEVELS AT WHICH TOXICITY MIGHT BE EXPECTED /HAVE BEEN SUGGESTED/. FOR FETUS & NEWBORN, THE TOXIC LEVEL IS GIVEN AS 3 UG HG/G.  [Shepard, T.H. Catalog of Teratogenic Agents. 4th ed. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1983. 278]**PEER REVIEWED**

INHALATION OF VAPOR BY LABORATORY WORKERS IN CLOSED SPACE LED TO BRONCHIAL IRRITATION /& CHARACTERISTIC MERCURY POISONING SYMPTOMS/ ... CHRONIC MERCURIALISM IN FUR-CUTTING & FELT-HAT INDUSTRIES /IS REPORTED/. ALTHOUGH MERCURIC NITRATE WAS MATERIAL USED TO TREAT FUR FROM WHICH FELT WAS MADE, MERCURY WAS GRADUALLY RELEASED FROM FUR & FELT IN FORM OF METALLIC MERCURY VAPOR. ... THE WORKERS HAD MIXED EXPOSURE TO DUST OF MERCURY CMPD (ESP THE NITRATE) & TO VAPOR OF ELEMENT. ... POISONING WAS SIMILAR TO THAT OBSERVED ... /WITH/ METALLIC MERCURY ONLY.  [Hayes, Wayland J., Jr. Pesticides Studied in Man. Baltimore/London: Williams and Wilkins, 1982. 12]**PEER REVIEWED**

NIOSH, IN ITS CRITERIA DOCUMENT ... CONCLUDED THAT THE STD SHOULD BE AT LEAST AS LOW AS 0.05 MG/CU M ... /BECAUSE/ ERETHISM, RATHER THAN TREMOR, MAY BE THE MOST CHARACTERISTIC SYMPTOM OF CHRONIC MERCURIALISM /OCCURRING IN 33% OF WORKERS ABOVE 0.05 MG/CU M & IN 8% OF WORKERS BELOW THIS LEVEL/. ... /STUDIES OF WORKPLACES REVEAL/ THAT MUCH HIGHER EXPOSURES TO MERCURY VAPOR ... /OCCUR WHEN MEASURED/ BY PERSONAL SAMPLING DEVICES (0.016 TO 0.687 MG/CU M). THESE DIFFERENCES HAVE BEEN ATTRIBUTABLE TO MERCURY CONTAMINATION OF CLOTHING, WHICH MAY CAUSE SIGNIFICANT EXPOSURE AFTER WORK HOURS.  [American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists. Documentation of the Threshold Limit Values and Biological Exposure Indices. 5th ed. Cincinnati, OH:American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists, 1986. 358]**PEER REVIEWED**

Acute poisoning is major threat in home & on farm, but, because mercury is a cumulative poison, subacute & chronic intoxications are recognized, particularly in industry.  [Gosselin, R.E., R.P. Smith, H.C. Hodge. Clinical Toxicology of Commercial Products. 5th ed. Baltimore: Williams and Wilkins, 1984.,p. III-262]**PEER REVIEWED**

Body Burden:

The concn of mercury in whole blood is a reasonable measure of the body-burden of Hg and thus is used for monitoring purposes.  [Berglund F et al; Nord Hyg T Suppl 4: 108-9 (1971) as cited in Nat'l Research Council Canada; Effects of Mercury in the Canadian Environment p.153 (1979) NRCC No. 16739]**PEER REVIEWED**

Average Daily Intake:

The intake of total dietary mercury (Hg) has been measured ... over a number of years for various age groups. The average daily intake over the period 1973 to 1982 has been in the range of 2000 to 7000 ng Hg for adults and up to 1000 ng Hg for toddlers and infants. The most recent figures (fiscal year 1981-82) were 3000 ng Hg for adults, 1000 ng Hg for toddlers, and less than 1000 ng Hg for infants.  [Gartrell M; US Environmental Protection Agency Profile No ECAO-HA-83-3 as cited in USEPA; Mercury Health Effects Update p.3-20 (1984) EPA 600/8-84-019F]**PEER REVIEWED**

Assuming an ambient air level of 50 ng/cu m, the average daily intake of metallic mercury vapor would amount to 1 ug/day due to inhalation. ... The average daily intake of those sub-groups of the general population living in specially polluted areas is difficult to estimate with any accuracy. ... Daily intake from occupational exposure is almost impossible to estimate because of the wide variation in exposure conditions in industry.   [WHO; Environ Health Criteria: Mercury p.64 (1976)]**PEER REVIEWED**

Emergency Medical Treatment:

EMT Copyright Disclaimer: Portions of the POISINDEX(R) database are provided here for general reference. THE COMPLETE POISINDEX(R) DATABASE, AVAILABLE FROM MICROMEDEX, SHOULD BE CONSULTED FOR ASSISTANCE IN THE DIAGNOSIS OR TREATMENT OF SPECIFIC CASES. Copyright 1974-1998 Micromedex, Inc. Denver, Colorado. All Rights Reserved. Any duplication, replication or redistribution of all or part of the POISINDEX(R) database is a violation of Micromedex' copyrights and is strictly prohibited.

The following Overview, *** MERCURY, ELEMENTAL ***, is relevant for this HSDB record chemical.

Life Support:

This overview assumes that basic life support measures have been instituted.

Clinical Effects:

SUMMARY OF EXPOSURE

This document ONLY pertains to the effects of ELEMENTAL MERCURY.

ACUTE -

1. Elemental mercury vapor is well absorbed following inhalation. Absorption from the gastrointestinal tract and skin is limited. Ingestion of elemental mercury usually does not produce acute toxicity unless a GI fistula or other GI inflammatory disease is present, or the mercury is retained for a prolonged period in the GI tract. Elemental mercury droplets may be absorbed after eye contact.

2. Adverse effects chiefly result from vapor inhalation. The respiratory system is primarily affected. Pneumonitis, necrotizing bronchiolitis, pulmonary edema, and death can result. Central nervous system effects, renal damage, gingivitis, and stomatitis can develop.

3. Symptoms which may appear within a few hours of vapor exposure include weakness, chills, metallic taste, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, headache, visual disturbances, dyspnea, cough, and chest tightness.

CHRONIC -

1. Nervous system manifestations predominate with chronic exposure. Personality changes, hallucinations, delirium, insomnia, decreased appetite, irritability, erethism, headache, memory loss, altered sense of taste and smell, and digestive disturbances may occur. Bilateral fine tremors, ataxia, exaggerated reflexes,   paresthesias, excessive perspiration, and blushing may occur.

2. Chronic mercury exposure may also cause rashes, and corneal and lens changes with visual impairment. Children and some adults develop acrodynia, which is associated with severe leg cramps, irritability, and peeling erythematous skin on the fingers, hands, and feet. Allergic dermatitis may occur. Renal dysfunction has been reported in some persons exposed to mercury vapors.

3. Chronic mercury poisoning ("mercurialism") usually results from inhalation of elemental mercury vapors or particles. Evidence of chronic poisoning may occur within weeks of an extreme acute exposure or may develop insidiously over many years.

HEENT

STOMATITIS, swelling of the salivary glands and gingivitis may develop within a few days of acute exposure to mercury. Teeth may become loose due to gum inflammation.

RESPIRATORY

Mercury vapor or dust inhalation may produce respiratory tract irritation. Extreme exposures may result in pulmonary edema, bronchitis, necrotic bronchiolitis, pneumonitis, or ARDS. Fibrosis and restrictive pulmonary effects may result from severe, acute mercury vapor exposure.

Aspiration of elemental mercury may produce respiratory distress and pneumonitis. Intravenous mercury injection has caused pulmonary embolism and lung damage.

NEUROLOGIC

Confused mental status has been reported following acute exposure to mercury vapors.

1. Neurological effects are chiefly associated with chronic elemental mercury exposure. Effects include personality changes, tremors, headache, short term memory loss, decreased appetite, shyness, insomnia, emotional instability, paresthesias, sensory and motor nerve conduction delays, and weakness.

GASTROINTESTINAL

Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain and anorexia are common after acute elemental mercury inhalation.

HEPATIC

Hepatotoxicity following acute exposure to elemental mercury is rare.

GENITOURINARY

Mercury vapor exposure may result in proteinuria or nephrotic syndrome. Acute tubular necrosis and renal failure may develop. Dysuria and ejaculatory pain have been reported following acute exposure. Transient abnormalities in urinary electrolytes may occur.

HEMATOLOGIC

Rarely, thrombocytopenia, anemia and lymphopenia have occurred after exposure.

DERMATOLOGIC

Percutaneous absorption of elemental mercury or mercury vapors is limited. Rashes are common with mercury vapor  exposure.

Allergic dermatitis can result from handling elemental mercury; granulomas may form after injection.

PSYCHIATRIC

Psychiatric effects chiefly occur with chronic mercury exposure. Effects include increased shyness, insomnia, emotional instability, depression, anger, irritability, aggressiveness, nervousness, loss of self confidence and/or impatience.

Laboratory:

Obtain 24 hour urine collection for mercury, baseline BUN, creatinine, urinalysis, and electrolytes. o Obtain whole blood mercury level in patients with recent acute exposure.

Treatment Overview:

ORAL/PARENTERAL EXPOSURE

ELEMENTAL (METALLIC) MERCURY - is usually not absorbed, and usually does not produce acute toxicity unless a GI fistula or another inflammatory process is present or the mercury is retained for a long period in the GI tract. Decontamination is not necessary in normal adults or children after small ingestions (the amount found in a thermometer).

INHALATION EXPOSURE

DECONTAMINATION: Move patient to fresh air. Monitor for respiratory distress. If cough or difficulty in breathing develops, evaluate for respiratory tract irritation, bronchitis, or pneumonitis. Administer 100 percent humidified supplemental oxygen with assisted ventilation as required.

Chelation therapy should be instituted in patients with signs or symptoms of mercury poisoning and may be necessary in patients with prolonged or severe exposure or markedly elevated mercury levels even if clinical evidence of poisoning has not yet developed.

Chelating agents that have been used to treat mercury poisoning include:

1. SUCCIMER 10 mg/kg orally every 8 hrs. for 5 days, followed by 10 mg/kg every 12 hours for 14 days.

2. DMPS 5 mg/kg IV or IM every 6 to 8 hours for 2 days, then reduce to once or twice daily administration.

3. PENICILLAMINE Adults 1000 to 1500 mg per day divided every 8 to 12 hours. Children 25 to 100 mg/kg/day divided in 2 to 4 doses.

4. N-acetyl-penicillamine Adults 250 to 500 milligrams every 6 hours. Children 300 mg/kg/day divided in 4 doses.

5. BAL 3 to 5 mg/kg/dose every 4 hours by deep IM for 2 days; 2.5 to 3 mg/kg/dose IM every 6 hours for 2 days; then 2.5 to 3 mg/kg/dose IM every 12 hours for a week.

EYE EXPOSURE

Elemental mercury droplets may be absorbed after conjunctival contact. Irrigate with room-temperature  water for at least 15 minutes and consider ophthalmic examination if local effects persist.

DERMAL EXPOSURE

Allergic contact dermatitis may result from repeated or prolonged skin contact. Skin absorption of elemental mercury is limited.

Range of Toxicity:

Young children have developed poisoning after less than two weeks exposure to the concentration of mercury generated by a thermometer that broke and spilled on their bedroom carpet, and after spillage of 0.5 to 1 ounce. [Rumack BH: POISINDEX(R) Information System. Micromedex, Inc.,
Englewood, CO, 2001; CCIS Volume 107, edition exp February, 2001. Hall AH & Rumack BH (Eds):TOMES(R) Information System. Micromedex, Inc., Englewood, CO, 2001; CCIS Volume 107, edition exp February, 2001.] **PEER REVIEWED**

Animal Toxicity Studies:

Evidence for Carcinogenicity:

Evaluation: There is inadequate evidence in humans for the carcinogenicity of mercury and mercury compounds. Overall evaluation: Metallic mercury and inorganic mercury compounds are not classifiable as to their carcinogenicity to humans (Group 3).   [IARC. Monographs on the Evaluation of the Carcinogenic Risk of Chemicals to Man. Geneva: World Health Organization, International Agency for Research on Cancer,1972-PRESENT. (Multivolume work).,p. 58 324 (1993)]**QC REVIEWED**

CLASSIFICATION: D; not classifiable as to human carcinogenicity. BASIS FOR CLASSIFICATION: Based on inadequate human and animal data. Epidemiologic studies failed to show a correlation between exposure to elemental mercury vapor and carcinogenicity; the findings in these studies were confounded by possible or known concurrent exposures to other chemicals, including human carcinogens, as well as lifestyle factors (e.g., smoking). Findings from genotoxicity tests are severely limited and provide equivocal evidence that mercury adversely affects the number or structure of chromosomes in human somatic cells. HUMAN CARCINOGENICITY DATA: Inadequate. ANIMAL CARCINOGENICITY DATA: Inadequate.  [U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) on Mercury (Inorganic ) (7439-97-6)  from the National Library of Medicine's TOXNET System, May 3, 1995]**QC REVIEWED**

A4. A4= Not Classifiable as a Human Carcinogen. (1994) /Mercury, inorganic forms including metallic mercury, as Hg (Sin)  [American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists. Threshold Limit Values (TLVs) for Chemical Substances and Physical Agents and Biological Exposure Indices (BEIs) for 1995-1996. Cincinnati, OH: ACGIH, 1995. 25]**QC REVIEWED**

Non-Human Toxicity Excerpts:

SEVERE DAMAGE HAS BEEN PRODUCED TO KIDNEYS, LIVER, BRAIN, HEART, LUNG & COLON OF RABBITS EXPOSED FOR SINGLE 4-HR PERIOD TO MERCURY VAPOR AT AVG CONCN OF 28.8 MG/CU M, MILD DAMAGE TO MOST OF THESE ORGANS OCCURRED FROM SINGLE HOUR EXPOSURE. ... MERCURY VAPOR IN REPEATED DAILY EXPOSURES FOR ... 83 WEEKS ... /PRODUCED/ SEVERE DAMAGE TO KIDNEY, HEART, LUNG & BRAIN OF RABBITS AFTER 6 WEEKS AT 6 MG HG/CU M, BUT NO MICROSCOPIC INDICATION OF TISSUE DAMAGE OR OF ALTERED KIDNEY FUNCTION IN DOGS AFTER 83 WK OF EXPOSURE AT 0.1 MG HG/CU M. ALTHOUGH INTERMEDIATE LEVEL, 0.86 MG/CU M, PRODUCED SIGNIFICANT AMT OF BRAIN & KIDNEY INJURY AT 6 WK, THIS DISAPPEARED ON CESSATION OF EXPOSURE.  [Clayton, G. D. and F. E. Clayton (eds.). Patty's Industrial Hygiene and Toxicology: Volume 2A, 2B, 2C: Toxicology. 3rd ed. New York: John Wiley Sons, 1981-1982. 1775]**PEER REVIEWED**

DROPLET OF MERCURY METAL INJECTED INTO ANTERIOR CHAMBER OF RABBIT OR INTO CORNEAL STROMA CAUSES PURULENT REACTION AROUND DROPLET, FORMING ABSCESS IN ADJACENT CORNEA, LEADING ULTIMATELY TO EXPULSION OF FOREIGN MATERIAL. ... MERCURY METAL WAS INJECTED ... INTO VITREOUS HUMOR OF RABBITS, & PURULENT REACTION WITH SHRINKAGE OF VITREOUS, DETACHMENT OF RETINA, & SHRINKAGE & ATROPHY OF EYE WAS OBSERVED. ... /WHILE/ IN CONTACT WITH CONJUNCTIVA, METALLIC MERCURY PRODUCED NO CLINICAL SIGNS OF CONJUNCTIVITIS, HISTOLOGICALLY AN INFLAMMATORY REACTION HAS BEEN DEMONSTRABLE ... EXTERNAL CONTACT WITH MERCURY VAPOR HAS REPEATEDLY BEEN OBSERVED TO INDUCE CHARACTERISTIC DISCOLORATION OF CRYSTALLINE LENS (MERCURIALENTIS).  [Grant, W.M. Toxicology of the Eye. 3rd ed. Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas Publisher, 1986. 587]**PEER REVIEWED**

MERCURY VAPOR APPEARS TO BE EXTREMELY TOXIC TO SHEEP & CATTLE & IS PRESUMABLY ABSORBED BY RESPIRATORY TRACT & OTHER MUCOUS MEMBRANES. ... INHALATION OF MERCURY VAPOR CAUSES DYSPNEA & COUGHING, NASAL DISCHARGE,  FEVER, & LOSS OF APPETITE & CONDITION, WITH SOMETIMES BLEEDING OF ORAL MUCOSA, DERMATOSIS & NEPHRITIS.   [Clarke, M. L., D. G. Harvey and D. J. Humphreys. Veterinary Toxicology. 2nd ed. London: Bailliere Tindall, 1981. 61]**PEER REVIEWED**

Isolated spinach chloroplasts exhibited significant inhibition of the Hill reaction (electronic process of photosynthesis) when exposed to 0.05 umoles mercury/mg chlorophyll.   [Bradeen DA et al; Plant Physiol 52: 680-2 (1973) as cited in Nat'l Research Council Canada; Effects of Mercury in the Canadian Environment p.105 (1979) NRCC No. 16739]**PEER REVIEWED**

Threshold of effect opercular rhythm on Micropterus salmoides (largemouth bass) 10 ug/l/21 days.  [Morgan WSG; J Water Pollut Control Fed 51: 580 (1979) as cited in USEPA; Ambient Water Quality Criteria Doc: Mercury p.62 (1985) EPA 440/5-84-026]**PEER REVIEWED**

The uptake of mercury (Hg) and toxic effect of the metal on some biochemical parameters in the plant Pistia stratiotes were studied. The uptake of Hg by the plants gradually increased with incr in concn of Hg in the culture medium. Max accumulation of Hg was noted within a day. Max removal (approx 90%) of Hg was < 20 ppm Hg. Accumulation of Hg in roots was approx 4 times higher than that in shoots. At 20 ppm, Hg promoted senescence of the plants by decreasing chlorophyll, protein, RNA, dry wt, and the activities of catalase and protease as well as increasing free amino acid content, peroxidase activity, and the ratio of acid to alkaline pyrophosphatase activity over control values. At Hg concn < 20 ppm, these constituents were least affected.  [De AK et al; Water, Air, Soil Pollut 24 (4): 351-60 (1985)]**PEER REVIEWED**

Seed germination and early growth were unexpectedly resistant to mercury (Hg) vapor at air saturation levels (14 ug/l). Among 15 /species/ and cultivars (Allium cepa, Amaranthus, Beta vulgaris, Brassica oleracea, B pekinensis, Coleus blumei, Cucumis sativus, Cucurbita pepo, Hibiscus esculentum, Lactuca sativa, Mentha spicata, Pisum sativum, Raphenus sativus, Solanum esculentum) tested, inhibition of shoot or root growth > 50% was not seen, but occasional stimulation was noted. During extended (70-75 days) cultivation at Hg vapor saturation, inhibitory effects on growth increased with time and later effects on abscission and necrosis were more severe. Seven days exposure confirmed juvenile resistance at air saturation levels and mature plant sensitivity, expressed by massive abscission at 0.05 mug/l. Hg vapor accelerated senescence-related processes via elevated ethylene production. Elemental Hg, not ionic Hg, was probably the active toxicant. An ecophysiological role for Hg vapor in volcanically active regions was suggested.  [Siegel BZ et al; Water Air Soil Pollut 23 (1): 15-24 (1984)]**PEER REVIEWED**

Pregnant Hartley guinea pigs in late gestation were repeatedly exposed in a
chamber to 0 or 0.2-0.3 mg/cu m mercury vapor mixed with fresh air for 2 hr per day until parturition. The mothers and their offspring were killed and their tissues were analyzed for mercury content. Mercury concentrations in whole blood of offspring were lower than that of mothers. Mercury concentration ratios in neonatal brain, lung, heart, kidney, plasma, and erythrocytes were much lower than those of maternal organs and tissues, with the exception of neonatal liver, which showed a mercury concentration twice as high as that of maternal liver. In placental tissue, mercury levels were found to be higher than those in the blood of mothers and offspring. The results suggested that mercury vapor metabolism in fetuses was quite different from that in the mothers, and that mercury vapor was most likely oxidized and accumulated in the fetal liver as ionic mercury.   [Yoshida M et al; Arch Toxicol 58: 225-8 (1986)]**PEER REVIEWED**

DISCOLORATION OF CORNEA ... PRODUCED EXPTL IN ANIMALS BY REPEATED SYSTEMIC ADMIN OF MERCURY. ... IT CONSISTS OF GRAYISH RING IN CORNEA JUST ANTERIOR TO ENDOTHELIUM EXTENDING APPROX 2 MM FROM LIMBUS. /INORG MERCURY/  [Grant, W.M. Toxicology of the Eye. 3rd ed. Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas Publisher, 1986. 583]**PEER REVIEWED**

/IN ANIMALS/ MERCURY IS A POTENT NEPHROTOXIN & PRODUCES NEPHROSIS & EVENTUALLY UREMIA ... AT NECROPSY THE FIRM SHRUNKEN KIDNEYS ARE OBVIOUS. /MERCURY CMPD/   [Casarett, L.J., and J. Doull. Toxicology: The Basic Science of Poisons. New York: MacMillan Publishing Co., 1975. 717]**PEER REVIEWED**

Baseline data on Hg accumulation in organs and tissues, and their variations with age, sex, and habitat in Japanese serows (Capricornus crispus) were determined. The animals were killed during the winter 1981-82 in the Gifu and Nagano Prefectures, Japan. The Hg concentrations were measured by flame absorption spectrometry. On a wet wt basis, the mean Hg concentration in muscle, liver, kidney, and whole body of fetuses (gestation age 0.3-0.7 yr, N= 13) were 1.9, 2.3, 2.0, and 2.2 ng/g, respectively; in fawns (age 0.0-0.5 yr, N= 12), 1.4, 9.1, 44.6, and 24.3 ng/g, respectively; in yearlings (age 0.5-2.5 yr, N= 6), 2.5, 11.2, 97.2, and 35.3 ng/g, respectively; in adults (age 2.5 to 10 yr, N= 42), 2.1, 13.2, 94.5, and 36.3 ng/g, respectively; and in adults (age 10 to 17.5 yr, N= 17), 2.0, 11.0, 87.9, and 33.3 ng/g, respectively. The mean Hg concentration in fleece of fawns, yearlings, and adults (age 2.5 to 10 yr) was 372, 377, and 350 ng/g. Bone samples of two adult serows contained 5.3 to 17.1 ug/g. The Hg burden of fetuses was very low ( < 1%) compared with those of their mothers. Although the Hg accumulation in muscle, liver, and kidney varied during the developmental stage, the age-related accumulation was similar to that in the whole body. In fleece, however, the Hg concentration remained constant throughout life. Fleece contained about 40% of the body burden, indicating that Hg is excreted by molting. The Hg uptake agreed well with the concentration found in food plants. There was no significant difference in Hg concentration between collection locations.  [Honda K et al; Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 16: 551-61 (1987)]**QC REVIEWED**

The effects of autumn molt on levels and distribution of mercury (Hg) between feathers and body tissues in juvenile, second-year, and adult Bonaparte's gulls (Larus philadelphia) in the Quoddy region, New Brunswick, Canada, are reported. A total of 222 birds were collected over 7 years and collectively pooled into 15 ten-day periods spanning the molting season. During their stopover, second-year and adult birds undergo complete molt, including sequential molt of the primary feathers. The juveniles undergo only partial molt. The mean Hg concentrations for all feathers including the primary feathers were lowest for juveniles (1.98 +/- 0.07 ug/g dry wt) and highest for adults (4.1 +/- 2.2 ug/g dry wt). After completion of the molt, the new feathers contained 93% of the Hg body burden. All tissues (liver, kidney, muscle, and brain) showed a progressive decrease in Hg concentration during the period of molt (data presented in graph). Juvenile gulls contained higher tissue concentrations than second-year and adult birds before converging to a minimum asymptotic Hg level after molting. Second-year birds did not show any differences in tissue concentration over time. The percent distribution of total Hg (excluding feathers) in postmolt juveniles (N= 2), second-year (N= 2) and adult gulls (N= 12) was: In liver, 38.3 +/- 9.90, 32.3 +/- 4.67, and 36.4 +/- 6.57%, respectively; in kidneys, 6.2 +/- 0.14, 3.6 +/- 1.34, and 5.5 +/- 1.53%, respectively; in muscle, 6.1 +/- 2.26, 5.5 +/- 0.57, and 8.8 +/- 3.65%, respectively; in brain, 1.4 +/- 0.21, 0.7 +/- 0.07, and 0.9 +/- 0.25%, respectively; and in the carcass, 48.1 +/- 8.02, 58.0 +/- 6.59, and 48.4 +/- 8.19%, respectively.  [Braune BM, Gaskin DE; Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 16: 539-549 (1987)]**QC REVIEWED**

Ecotoxicity Values:

LC50 Catfish 0.35 mg/l/96 hr. /Conditions of bioassay not specified/  [Spehar RL et al; J Water Pollution Control Federation 53 (6): 1028-1076 (1981) as cited in Environment Canada; Tech Info for Problem Spills: Mercury (Draft) p.35 (1982)]**PEER REVIEWED**

LC50 Modiolus carvalhoi (mollusk) 0.5 ppm/48 hr; 0.19 ppm/96 hr /Conditions of bioassay not specified/  [Ekanth AE, Menon NR; Fish Technol 20 (2): 84-9 (1983)]**PEER REVIEWED**  LC50 Rana hexadactyla (tadpoles) 0.051 ppm/96 hr /Conditions of bioassay not specified/   [Khangurot BS et al; Acta Hydrochim Hydrobiol 13 (2): 259-63 (1985)]**PEER REVIEWED**

Metabolism/Pharmacokinetics:

Metabolism/Metabolites:

... ONE OF THE ... PATHWAYS, IF NOT THE ONLY PATHWAY, BY WHICH ELEMENTAL MERCURY (HG(0+)) IS ABSORBED ... /& CONVERTED IN VIVO/ IS BY ITS OXIDATION /IN ERYTHROCYTES/ TO HG(2+). ... STUDIES WITH ACATALASEMIC RED BLOOD CELLS (RBCS) /SHOW/ THAT CATALASE-HYDROGEN PEROXIDE SYSTEM PLAYS A DETERMINANT ROLE IN MERCURY UPTAKE THROUGH THIS CATALYTIC OXIDATION SYSTEM; HUMAN ACATALASEMIC RBCS HAD ONLY 1/100 TO 6/100 THE UPTAKE OF MERCURY VAPOR FOUND IN NORMAL RBCS WITH HYDROGEN PEROXIDE.  [Clayton, G. D. and F. E. Clayton (eds.). Patty's Industrial Hygiene and Toxicology: Volume 2A, 2B, 2C: Toxicology. 3rd ed. New York: John Wiley Sons, 1981-1982. 1784]**PEER REVIEWED**

EARLY STUDIES INDICATED THAT MICROORGANISMS COULD METHYLATE MERCURY & THAT DIMETHYL MERCURY FORMED. IN OTHER STUDIES, A METHANOGENIC BACTERIUM, METHANOBACTERIUM OMELIANSKII, AS WELL AS SOLN OF METHYLCOBALAMINE, WERE CAPABLE OF METHYLATING MERCURY.  [Menzie, C. M. Metabolism of Pesticides, An Update. U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish, Wild-life Service, Special Scientific Report - Wildlife No. 184, Washington, DC: U.S. GovernmentPrinting Office, l974. 240]**PEER REVIEWED**

Because sorption at the gill surface is a major pathway of mercury into an organism, increases in temperature and activity cause increases in metabolic rate and ventilation rate, and therefore, uptake rate.  [USEPA; Ambient Water Quality Criteria Doc: Mercury p.11 (1984) EPA 440/5-84-026]**PEER REVIEWED**

Pregnant Hartley guinea pigs in late gestation were repeatedly exposed in a
chamber to 0 or 0.2-0.3 mg/cu m mercury vapor mixed with fresh air for 2 hr per day until parturition. The mothers and their offspring were killed and their tissues were analyzed for mercury content. Mercury concentrations in whole blood of offspring was lower than that of mothers. Mercury concentration ratios in neonatal brain, lung, heart, kidney, plasma, and erythrocytes were much lower than those of maternal organs and tissues, with the exception of neonatal liver, which showed a mercury concentration twice as high as that of maternal liver. In  placental tissue, mercury levels were found to be higher than those in the blood of mothers and offspring. The results suggested that mercury vapor metabolism in fetuses was quite different from that in the mothers, and that mercury vapor was most likely oxidized and accumulated in the fetal liver as ionic mercury.   [Yoshida M et al; Arch Toxicol 58: 225-8 (1986)]**PEER REVIEWED**

Absorption, Distribution & Excretion:

... /SINCE/ VAPOR EXISTS IN MONOATOMIC STATE IT IS ... DISTRIBUTED PRIMARILY TO ALVEOLAR BED UPON INHALATION. ... THE MOST IMPORTANT ROUTE OF ABSORPTION IS RESPIRATORY TRACT. ... PERCENT DEPOSITION & RETENTION ARE QUITE HIGH ... /APPROX/ 80% IN MAN. ... IT IS VERY POORLY ABSORBED FROM GI TRACT, PROBABLY LESS THAN 0.01%. ... THE DEGREE OF SKIN ABSORPTION IN MAN IS NOT KNOWN WITH ANY PRECISION. ... TRANSFER OF LIPID-SOLUBLE HG(0+) (ELEMENTAL MERCURY) FROM BLOOD TO BRAIN IS SUFFICIENTLY RAPID TO RESULT IN TOXICOLOGICALLY SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENTIAL DISTRIBUTION TO THAT ORGAN. SUBSEQUENT OXIDATION OF HG(0+) IN BRAIN /TO HG(2+)/ SERVES TO TRAP IT THERE. A SIMILAR SELECTIVE DISTRIBUTION OCCURS IN FETUS. THE OXIDATIVE PROCESS IS ENZYME MEDIATED, WITH THE CATALASE COMPLEX BEING MOST LIKELY SITE OF OXIDATION. ... ADMIN OF ... /MERCURY/ STIMULATES SYNTHESIS OF METALLOTHIONEIN. ... IT MAY SERVE A PROTECTIVE ROLE FOR KIDNEY BY SEQUESTERING MERCURY.   [Doull, J., C.D.Klassen, and M.D. Amdur (eds.). Casarett and Doull's Toxicology. 3rd ed., New York: Macmillan Co., Inc., 1986. 606]**PEER REVIEWED**

... IONIC MERCURY IS TRANSPORTED IN PLASMA, WHILE ELEMENTAL MERCURY IS TRANSPORTED IN RED CELLS.  [Hayes, Wayland J., Jr. Pesticides Studied in Man. Baltimore/London: Williams and Wilkins, 1982. 12]**PEER REVIEWED**

DIFFUSION & ABSORPTION OF MERCURY INTO TISSUES FROM OUTER SURFACE OF EYE HAVE BEEN DEMONSTRATED. MERCURY METAL IN CONTACT WITH CONJUNCTIVA HAS BEEN SHOWN IN RABBITS TO BE ABSORBED & ULTIMATELY ... DETECTABLE IN URINE.  [Grant, W.M. Toxicology of the Eye. 3rd ed. Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas Publisher, 1986. 587]**PEER REVIEWED**

ELIMINATION ... AFTER EXPOSURE TO ... VAPOR OCCURS MAINLY BY EXCRETION OF MERCURIC MERCURY, /HG(2+)/. HOWEVER, EXHALATIONS OF SMALL QUANTITIES OF MERCURY VAPOR ... DEMONSTRATED IN ANIMALS. IT IS UNCLEAR WHETHER THIS MERCURY VAPOR IS RESULT OF REDUCTION OF MERCURIC MERCURY EXCRETED INTO AIRWAYS OR BY DIFFUSION OF VAPOR THROUGH ALVEOLAR MEMBRANE. ROUTES OF EXCRETION OF MERCURIC MERCURY ARE ... FECES & URINE, & BY SALIVARY, LACRIMAL & SWEAT GLANDS. ... RATE OF EXCRETION IS DOSE-DEPENDENT & CONSIDERABLE SPECIES DIFFERENCE HAS BEEN OBSERVED. ... LIMITED DATA FROM HUMAN STUDIES INDICATE THAT BULK OF MERCURY IS EXCRETED WITH BIOLOGICAL HALF-TIME OF ABOUT 60 DAYS. PART OF MERCURY ACCUMULATED IN BRAIN IS SLOWLY ELIMINATED WITH BIOLOGICAL HALF-TIME WHICH MAY EXCEED A YEAR.  [Friberg, L., Nordberg, G.F., Kessler, E. and Vouk, V.B. (eds). Handbook of the Toxicology of Metals. 2nd ed. Vols I, II.: Amsterdam: Elsevier Science Publishers B.V., 1986. 398]**PEER REVIEWED**

... FETAL MERCURY DETERMINATION IN AN ABORTED MONKEY WHOSE MOTHER HAD BEEN EXPOSED TO MERCURY VAPOR AT 0.5 MG/CU M FOR ABOUT 20 WEEKS REVEALED THAT MERCURY CROSSED THE PLACENTA & WAS PRESENT IN ... 9 TISSUES & ORGANS ANALYZED EXCEPT AMNIOTIC FLUID, INDICATING NO APPARENT ELIMINATION ... BY FETUS. ... /COMPARISON OF/ RELATIVE CONCN IN 9 TISSUES ... /OF MOTHER REVEALED THAT LIVER IS/ ONLY FETAL TISSUE THAT ... CONCENTRATE MERCURY OVER & ABOVE THAT FOUND IN MOTHER.  [Clayton, G. D. and F. E. Clayton (eds.). Patty's Industrial Hygiene and Toxicology: Volume 2A, 2B, 2C: Toxicology. 3rd ed. New York: John Wiley Sons, 1981-1982. 1780]**PEER REVIEWED**

The distribution of mercury within a fish is the result of the movement of mercury from the absorbing surfaces (gills, skin, and gastrointestinal tract), into the blood, then to the internal organs, and eventually either to the kidney or bile for recycling or elimination, or to muscle for long-term storage.  [USEPA; Ambient Water Quality Criteria Doc: Mercury p.10 (1984) EPA 440/5-84-026]**PEER REVIEWED**

Distribution of mercury appeared to be complete within 24 hr for most regions of the body except for the head, where peak radioactivity was not attained until two to three days later.  [USEPA; Mercury Health Effects Update p.4-2 (1984) EPA 600/8-84-019F]**PEER REVIEWED**

Therapeutic or Normal Blood Level: The concn of inorganic mercury in blood (serum or plasma) following therapeutically effective dosage in humans is: 0.018-0.062 mg%; 0.18-0.62 ug/ml.  [Winek, C.L. Drug and Chemical Blood-Level Data 1985. Pittsburgh, PA: Allied Fischer Scientific, 1985.]**PEER REVIEWED**

MERCURY MOVES READILY ACROSS THE PLACENTA AND INTO FETAL TISSUE. REGARDLESS OF THE CHEMICAL FORM ADMIN, FETAL TISSUES ATTAIN CONCN OF MERCURY AT LEAST EQUAL TO THOSE OF THE MOTHER.  [Doull, J., C.D.Klassen, and M.D. Amdur (eds.). Casarett and Doull's Toxicology. 3rd ed., New York: Macmillan Co., Inc., 1986. 606]**PEER REVIEWED**

SLOW ELIMINATION OF /MERCURY/ ... IS ... CHARACTERISTIC OF NUCLEUS DENTATUS. INORG MERCURY IS SELECTIVELY ACCUMULATED BY LYSOSOMAL SYSTEM. ... STEADILY ACCUMULATES IN KIDNEYS WHERE IT IS BOUND IN PART TO SULFHYDRYL GROUPS.  [Doull, J., C.D.Klassen, and M.D. Amdur (eds.). Casarett and Doull's Toxicology. 3rd ed., New York: Macmillan Co., Inc., 1986. 485]**PEER REVIEWED**

Inorganic mercury has a markedly nonuniform distribution after absorption. The highest concentration of mercury is found in the kidneys, where the metal is retained longer than in other tissues. Concn of inorganic mercury are similar in whole blood and plasma. Inorganic mercurials do not readily pass the blood-brain barrier or the placenta. The metal is excreted in the urine and feces. /Inorganic mercury cmpd/  [Gilman, A.G., L.S.Goodman, and A. Gilman. (eds.). Goodman and Gilman's The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics. 7th ed. New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc., 1985. 1612]**PEER REVIEWED**

IN VIEW OF ANIMAL DATA, OTHER ORGANS OR CELLS /BESIDES KIDNEY/ WHERE MERCURY IS LIKELY TO ACCUMULATE ARE LIVER, MUCOUS MEMBRANE OF INTESTINAL TRACT, & EPITHELIUM OF SKIN, SPLEEN, INTERSTITIAL CELLS OF TESTICLES, & SOME PARTS OF BRAIN. IN ANIMAL EXPT, PLACENTA & FETAL MEMBRANE ... ACCUMULATE & RETAIN MERCURY.  [Friberg, L., G.R. Nordberg, and V.B. Vouk. Handbook on the Toxicology of Metals. New York: Elsevier North Holland, 1979. 517]**PEER REVIEWED**

... MERCURIC MERCURY IS EXCRETED BY ... SWEAT GLANDS, LACRIMAL GLANDS, MAMMARY GLANDS, & SALIVARY GLANDS. MAJOR PART ... IS EXCRETED IN URINE & FECES. PARTITION BETWEEN THESE TWO ROUTES IS DOSE-DEPENDENT & DATA INDICATE A LARGER FRACTION EXCRETED BY URINE UPON ADMIN OF LARGER DOSES.  [Friberg, L., G.R. Nordberg, and V.B. Vouk. Handbook on the Toxicology of Metals. New York: Elsevier North Holland, 1979. 517]**PEER REVIEWED**

ABSORPTION FROM INTESTINAL TRACT IS GREATER WITH INORG THAN ORG FORM OF MERCURY. BY INHALATION OF INORG MERCURY ... CONCN RANGING FROM 2.91 TO 26.18 MG/CU M, AN AVG OF 24.16% OF THAT INHALED WAS ABSORBED.  [Browning, E. Toxicity of Industrial Metals. 2nd ed. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts, 1969. 227]**PEER REVIEWED**

Biological Half-Life:

The biological half-life of mercury in fish is approx 2 to 3 yr.  [USEPA; Ambient Water Quality Criteria Doc: Mercury p.10 (1984) EPA 440/5-84-026]**PEER REVIEWED**

The whole body half-time of mercury in man is approximately 50 to 70 days. A rapid component in blood has a half-time of about three days, and a slower component has a half-time of about 30 days. A rapid component in the brain has a half-time of about 21 days. There is evidence of a much slower component in brain with a half-time on the order of several years.  [USEPA; Mercury Health Effects Update p.2-4 (1984) EPA 600/8-84-019F]**PEER REVIEWED**

For pike, mercury (Hg) concn in muscle after 70-90 days were 1000-1500 times that in water. ... The half-life for elimination of Hg from contaminated pike placed in clean water was 65-70 days.  [Nat'l Research Council Canada; Effects of Mercury in the Canadian Environment p.89 (1979) NRCC No. 16739]**PEER REVIEWED**

Mechanism of Action:

MERCURY READILY FORMS COVALENT BONDS WITH SULFUR, & IT IS THIS PROPERTY THAT ACCOUNTS FOR MOST OF THE BIOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF THE METAL. WHEN SULFUR IS IN FORM OF SULFHYDRYL GROUPS, DIVALENT MERCURY REPLACES THE HYDROGEN ATOM TO FORM MERCAPTIDES ... MERCURIALS EVEN IN LOW CONCN ARE CAPABLE OF INACTIVATING SULFHYDRYL ENZYMES & ... INTERFERING WITH CELLULAR METABOLISM & FUNCTION. ... MERCURY ALSO COMBINES WITH OTHER LIGANDS OF PHYSIOLOGICAL IMPORTANCE, SUCH AS PHOSPHORYL, CARBOXYL, AMIDE & AMINE GROUPS.  [Gilman, A.G., L.S.Goodman, and A. Gilman. (eds.). Goodman and Gilman's The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics. 7th ed. New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc., 1985. 1611]**PEER REVIEWED**

UPTAKE OF MERCURY BY BRAIN AFTER IV INJECTION OF ELEMENTAL MERCURY WAS INVESTIGATED IN RAT, AFTER DEPLETION OF GLUTATHIONE OR INHIBITION OF GLUTATHIONE PEROXIDASE IN BRAIN TISSUE. WHEN GLUTATHIONE IN BRAIN WAS DEPLETED 76% BY INTRAVENTRICULAR INJECTION OF DIETHYLMALEATE, A 13% INCR IN MERCURY UPTAKE WAS OBSERVED. AFTER INTRAVENTRICULAR INJECTION OF IODOACETATE, ACTIVITY OF GLUTATHIONE PEROXIDASE IN BRAIN WAS INHIBITED 19% & CONTENT OF REDUCED GLUTATHIONE WAS DECR 20%. IN THESE ANIMALS MERCURY UPTAKE BY BRAIN INCR 66% RELATIVE TO CONTROLS.  [EIDE I, SYVERSEN TL; TOXICOL LETT 17 (3-4): 209 (1983)]**PEER REVIEWED**

Interactions:

IT HAS BEEN FOUND ... THAT ETHANOL DEPRESSES CONVERSION OF INHALED ELEMENTAL MERCURY INTO IONIC FORM IN BLOOD. IN ADDN, ETHANOL ENHANCES PULMONARY EXHALATION OF ABSORBED MERCURY, WITH RESULTANT EFFECT OF SUPPRESSING LUNG RETENTION OF MERCURY TOGETHER WITH LOWERING BLOOD MERCURY CONTENT.  [Clayton, G. D. and F. E. Clayton (eds.). Patty's Industrial Hygiene and Toxicology: Volume 2A, 2B, 2C: Toxicology. 3rd ed. New York: John Wiley Sons, 1981-1982. 1784]**PEER REVIEWED**

... Concn of NTA in surface waters had no interaction with barium, antimony, molybdenum, strontium, chromium, silver, tin, iron, lead, cadmium, copper, and mercury ... and not enough with nickel, zinc, manganese, cobalt, magnesium, and calcium ... to be of environmental concern.  [Nat'l Research Council Canada; NTA (Nitrilotriacetic Acid)-An Ecological Appraisal p.20 (1976) NRCC No. 15023]**PEER REVIEWED**

... Mercury binds to selenium (Se) & tellurium (Te) with mutually antagonistic effect on their toxicities. /Mercury ion/  [Clayton, G. D. and F. E. Clayton (eds.). Patty's Industrial Hygiene and Toxicology: Volume 2A, 2B, 2C: Toxicology. 3rd ed. New York: John Wiley Sons, 1981-1982. 1786]**PEER REVIEWED**

THE SUPPRESSIVE EFFECT OF ZINC ON THE TOXICITY OF MERCURY WAS STUDIED.  [YAMANE Y ET AL; CHEM PHARM BULL 24 (4): 836-7 (1976)]**PEER REVIEWED**

Pharmacology:

Therapeutic Uses:

MEDICATION (VET): Has been used as a laxative. /Former use/ Cathartic  [The Merck Index. 10th ed. Rahway, New Jersey: Merck Co., Inc., 1983. 843]**QC REVIEWED**

Antimicrobial agent /Former use/  [Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology. 3rd ed., Volumes 1-26. New York, NY: John Wiley and Sons, 1978-1984.,p. 13(81) 235]**PEER REVIEWED**

Interactions:

IT HAS BEEN FOUND ... THAT ETHANOL DEPRESSES CONVERSION OF INHALED ELEMENTAL MERCURY INTO IONIC FORM IN BLOOD. IN ADDN, ETHANOL ENHANCES PULMONARY EXHALATION OF ABSORBED MERCURY, WITH RESULTANT EFFECT OF SUPPRESSING LUNG RETENTION OF MERCURY TOGETHER WITH LOWERING BLOOD MERCURY CONTENT.  [Clayton, G. D. and F. E. Clayton (eds.). Patty's Industrial Hygiene and Toxicology: Volume 2A, 2B, 2C: Toxicology. 3rd ed. New York: John Wiley Sons, 1981-1982. 1784]**PEER REVIEWED**

... Concn of NTA in surface waters had no interaction with barium, antimony,molybdenum, strontium, chromium, silver, tin, iron, lead, cadmium, copper, andmercury ... and not enough with nickel, zinc, manganese, cobalt, magnesium, andcalcium ... to be of environmental concern. [Nat'l Research Council Canada; NTA (Nitrilotriacetic Acid)-AnEcological Appraisal p.20 (1976) NRCC No. 15023]**PEERREVIEWED**

... Mercury binds to selenium (Se) & tellurium (Te) with mutually antagonistic effect on their toxicities. /Mercury ion/  [Clayton, G. D. and F. E. Clayton (eds.). Patty's Industrial Hygiene and Toxicology: Volume 2A, 2B, 2C: Toxicology. 3rd ed. New York: John Wiley Sons, 1981-1982. 1786]**PEER REVIEWED**

THE SUPPRESSIVE EFFECT OF ZINC ON THE TOXICITY OF MERCURY WAS STUDIED.  [YAMANE Y ET AL; CHEM PHARM BULL 24 (4): 836-7 (1976)]**PEER REVIEWED**

Environmental Fate & Exposure:

Probable Routes of Human Exposure:

The dominant food source of mercury in the human diet is fish and fish products. ... In terms of total mercury (Hg), the diet greatly exceeds other media, including air and water, as a source of human exposure and absorption of Hg.  [USEPA; Mercury Health Effects Update p.2-4 (1984) EPA 600/8-84-019F]**PEER REVIEWED** 

Accumulation of mercury in the terrestrial and aquatic food chains results in risks for man mainly through the consumption of: fish from contaminated waters; especially predator species, tuna fish, swordfish and other large oceanic fish even if caught a considerable distance off shore; other seafoods including muscles and crayfish; fish-eating birds and mammals; and eggs of fish eating birds.  [WHO; Environ Health Criteria: Mercury p.55 (1976)]**PEER REVIEWED**

ONE OF MAJOR SOURCES OF ... EXPOSURE IS IN CHLOR-ALKALI PLANTS ... /OTHER SOURCES ARE/ MINING & REFINING OF MERCURY ... FROM PROCESSING OF CINNABAR (HGS) ... MFR & USE OF LIQ HG-CONTAINING INSTRUMENTS ... AN OFTEN UNREALIZED SOURCE OF EXPOSURE THROUGH BREAKAGE, SPILLAGE, OR CARELESS HANDLING.  [Clayton, G. D. and F. E. Clayton (eds.). Patty's Industrial Hygiene and Toxicology: Volume 2A, 2B, 2C: Toxicology. 3rd ed. New York: John Wiley Sons, 1981-1982. 1770]**PEER REVIEWED**

... MOTHERS EXPOSED TO ELEMENTAL MERCURY THROUGH THEIR DENTAL WORK PLACE ... /SHOWED/ SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED MERCURY CONTENT IN THEIR BABIES' PLACENTA & MEMBRANES. ... EXPOSURE LIMITS FOR WOMEN OF CHILDBEARING AGE & LEVELS AT WHICH TOXICITY MIGHT BE EXPECTED /HAVE BEEN SUGGESTED/. FOR FETUS & NEWBORN, THE TOXIC LEVEL IS GIVEN AS 3 UG HG/G.  [Shepard, T.H. Catalog of Teratogenic Agents. 4th ed. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1983. 278]**PEER REVIEWED**

INHALATION OF VAPOR BY LABORATORY WORKERS IN CLOSED SPACE LED TO BRONCHIAL IRRITATION /& CHARACTERISTIC MERCURY POISONING SYMPTOMS/ ... CHRONIC MERCURIALISM IN FUR-CUTTING & FELT-HAT INDUSTRIES /IS REPORTED/. ALTHOUGH MERCURIC NITRATE WAS MATERIAL USED TO TREAT FUR FROM WHICH FELT WAS MADE, MERCURY WAS GRADUALLY RELEASED FROM FUR & FELT IN FORM OF METALLIC MERCURY VAPOR. ... THE WORKERS HAD MIXED EXPOSURE TO DUST OF MERCURY CMPD (ESP THE NITRATE) & TO VAPOR OF ELEMENT. ... POISONING WAS SIMILAR TO THAT OBSERVED ... /WITH/ METALLIC MERCURY ONLY.  [Hayes, Wayland J., Jr. Pesticides Studied in Man. Baltimore/London: Williams and Wilkins, 1982. 12]**PEER REVIEWED**

NIOSH, IN ITS CRITERIA DOCUMENT ... CONCLUDED THAT THE STD SHOULD BE AT LEAST AS LOW AS 0.05 MG/CU M ... /BECAUSE/ ERETHISM, RATHER THAN TREMOR, MAY BE THE MOST CHARACTERISTIC SYMPTOM OF CHRONIC MERCURIALISM /OCCURRING IN 33% OF WORKERS ABOVE 0.05 MG/CU M & IN 8% OF WORKERS BELOW THIS LEVEL/. ... /STUDIES OF WORKPLACES REVEAL/ THAT MUCH HIGHER EXPOSURES TO MERCURY VAPOR ... /OCCUR WHEN MEASURED/ BY PERSONAL SAMPLING DEVICES (0.016 TO 0.687 MG/CU M). THESE DIFFERENCES HAVE BEEN ATTRIBUTABLE TO MERCURY CONTAMINATION OF CLOTHING, WHICH MAY CAUSE SIGNIFICANT EXPOSURE AFTER WORK HOURS.  [American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists. Documentation of the Threshold Limit Values and Biological Exposure Indices. 5th ed. Cincinnati, OH:American Conference   of Governmental Industrial Hygienists, 1986. 358]**PEER REVIEWED**

Acute poisoning is major threat in home & on farm, but, because mercury is a cumulative poison, subacute & chronic intoxications are recognized, particularly in industry.  [Gosselin, R.E., R.P. Smith, H.C. Hodge. Clinical Toxicology of Commercial Products. 5th ed. Baltimore: Williams and Wilkins, 1984.,p. III-262]**PEER REVIEWED**

Body Burden:

The concn of mercury in whole blood is a reasonable measure of the body-burden of Hg and thus is used for monitoring purposes.  [Berglund F et al; Nord Hyg T Suppl 4: 108-9 (1971) as cited in Nat'l Research Council Canada; Effects of Mercury in the Canadian Environment p.153 (1979) NRCC No. 16739]**PEER REVIEWED**

Average Daily Intake:

The intake of total dietary mercury (Hg) has been measured ... over a number of years for various age groups. The average daily intake over the period 1973 to 1982 has been in the range of 2000 to 7000 ng Hg for adults and up to 1000 ng Hg for toddlers and infants. The most recent figures (fiscal year 1981-82) were 3000 ng Hg for adults, 1000 ng Hg for toddlers, and less than 1000 ng Hg for infants.  [Gartrell M; US Environmental Protection Agency Profile No ECAO-HA-83-3 as cited in USEPA; Mercury Health Effects Update p.3-20 (1984) EPA 600/8-84-019F]**PEER REVIEWED**

Assuming an ambient air level of 50 ng/cu m, the average daily intake of metallic mercury vapor would amount to 1 ug/day due to inhalation. ... The average daily intake of those sub-groups of the general population living in specially polluted areas is difficult to estimate with any accuracy. ... Daily intake from occupational exposure is almost impossible to estimate because of the wide variation in exposure conditions in industry.   [WHO; Environ Health Criteria: Mercury p.64 (1976)]**PEER REVIEWED**

Natural Pollution Sources:

MERCURY ORE IS FOUND IN ROCKS OF ALL CLASSES. COMMON HOST ROCKS ARE LIMESTONE, CALCAREOUS SHALES, SANDSTONE, SERPENTINE (3MGO.2SIO2.2H2O), CHERT ANDESITE (SODA LIME FELDSPAR), BASALT, & RHYOLITE (ALKALINE FELDSPAR & QUARTZ). MERCURY IS RECOVERED ALMOST ENTIRELY FROM CINNABAR (ALPHA-HGS), 86.2% HG, ALTHOUGH ELEMENTAL MERCURY OCCURS IN SOME ORES.  [Clayton, G. D. and F. E. Clayton (eds.). Patty's Industrial Hygiene and Toxicology: Volume 2A, 2B, 2C: Toxicology. 3rd ed. New York: John Wiley Sons, 1981-1982. 1769]**PEER REVIEWED**

Joint FAO/WHO expert committee on Food Additives (1972) quotes the major source of mercury (Hg) as the natural degassing of the earth's crust ... in the range of 25,000-150,000 ton of Hg/yr.  [WHO; Environ Health Criteria: Mercury p.43 (1976)]**PEER REVIEWED**

The mercury (Hg) content of some common ore and gangue minerals as a result of its coexistence in a deposit with cinnabar, metacinnabar or other Hg minerals is as follows: Tetrahedrite (Cu12Sb4S13) 17.6-21%; Grey copper ores (Cu,As,SB)XSy 14%; Spalerite (ZnS) 1%; Wurtzite (ZnS) 0.03%; Stibnite (Sb2S3) 1.3%; Realgar (AsS) 2.2%; Pyrite (FeS2) 2%; Galena (PbS) 0.02%; Marcasite (FeS2) 0.07%; Native gold (Au) 60%; Native silver (Ag) 30%; Barite (BaSO4) 0.5%; Cerussite (PbCO3) 0.1%; Flourite (CaF2) 0.01%; Calcite (CaCO3) 0.03%; Aragonite (CaCO3) 3.7%; Siderite (FeCO3) 0.01%; Pyrolusite (MnO2) 2%; Hydrated iron oxides Fe2O3nH2O 0.2%; Graphite (Carbon) 0.01%; and Coal 2%.  [Jonasson IR, Boyle RW; Bull Can Inst Min Metal 65: 32-9 (1972) as cited in Nat'l Research Council Canada; Effects of Mercury in the Canadian Environment p.32 (1979) NRCC No. 16739]**PEER REVIEWED**

Fossil Fuels: Coal 10-8530 ppb; Coal in mercuriferous basins 20-300,000 ppb; Crude oils 20-2000 ppb; Petroleum crudes in mercuriferous belts 1900-21,000  ppb; Bitumens, solid hydrocarbons, asphalts, etc 2000-900,000 ppb.  [Jonasson IR, Boyle RW; Bull Can Inst Min Metal 65: 32-9 (1972) as cited in Nat'l Research Council Canada; Effects of Mercury in the Canadian Environment p.39 (1979) NRCC No. 16739]**PEER REVIEWED**

Mercury is released into the environment from volcanoes and hot springs.  [Miller DR, Buchanan JM; Atmos Trans of Mercury: Exposure Commitment and Uncertainty Calculations. MARC Report #14 p.1 (1979)]**PEER REVIEWED**

Artificial Pollution Sources:

Of greater significance currently in Canada is the mercury liberated from the working and smelting of ores of copper, gold, lead, silver and zinc which normally contain traces of mercury.  [Jonasson IR, Boyle RW; Bull Can Inst Min Metal 65: 32-9 (1972) as cited in Nat'l Research Council Canada; Effects of Mercury in the Canadian Environment p.62 (1979) NRCC No. 16739]**PEER REVIEWED**

... The average emissions of mercury stack losses for USA cinnabar (HgS) roasting operations was 2-3%.  [Stahl QR; Dept of Health, Education and Welfare p.30 (1969) as cited in Nat'l Research Council Canada; Effects of Mercury in the Canadian Environment p.62 (1979) NRCC No. 16739]**PEER REVIEWED**

... Maximum ground-level concn of Hg for 12 USA coal-fired power plants were 0.035-6.9 ug/cu m.  [Vaugh WP, Fuller SR; Illinois Institute for Environmental Quality Rep ILEQ 71-3 (1971) as cited in Nat'l Research Council Canada; Effects of Mercury in the Canadian Environment p.66 (1979) NRCC No. 16739]**PEER REVIEWED**

Mercury (Hg) loss est from Canada fuel consumption and other Canadian sources: In 1974, approximately 12 ton Hg were discharged to the environment as a result of coal combustion. Approximately 90% was discharged to air as vapor, 9% was adsorbed onto fine particulate (controllable by particle-collecting devices) and approximately 1% remained in the bottom or grate ash.  [Nat'l Research Council Canada; Effects of Mercury in the Canadian Environment p.66 (1979) NRCC No. 16739]**PEER REVIEWED**

In general, industrial and domestic products, such as thermometers, batteries, and electrical switches which account for a significant loss of mercury to the environment, ultimately become solid waste in major urban areas.  [British Dept of Environment; Pollution Paper No. 10 p.75 (1977) as cited in Nat'l Research Council Canada; Effects of Mercury in the Canadian Environment p.77 (1979) NRCC No. 16739]**PEER REVIEWED**

Anthropogenic sources of airborne mercury (Hg) may arise from the operation of metal smelters or cement manufacture. Water borne pollution may originate in sewage, metal refining operations, or most notably, from chloralkali plants.  [Nat'l Research Council Canada; Effects of Mercury in the Canadian Environment p.84 (1979) NRCC No. 16739]**PEER REVIEWED**

Twenty thousand tons of mercury are released into the environment each year by human activities such as combustion of fossil fuels and other industrial release.   [Friberg, L., Nordberg, G.F., Kessler, E. and Vouk, V.B. (eds). Handbook of the Toxicology of Metals. 2nd ed. Vols I, II.: Amsterdam: Elsevier Science Publishers B.V., 1986. 387]**PEER REVIEWED**

Concentrated local discharges associated with industrial activities and waste disposal. Diffuse discharges generally associated with combustion of fuels containing mercury impurities. Mercury is released in various chemical forms.  [Miller DR, Buchanan JM; MARC Report: Atmos Trans of Mercury: Exposure Commitment and Uncertainty Calculations #14 p.1 (1979)]**PEER REVIEWED**

... INADEQUATE & IMPROPER DISPOSAL OF INDUSTRIAL MERCURY WASTES INCR MERCURY LEVELS IN WATER & ATMOSPHERE. ... MICROORGANISMS CONVERT ELEMENTAL MERCURY INTO METHYL MERCURY SALT (CH3HGCL) & DIMETHYL MERCURY, WHICH ... ESCAPE INTO THE ATMOSPHERE. MOST OF THESE REACTIONS TAKE PLACE IN SEDIMENTS OF RIVER & OCEAN BEDS. ... MAJOR SOURCE OF MERCURY CONTAMINATION IS DISPOSAL OF INDUSTRIAL MERCURY WASTES INTO WATER WHERE THE WASTES SETTLE AS SEDIMENT, ONLY TO BE RECYCLED INTO THE WATER & AIR.  [Venugopal, B. and T.D. Luckey. Metal Toxicity in Mammals, 2. New York: Plenum Press, 1978. 87]**PEER REVIEWED**

Environmental Fate:

ENVIRONMENTAL ACCUMULATION: TWO CHARACTERISTICS, VOLATILITY & BIOTRANSFORMATION, MAKE HG SOMEWHAT UNIQUE AS ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICANT. ITS VOLATILITY ACCOUNTS FOR HIGH ATMOSPHERIC CONCN, 20 TO 200 UG/CU M NEAR AREAS CONTAINING HIGH SOIL LEVELS (10 PPM) AS COMPARED TO NORMAL ATMOSPHERIC CONCN OF 5 UG/CU M. ... GROUND WATER CONCN IN USA ... BELOW 1 PPB.   [Doull, J., C.D. Klaassen, and M. D. Amdur (eds.). Casarett and Doull's Toxicology. 2nd ed. New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., 1980. 422]**PEER REVIEWED**

IN YATSUSHIRO SEA & MINAMATA BAY, THE CROAKER (ARGYROSOMUS ARGENTATUS) WAS A GOOD INDICATOR OF HG POLLUTION. MERCURY MIGRATED FROM SEDIMENT TO THE CROAKER BY WAY OF SUSPENDED PARTICULATE MATTER & ZOOPLANKTON. CONVERSION FROM INORGANIC TO METHYLMERCURY OCCURS AT THE STAGE OF ZOOPLANKTON.  [NISHIMURA H, KUMAGAI M; WATER, AIR, SOIL POLLUT 20 (4): 401 (1983)]**PEER REVIEWED**

Aquatic Fate: In aquatic systems, mercury appears to bind to dissolved matter or fine particulates, while the transport of mercury bound to dust particles in the atmosphere or bed sediment particles in rivers and lakes is generally less substantial.  [Nat'l Research Council Canada; Effects of Mercury in the Canadian Environment p.78 (1979) NRCC No. 16739]**PEER REVIEWED**

Aquatic Fate: ... Mercury can be desorbed into the water column, transported by water (probably bound or chelated to some fine particles or dissolved substances), and redeposited on the bed sediment.  [Nat'l Research Council Canada; Effects of Mercury in the Canadian Environment p.81 (1979) NRCC No. 16739]**PEER REVIEWED**

Atmospheric Fate: 50% of volatile form is mercury (Hg) vapor with sizeable portion of remainder being Hg(II) and methylmercury, 25 to 50% of Hg in water is organic. Hg in the environment is deposited and revolatilized many times, with a residence time in the atmosphere of at least a few days. In the volatile phase it can be transported hundreds of kilometers. /Mercury Compounds/  [Miller DR, Buchanan JM; Atmospheric Transport of Mercury: Exposure Commitment and Uncertainty Calculations. MARC Report #14 p.3-6 (1979)]**PEER REVIEWED**

Aquatic Fate: The conversion, in aquatic environments, of inorganic mercury cmpd to methyl mercury implies that recycling of mercury from sediment to water to air and back could be a rapid process. /Mercury cmpd/  [Callahan, M.A., M.W. Slimak, N.W. Gabel, et al. Water-Related Environmental Fate of 129 Priority Pollutants. Volume I. EPA-440/4 79-029a. Washington, DC: U.S.Environmental Protection Agency, December 1979.,p. 14-11]**PEER REVIEWED**

Environmental Biodegradation:

METHYLMERCURY IS FORMED NATURALLY IN AQUATIC & TERRESTRIAL ENVIRONMENT FROM ELEMENTAL MERCURY. ... METHYLATION IS LIKELY TO OCCUR IN UPPER SEDIMENTARY LAYERS OF SEA OR LAKE BOTTOMS.  [Friberg, L., Nordberg, G.F., Kessler, E. and Vouk, V.B. (eds). Handbook of the Toxicology of Metals. 2nd ed. Vols I, II.: Amsterdam: Elsevier Science Publishers B.V., 1986. 393]**PEER REVIEWED**

Inorganic forms of mercury (Hg) can be converted to organic forms by microbial action in the biosphere. /Inorganic mercury/  [Schroeder WH; Envir Sci Tech 16 (7): 394A-400A (1982) as cited in Environment Canada; Tech Info for Problem Spills: Mercury (Draft) p.41 (1982)]**PEER REVIEWED**

... Certain bacteria, particularly of the genus Pseudomonas, can convert divalent mercury into metallic mercury.  [WHO; Environ Health Criteria: Mercury p.49 (1976)]**PEER REVIEWED**

Mercury resistant bacteria (eg, Escherichia coli), which are able to reduce mercuric metallic mercury Hg(0+) were examined for their ability to remove
wastewater aerobically. Growth studies in artificial medium indicated that mercury increases the lag phase, but does not affect the growth rate of these bacteria. Further studies demonstrated that growth was minimal during a phase of rapid Hg removal, after which growth resumed. Small but significant amounts of carbohydrates were required for the Hg(2+) reduction. Prolonged periods of bacterial growth under nonsterile conditions was accomplished without the loss of the mercuric reducing ability of the culture. A continuous culture of the resistant organism was maintained on raw sewage for 2 wk, during which time relatively high concn of Hg (70 mg/l) were removed from the sewage at a rate of 2.5 mg/l/hr and at efficiencies exceeding 98%.  [Hansen CL et al; Biotechnol Bioeng 26 (11): 1330-3 (1984)]**PEER REVIEWED**

Upon entering an aqueous system, virtually any mercurial cmpd may be microbially converted to methyl mercury. /Mercury cmpd/  [Callahan, M.A., M.W. Slimak, N.W. Gabel, et al. Water-Related Environmental Fate of 129 Priority Pollutants. Volume I. EPA-440/4 79-029a. Washington, DC: U.S.Environmental Protection Agency, December 1979.,p. 14-9]**PEER REVIEWED**

All forms of mercury (Hg) (metal, vapor, inorganic, or organic) are converted to methyl mercury. Inorganic forms are converted by microbial action in the atmosphere to methyl mercury. /Mercurial cmpd/  [Environment Canada; Tech Info for Problem Spills: Mercury (Draft) p.41 (1982)]**PEER REVIEWED**

The mechanism of mercury elimination from wastewater was studied. The mercury-resistant bacterial Pseudomonas K62 strain at concn of 6X10+8 cells/ml was incubated for 6 hr with 30 ppm mercuric nitrate. 0% added mercury was removed from culture medium in which Pseudomonas was not present; Whereas 47% of added mercury was removed in presence of Pseudomonas. Uptake of mercury was severely inhibited by sodium chloride, sodium sulfate, and mono- and dibasic potassium phosphate.  [Menzie, C.M. Metabolism of Pesticides, Update II. U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish Wildlife Service, Special Scientific Report - Wildlife No. 2l2.Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1978. 174]**PEER REVIEWED**

Environmental Bioconcentration:

Mercury bioaccumulates and concentrates in food chain ... concn may be as much as 10,000 times that of water.  [Environment Canada; Tech Info for Problem Spills: Mercury (Draft) p.42 (1982)]**PEER REVIEWED**

Bioconcentration factors of 63,000 for freshwater fish and 10,000 for salt water fish have been found.  [Sittig M Ed; Priority Toxic Pollutants, Health Impacts and Allowable Limits, p.266-271 (1980) as cited in Environment Canada; Tech Info for Problem Spills: Mercury (Draft) p.43 (1982)]**PEER REVIEWED**

As the tissue concn approaches steady-state, net accumulation rate is slowed either by a reduction in uptake rate, possibly due to inhibition of membrane transport, or by an increase in depuration rate, possibly because of a saturation of storage sites, or both.   [USEPA; Ambient Water Quality Criteria Doc: Mercury p.10 (1984) EPA 440/5-84-026]**PEER REVIEWED**

Bioconcentration Factors for Mercury: Marine Plants 1,000; Marine Invertebrates 100,000; Marine Fish 1,670; Freshwater Plants 1,000; Freshwater Invertebrates 100,000; Freshwater Fish 1,000.  [Callahan, M.A., M.W. Slimak, N.W. Gabel, et al. Water-Related Environmental Fate of 129 Priority Pollutants. Volume I. EPA-440/4 79-029a. Washington, DC: U.S.Environmental Protection Agency, December 1979.,p. 14-10]**PEER REVIEWED**

Specimens (195) of higher fungi and their substrata collected in the mercury mining area of Amiata and around Siena (central Italy), were analyzed for their total mercury (Hg) content. Wood decomposers and many species of mycorrhizal fungi accumulated the metal at a very low rate; some mycorrhizal species and all the humus decomposers may accumulate up to 100 ug/g/l dry weight of Hg and in the least contaminated sites, up to 63 times as much Hg as the substratum. In mineralized areas, the concn factor rarely exceeded 1. The methylmercury content of 35 /specimens/ (almost all edible), ranged between 0.01 and 3.7 mug/g/l dry weight.  [Bargagli R, Baldi F; Chemosphere 13 (9): 1059-72 (1984)]**PEER REVIEWED**

Fish can accumulate mercury (Hg) to very high levels because accumulation is rapid and elimination is slow. Predators achieve higher concn than do fish lower in the food chain. In Canadian freshwaters, the highest Hg levels are found in lake trout, pike and walleye. In the sea, high Hg concn are found in sharks, swordfish, tuna, and halibut.  [Nat'l Research Council Canada; Effects of Mercury in the Canadian Environment p.89 (1979) NRCC No. 16739]**PEER REVIEWED**

Acidification of a body of water might also increase mercury residues in fish even if no new input of mercury occurs, possibly because lower pH increases ventilation rate and membrane permeability, accelerates the rates of methylation and uptake, affects partitioning between sediment and water, or reduces growth or reproduction of fish.   [USEPA; Ambient Water Quality Criteria Doc: Mercury p.12 (1984) EPA 440/5-84-026]**PEER REVIEWED**

Accumulation of mercury in the terrestrial and aquatic food chains results in risks for man mainly through the consumption of: fish from contaminated waters; especially predator species, tuna fish, swordfish and other large oceanic fish even if caught a considerable distance off shore; other seafoods including muscles and crayfish; fish-eating birds and mammals; and eggs of fish eating birds.  [WHO; Environ Health Criteria: Mercury p.55 (1976)]**PEER REVIEWED**

Soil Adsorption/Mobility:

In general, the availability of soil mercury (Hg) to plants is low and there is a root barrier to translocation of Hg to plant tops.  [Steward JWB et al; Joint FAO/IAGA Meetings: Publ IAGA Vienna p.23-4 (1975) as cited in Nat'l Research Council Canada; Effects of Mercury in the Canadian Environment p.101 (1979) NRCC No. 16739]**PEER REVIEWED**

Volatilization from Water/Soil:

... In those systems where the residence time of the water is low (rivers and
streams), mercury (Hg) is in most cases removed quite quickly, perhaps by as much as 50% per yr: ie the half-life of the Hg would be of the order of 1 yr or more. The mechanisms largely responsible must be (i) ingestion or absorption and subsequent removal by biological materials and organisms, and (ii) transformation to a more volatile chemical form which can escape from the sediment and from the entire aquatic system.  [Nat'l Research Council Canada; Effects of Mercury in the Canadian Environment p.81 (1979) NRCC No. 16739]**PEER REVIEWED**

Much of the mercury deposited on land, appears to revaporize within a day or two, at least in areas substantially heated by sunlight.  [Nat'l Research Council Canada; Effects of Mercury in the Canadian Environment p.78 (1979) NRCC No. 16739]**PEER REVIEWED**

Volatilization of mercury from land and lakes was estimated to enhance the
atmosphere concn over continental land masses by a factor of 45.  [Miller DR, Buchanan JM; Atmospheic Transport of Mercury: Exposure Commitment and Uncertainty Calculations. MARC Report #14 p.67 (1979)]**PEER REVIEWED**

Environmental Water Concentrations:

The results of ... chemical analysis of water from the pump-out well, provided by SCM (Glidden Coatings and Resins Division), indicated the presence of mercury at < 0.001 ppm concn.  [USEPA; Subst Risk Notice, 8(e) p.51 (1982) EPA 560/2-83-001]**PEER REVIEWED**

Drinking Water (range): 5 to 100 ng Hg/l (est)  [USEPA; Mercury Health Effects Update p.3-19 (1984) EPA 600/8-84-019F]**PEER REVIEWED**

Surface Water: ... The purest surface water (drinking quality) contains less than 30 ng/l based on over 700 samples collected from drinking reservoirs in the Federal Republic of Germany. Rivers believed to have low contamination, such as the Danube, and bodies of water such as the Boden Sea, have values close to 150 ng/l based on the analysis of 152 samples.  [Bouquiaux J; Proceedings of the Intl Symposium on the Problems of Contamination of Man and His Environment by Mercury and Cadmium p.23 (1974) as cited in WHO; Environ Health Criteria: Mercury p.58 (1976)]**PEER REVIEWED**

Drinking Water: In the Federal Republic of Germany, the mercury concn measured was approx 600 ng/l in a sample of potable water.  [WHO; Environ Health Criteria: Mercury p.59 (1976)]**PEER REVIEWED**

Other Waters: In the Federal Republic of Germany, the mercury contamination was approx 400 ng/l in inland waters and between 100 and 1,800 ng/l in rivers.  [WHO; Environ Health Criteria: Mercury p.59 (1976)]**PEER REVIEWED**

The amount of mercury in the oceans has been calculated as 70 million ton using a figure for total ocean volume of 1.37X10+9 cu km and taking the avg Hg content of ocean water as 50 ng/l.  [WHO; Environ Health Criteria: Mercury p.47 (1976)]**PEER REVIEWED**

Natural Waters: Rainwater, snow 0.01-0.48 ppb; Normal stream, river, and lake waters 0.01-0.1 ppb; Coal mine waters (Donets Basin, USSR) 1-10 ppb; Stream and river waters near mercury deposits 0.5-100 ppb; Oceans and seas 0.005-5.0 ppb; Hot springs and certain mineral waters 0.01-2.5 ppb; Normal groundwaters 0.01-0.10 ppb; Groundwaters and mine waters near polymetallic sulfide deposits 1-1000 ppb; Oil field and other saline waters 0.1-230 ppb.  [Jonasson IR, Boyle RW; Bull Can Inst Min Metal 65: 32-9 (1972) as cited in Nat'l Research Council Canada; Effects of Mercury in the Canadian Environment p.40 (1979) NRCC No. 16739]**PEER REVIEWED**

Effluent Concentrations:

Mercury is concentrated in the sludges from sewage treatment by a factor of several hundred to several thousand over the levels initially present in the raw sewage.   [Nat'l Research Council Canada; Effects of Mercury in the Canadian Environment p.73 (1979) NRCC No. 16739]**PEER REVIEWED**

... A plant in northwestern Ontario is est to have discharged 9 tons of mercury into local waters, with effects traceable 200 miles downstream.  [Nat'l Research Council Canada; Effects of Mercury in the Canadian Environment p.84 (1979) NRCC No. 16739]**PEER REVIEWED**

Sediment/Soil Concentrations:

... Mercury is predominantly particle bound in contaminated water ways.  [WHO; Environ Health Criteria: Mercury p.59 (1976)]**PEER
REVIEWED**

Volcanic exhalations: Soil air over mercury deposits 0-2000 ng/cu m; Soil and Glacial Deposits: Normal soils 20-150 ppb; Normal tills, glacial clay, sand, etc  20-100 ppb; Soils, tills, etc near mercury deposits, sulfide deposits, etc up to 250 ppm; Soil horizons (normal)- A (humic) 60-200 ppb, B 30-140 ppb, C 25-150 ppb; Soil horizons (near mercury deposits)- A (humic) 200-1860 ppb, B 140-605 ppb, C 150-554 ppb.  [Jonasson IR, Boyle RW; Bull Can Inst Min Metal 65: 32-9 (1972) as cited in Nat'l Research Council Canada; Effects of Mercury in the Canadian Environment p.39 (1979) NRCC No. 16739]**PEER REVIEWED**

Approximate concn of all forms of mercury in the earth's crust is 80 ppb.  [Jonasson IR; Mercury in the Natural Environment: A Review of Recent Work: Geological Survey of Canada p.13-14 (1970)]**PEER REVIEWED**

Atmospheric Concentrations:

Atmospheric Concn (avg): 2-10 ng Hg/cu m (est)  [USEPA; Mercury Health Effects Update p.2-4 (1984) EPA 600/8-84-019F]**PEER REVIEWED**

The avg concn of mercury (Hg) in the general atmosphere in the USSR was 10 ng/cu m; 0-14 ng/cu m in non-industrialized regions of Japan; the lowest concn in Denver, USA was 2-5 ng/cu m; in San Francisco, USA, levels of 0.5-50 ng/cu m (depending greatly on the direction of the wind) were reported; airborne dust in New York City contained from 1 to 41 ng/cu m and outdoors concn ranged from 0 to 14 ng/cu m; and particle-bound Hg in air above Chicago ranged from 3 to 39 ng/cu m.   [WHO; Environ Health Criteria: Mercury p.57 (1976)]**PEER REVIEWED**

Volcanic exhalations: Atmosphere 2-10 ng/cu m; Air over mercury deposits
30-1600 ng/cu m.  [Jonasson IR, Boyle RW; Bull Can Inst Min Metal 65: 32-9 (1972) as cited in Nat'l Research Council Canada; Effects of Mercury in the Canadian Environment p.39 (1979) NRCC No. 16739]**PEER REVIEWED**

Mercury vapor concn in the stack gas of large coal-fired power generating stations in Ontario were found to range from 40 to 80 ug/cu m. ...  [Booth MR; Ont Hydro Res Q 23 (2): 1 (1971) as cited in Nat'l Research Council Canada; Effects of Mercury in the Canadian Environment p.66 (1979) NRCC No. 16739]**PEER REVIEWED**

Food Survey Values:

Levels in eggs (440 samples) taken from Denmark, the Federal Republic of Germany and the United Kingdom, ranged from 0 to 100 ug/kg with most of the values between 10 and 20 ug/kg. Levels in meat, meat products, and prepared meat products (318 samples from the United Kingdom) ranged from 0 to 50 ug/kg with most values lying between 10 and 20 ug/kg. Various kinds of cereal and flour (2,133 samples, taken from the Federal Republic of Germany and the United Kingdom) ranged from 0 to 20 ug/kg with most values being close to 3 ug/kg. Mercury levels in cereal products from the same countries (52 samples) ranged up to 50 ug/kg with most values close to 20 ug/kg. Vegetables and fruits (288 samples) from Belgium, the Federal Republic of Germany, and the United Kingdom had mercury levels up to 50 ug/kg with most values close to 7 ug/kg.  [Bouquiaux J; Proceedings of the Intl Symposium on the Problems of Contamination of Man and His Environment by Mercury and Cadmium p.23 (1974) as cited in WHO; Environ Health Criteria: Mercury p.59 (1976)]**PEER REVIEWED**

Tuna, 0.2 mg/kg (natural), 10.6 mg/kg (abnormal); eggs, 0.009 mg/kg (natural), 0.029 mg/kg (abnormal); cabbage, 0.09 mg/kg (natural), 0.57 mg/kg (abnormal). /Mercury Compounds/   [OECD; Mercury and the Environment p.135-141 (1974)]**PEER REVIEWED**

Tuna, 0.2 mg/kg (natural), 10.6 mg/kg (abnormal); eggs, 0.009 mg/kg (natural), 0.029 mg/kg (abnormal); cabbage, 0.09 mg/kg (natural), 0.57 mg/kg (abnormal). /Mercury Compounds/   [OECD; Mercury and the Environment p.135-141 (1974)]**PEER REVIEWED**

Plant Concentrations:

Living organisms: Marine plants 0.01-37 ppb fresh wt; terrestrial plants 0-40 ppb fresh wt; Terrestrial plants in vicinity of mercury deposits 200-30,000 ppb fresh wt.   [Jonasson IR, Boyle RW; Bull Can Inst Min Metal 65: 32-9  (1972) as cited in Nat'l Research Council Canada; Effects of Mercury in the Canadian Environment p.39 (1979) NRCC No. 16739]**PEER REVIEWED**

Mercury and its compounds occur naturally in trace amounts in plants growing in soils with low mercury concentrations ( < 500 ppb). /Mercury cmpd/  [OECD; Mercury and the Environment p.135-147 (1974)]**PEER REVIEWED**

Maximum levels for mercury are recommended at 0.5 ppm for plant tissue and 0.15 in soil. These recommendations reflect human effects rather than plant responses.  [Britt DL, Hushon JM; Biological Effects, Criteria and Standards for Hazardous Pollutants Associated with Energy Technologies p. 6-39 (1976) ERDA E (49-1)-3878]**PEER REVIEWED**

Fish/Seafood Concentrations:

Fish Concn (avg): 100-200 ng Hg/g fish (est)  [USEPA; Mercury Health Effects Update p.2-4 (1984) EPA 600/8-84-019F]**PEER REVIEWED**

Fish and shellfish /concn/ in the United States: Tuna (mainly canned) 0.24 ppm; Unclassified (mainly breaded, including fish sticks) 0.21 ppm; Shrimp 0.46 ppm; Flounder 0.10 ppm; Clams 0.05 ppm; Crabs/lobsters 0.25 ppm; Salmon 0.05 ppm; Oysters/scallops 0.04 ppm; Trout 0.42 ppm; Bass 0.21 ppm; Catfish 0.15 ppm; Sardines 0.06 ppm; Pike 0.61 ppm; Snapper 0.45 ppm; Whiting 0.05 ppm; All other classified 0.21 ppm.  [USEPA; Mercury Health Effects Update p.3-16 (1984) EPA 600/8-84-019F]**PEER REVIEWED**

Mercury content in muscle tissue of British Columbia fish: Crabs (Squamish) 1.55-13.4 ppm; Crabs (Fraser Rvier Flats) 0.19 ppm; Crabs (West Vancouver) 0.14 ppm; Crabs (Tofino) 0.02 ppm; Dolly Varden (Carpenter Lake) 0.41-1.94 ppm; Dogfish (English Bay) 1.08 ppm; Flounder (Squamish) 1.00-1.42 ppm; Flounder (Fraser River Flats) 0.23 ppm; Flounder (Hecate Strait) 0.11 ppm; Herring (Squamish) 0.14-0.30 ppm; Herring (Prince Rupert) 0.07 ppm; Lake trout (Pinchi Lake) 2.86 ppm; Rainbow trout (Tezzeron Lake) 0.04 ppm.  [Bligh EG, Armstrong FAJ; Int Council Explor Sea Rep No. CM 1971/E34 p.13 (1971) as cited in Nat'l Research Council Canada; Effects of Mercury in the Canadian Environment p.90 (1979) NRCC No. 16739]**PEER REVIEWED**

Concentrations in edible fish should not exceed 0.5 ppm. /Mercury Compounds/  [Britt DL, Hushon JM; Biological Effects, Criteria and Standards for Hazardous Pollutants Associated with Energy Technologies p. 6-38 (1976) ERDA E (49-1)-3878]**PEER REVIEWED**

Animal Concentrations:

Living organisms: Marine animals; molluscs, fish, seals, etc 0.1-200 ppb; Terrestrial (freshwater) animals; fish, crayfish, etc 0.1-200 ppb; Terrestrial (land) animals; man, birds, etc 1-100 ppb.  [Jonasson IR, Boyle RW; Bull Can Inst Min Metal 65: 32-9 (1972) as cited in Nat'l Research Council Canada; Effects of Mercury in the Canadian Environment p.39 (1979) NRCC No. 16739]**PEER REVIEWED**

Milk Concentrations:

Mercury levels in milk products (81 samples from the Federal Republic of Germany and the United Kingdom) ranged from 0 to 40 ug/kg with a medium value of 6 ug/kg.  [Bouquioux J; Proceedings of the Intl Symposium on the Problems of Contamination of Man and His Environment by Mercury and Cadmium p.23 (1974) as cited in WHO; Environ Health Criteria: Mercury p.59 (1976)]**PEER REVIEWED**

Other Environmental Concentrations:

Volcanic Condensates and Precipitates: Fumarolic condensates 0.3-6 ppb; Sulfuric and hydrochloric acids 0.2-72 ppb; Chloride, sulfate, flouride and sulfur precipitates 1-14,000 ppb; Hydrous iron oxide precipitates up to 0.1%; Opaline silica sinters, etc at hot spring orifices up to 0.2%.  [Jonasson IR, Boyle RW; Bull Can Inst Min Metal 65: 32-9 (1972) as cited in Nat'l Research Council Canada; Effects of Mercury in the Canadian Environment p.39 (1979) NRCC No. 16739]**PEER REVIEWED**

50 ppm of mercury in soil impairs growth of plants. Soils with more than 1,000 ppm must be considered toxic.  [Manual on Hazardous Substances in Special Wastes, Federal Environmental Agency Waste Management Division (1976) as cited in Environment Canada; Tech Info for Problem Spills: Mercury (Draft) p.43 (1982)]**PEER REVIEWED**

Environmental Standards & Regulations:

FIFRA Requirements:

All uses of mercury are cancelled except the following: 1) as a fungicide in the treatment of textiles and fabrics intended for continuous outdoor use; 2) as a fungicide to control brown mold on freshly sawn lumber; 3) as a fungicide treatment to control Dutch elm disease; 4) as an in-can preservative in water based paints and coatings; 5) as a fungicide in water-based paints and coatings used for exterior application; 6) as a fungicide to control "winter turf diseases" such as Sclerotinia boreales, and gray and pink snow mold subject to the following: a. the use of these products shall be prohibited within 25 feet of any water body where fish are taken for human consumption. b. these products can be applied only by or under the direct supervision of golf course superintendents. c. the products will be classified as restricted use pesticides when they are reregistered and classified in accordance with section 4(c) of FEPCA. /Mercury/   [Environmental Protection Agency/OPTS. Suspended, Cancelled and Restricted Pesticides. 3rd Revision. Washington, D.C.: Environmental Protection Agency, January 1985. 16]**PEER REVIEWED**

CERCLA Reportable Quantities:

Persons in charge of vessels or facilities are required to notify the National Response Center (NRC) immediately, when there is a release of this designated hazardous substance, in an amount equal to or greater than its reportable quantity of 1 lb or 0.454 kg. The toll free telephone number of the NRC is (800) 424-8802; In the Washington metropolitan area (202) 426-2675. The rule for determining when notification is required is stated in 40 CFR 302.6 (section IV. D.3.b).  [50 FR 13456 (4/4/85)]**PEER REVIEWED**

RCRA Requirements:

When mercury, as a commercial chemical product or manufacturing chemical intermediate or as an off-specification commercial chemical product or a manufacturing chemical intermediate, becomes a waste, it must be managed as a hazardous waste according to Federal and/or State regulations. Also defined as a hazardous waste is any container or inner liner used to hold this waste or any residue, contaminated soil, water, or other debris resulting from the cleanup of a spill into water or on dry land of this waste. Generators of small quantities of this waste may qualify for partial exlusion from hazardous waste regulations (40 CFR 261.5(e)).  [40 CFR 261.33 (7/1/87)]**PEER REVIEWED**

A solid waste containing mercury may become characterized as a hazardous waste when subjected to the Toxicant Extraction Procedure listed in 40 CFR 261.24, and if so characterized, must be managed as a hazardous waste.  [40 CFR 261.24 (7/1/87)]**PEER REVIEWED**

Atmospheric Standards:

Emissions to the atmosphere from mercury ore processing facilities and mercury cell chlor-alkali plants shall not exceed 2300 grams of mercury per 24-hour period.  [40 CFR 61.52(a) (7/1/87)]**PEER REVIEWED**

Emissions to the atmosphere from sludge incineration plants, sludge drying plants, or a combination of these sludge waste water treatment plant processes shall not exceed 3200 grams of mercury per 24-hour period.  [40 CFR 61.52(b) (7/1/87)]**PEER REVIEWED**

Listed as a hazardous air pollutant (HAP) generally known or suspected to cause serious health problems. The Clean Air Act, as amended in 1990, directs EPA to set standards requiring major sources to sharply reduce routine emissions of toxic pollutants. EPA is required to establish and phase in specific performance based standards for all air emission sources that emit one or more of the listed pollutants. Mercury is included on this list.  [Clean Air Act as amended in 1990, Sect. 112 (b) (1) Public Law 101-549 Nov. 15, 1990]**QC REVIEWED**

Federal Drinking Water Standards:

EPA 2 ug/l [USEPA/Office of Water; Federal-State Toxicology and Risk Analysis Committee (FSTRAC). Summary of State and Federal Drinking Water Standards and Guidelines (11/93)] **QC REVIEWED**

Federal Drinking Water Guidelines:

EPA 2 ug/l [USEPA/Office of Water; Federal-State Toxicology and Risk Analysis Committee (FSTRAC). Summary of State and Federal Drinking Water Standards and Guidelines (11/93)] **QC REVIEWED**

State Drinking Water Guidelines:

(AZ) ARIZONA 3 ug/l [USEPA/Office of Water; Federal-State Toxicology and Risk Analysis Committee (FSTRAC). Summary of State and Federal Drinking Water Standards and Guidelines (11/93)] **QC REVIEWED**

(ME) MAINE 2 ug/l [USEPA/Office of Water; Federal-State Toxicology and Risk Analysis Committee (FSTRAC). Summary of State and Federal Drinking Water Standards and Guidelines (11/93)] **QC REVIEWED**

FDA Requirements:

Bottled water shall, when a composite of analytical units of equal volume from a sample is examined by the methods described in paragraph (d)(1)(ii) of this section, meet the standards of chemical quality and shall not contain merury in excess of 0.002 mg/l.   [21 CFR 103.35 (4/1/88)]**PEER REVIEWED**

The color additive FD&C Blue Number 2 shall conform to the specifications in the CFR 74.102 and shall be free from impurities other than those named; including mercury (as Hg) in not more than 1 part per million, to the extent that such other impurities may be avoided by current good manufacturing practice.  [21 CFR 74.102 (4/1/88)]**PEER REVIEWED**

The color additive FD&C Green Number 3 shall conform to the specifications in the CFR 74.203 and shall be free from impurities other than those named; including mercury (as Hg) in not more than 1 part per million, to the extent that such other impurities may be avoided by current good manufacturing practice.  [21 CFR 74.203 (4/1/88)]**PEER REVIEWED**

The color additive FD&C Yellow Number 5 shall conform to the specifications in the CFR 74.705 and shall be free from impurities other than those named; including mercury (as Hg) in not more than 1 part per million, to the extent that such other impurities may be avoided by current good manufacturing practice.   [21 CFR 74.705 (4/1/88)]**PEER REVIEWED**

THE ACTION LEVEL OF 1.0 PPM TOTAL MERCURY IN FISH HAS BEEN REVISED ON SEPT 12, 1984 BY FDA TO APPLY ONLY TO METHYL MERCURY. /METHYL MERCURY/  [FOOD CHEMICAL NEWS (SEPT 17): 36-7 (1984)]**PEER REVIEWED**

Allowable Tolerances:

For mercury in fish, the permissible level in Canada is 0.5 mg/kg or less.  [Hugunin AG, Bradley RL; J Milk Food Technol 38: 285-300 (1975) as cited in Nat'l Research Council Canada; Effects of Mercury in the Canadian Environment p.137 (1979) NRCC No. 16739]**PEER REVIEWED**

Chemical/Physical Properties:

Molecular Formula:

Hg  **PEER REVIEWED**

Molecular Weight:

200.59  [The Merck Index. 10th ed. Rahway, New Jersey: Merck Co., Inc., 1983. 842]**PEER REVIEWED**

Color/Form:

SILVER-WHITE, HEAVY, MOBILE, LIQUID METAL; SOLID MERCURY IS TIN-WHITE  [The Merck Index. 10th ed. Rahway, New Jersey: Merck Co., Inc., 1983. 842]**PEER REVIEWED**

Metal: silver-white, heavy liquid.  [NIOSH. NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards. DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 94-116. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, June 1994. 192]**QC REVIEWED**

Odor:

Odorless  [U.S. Coast Guard, Department of Transportation. CHRIS - Hazardous Chemical Data. Volume II. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1984-5.]**PEER REVIEWED**

Odorless. [NIOSH. NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards. DHHS (NIOSH)  Publication No. 94-116. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, June 1994. 192]**QC REVIEWED**

Boiling Point:

356.72 DEG C  [The Merck Index. 10th ed. Rahway, New Jersey: Merck Co., Inc., 1983. 842]**PEER REVIEWED**

Melting Point:

-38.87 DEG C  [The Merck Index. 10th ed. Rahway, New Jersey: Merck Co., Inc., 1983. 842]**PEER REVIEWED**

Corrosivity:

The high mobility and tendency to dispersion exhibited by mercury, and the ease with which it forms alloys (amalga) with many laboratory and electrical contact metals, can cause severe corrosion problems in laboratories.  [Bretherick, L. Handbook of Reactive Chemical Hazards. 3rd ed. Boston, MA: Butterworths, 1985. 1218]**PEER REVIEWED**

Special precautions: Mercury can attack copper and copper alloy materials.
[Mackison, F. W., R. S. Stricoff, and L. J. Partridge, Jr. (eds.). NIOSH/OSHA - Occupational Health Guidelines for Chemical Hazards. DHHS(NIOSH) PublicationNo. 81-123 (3 VOLS). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, Jan. 1981. 2]**PEER REVIEWED**

Critical Temperature & Pressure:

1462 deg C and 1587 atm  [U.S. Coast Guard, Department of Transportation. CHRIS - Hazardous Chemical Data. Volume II. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1984-5.]**PEER REVIEWED**

Density/Specific Gravity:

13.534 AT 25 DEG C  [The Merck Index. 10th ed. Rahway, New Jersey: Merck Co., Inc., 1983. 842]**PEER REVIEWED**

Heat of Vaporization:

14.652 KCAL/MOLE AT 25 DEG C  [The Merck Index. 10th ed. Rahway, New Jersey: Merck Co., Inc., 1983. 842]**PEER REVIEWED**

Solubilities:

0.28 UMOLES/L OF WATER AT 25 DEG C  [The Merck Index. 10th ed. Rahway, New Jersey: Merck Co., Inc., 1983. 842]**PEER REVIEWED**

SOL IN NITRIC ACID; INSOL IN THE FOLLOWING: DILUTE HYDROCHLORIC ACID, HYDROGEN BROMIDE, HYDROGEN IODIDE, COLD SULFURIC ACID  [Weast, R.C. (ed.) Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 68th ed. Boca Raton, Florida: CRC Press Inc., 1987-1988.,p. B-106]**PEER REVIEWED**

DISSOLVES TO SOME EXTENT IN LIPIDS  [American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists. Documentation of the Threshold Limit Values and Biological Exposure Indices. 5th ed. Cincinnati, OH:American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists, 1986. 358]**PEER REVIEWED**

2.7 MG/L IN PENTANE  [Doull, J., C.D. Klaassen, and M. D. Amdur (eds.). Casarett and Doull's Toxicology. 2nd ed. New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., 1980. 422]**PEER REVIEWED**

0.002% g/100 g in water at 20 deg C  [NIOSH. Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards. 5th Printing/Revision. DHHS (NIOSH) Publ. No. 85-114. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services,NIOSH/Supt. of Documents, GPO, Sept. 1985. 152]**PEER REVIEWED**

Surface Tension:

484 DYNES/CM AT 25 DEG C  [The Merck Index. 10th ed. Rahway, New Jersey: Merck Co., Inc., 1983. 842]**PEER REVIEWED**

Vapor Pressure:

2X10-3 MM HG AT 25 DEG C  [The Merck Index. 10th ed. Rahway, New Jersey: Merck Co., Inc., 1983. 842]**PEER REVIEWED**

Viscosity:

1.55 mPa.sec (15.5 millipoise) at 20 deg C  [Considine DM Ed; Chemical and Processing Technology Encyclopedia (1974) as cited in Environment Canada; Tech Info for Problem Spills: Mercury (Draft) p.3 (1982)]**PEER REVIEWED**

Other Chemical/Physical Properties:

DUCTILE MALLEABLE MASS WHICH MAY BE CUT WITH A KNIFE; ATOMIC NUMBER 80; VALENCES 1 & 2; GROUP 2B ELEMENT OF PERIODIC TABLE; NATURAL ISOTOPES 202 (29.80%), 200 (23.13%), 199 (16.84%), 201 (13.22%), 198 (10.02%), 204 (6.85%) & 196 (0.146%); ELECTRICAL RESISTIVITY 95.76 MICROOHM CM AT 20 DEG C; FORMS ALLOYS WITH MOST METALS EXCEPT IRON & COMBINES WITH SULFUR AT ORDINARY TEMP; REACTS WITH HNO3, HOT CONCN H2SO4, & AMMONIA SOLUTIONS TO FORM HG2NOH (MILLON'S BASE); STD ELECTRODE REDUCTION POTENTIAL: EO (AQ) HG/HG2+ EQUALS -0.854 VOLTS; EO (AQ) 2 HG/2HG2+ EQUALS -0.789 VOLTS  [The Merck Index. 10th ed. Rahway, New Jersey: Merck Co., Inc., 1983. 842]**PEER REVIEWED**

HEAT CAPACITY (CP): 6.687 CAL/MOLE AT 25 DEG C  [The Merck Index. 10th ed. Rahway, New Jersey: Merck Co., Inc., 1983. 842]**PEER REVIEWED**

FORMS CMPD WITH ORG RADICALS, NORMALLY LINKING  COVALENTLY TO CARBON ATOM   [National Research Council. Drinking Water & Health Volume 1. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 1977. 273]**PEER REVIEWED**

SATURATED ATMOSPHERE AT 24 DEG C CONTAINS APPROX 18 MG/CU M; THE VAPOR EXISTS IN A MONOATOMIC STATE  [Doull, J., C.D. Klaassen, and M. D. Amdur (eds.). Casarett and Doull's Toxicology. 2nd ed. New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., 1980. 422]**PEER REVIEWED**

Blue-gray mass /Mercury mass/  [The Merck Index. 10th ed. Rahway, New Jersey: Merck Co., Inc., 1983. 843]**PEER REVIEWED**

Reacts with HNO3 and hot, concentrated H2SO4, does not react with dil hydrochloric acid, cold H2SO4, or alkalies. Reacts with ammonia solutions in air to form Hg2NOH, Millon's base.  [The Merck Index. 10th ed. Rahway, New Jersey: Merck Co., Inc., 1983. 842]**PEER REVIEWED**

Chemical Safety & Handling:

DOT Emergency Guidelines:

Health: Inhalation of vapors or contact with substance will result in contamination and potential harmful effects. Fire will produce irritating, corrosive and/or toxic gases. /Mercury; Mercury, metallic/  [U.S. Department of Transportation. 1996 North American Emergency Response Guidebook. A Guidebook for First Responders During the Initial Phase of aHazardous Materials/Dangerous Goods Incident. U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) Research and Special Programs Administration, Office of HazardousMaterials Initiatives and Training (DHM-50), Washington, D.C. (1996).,p. G-172]**QC REVIEWED**

Fire or explosion: Non-combustible, substance itself does not burn but may react upon heating to produce corrosive and/or toxic fumes. Runoff may pollute waterways. /Mercury; Mercury, metallic/  [U.S. Department of Transportation. 1996 North American Emergency Response Guidebook. A Guidebook for First Responders During the Initial Phase of aHazardous Materials/Dangerous Goods Incident. U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) Research and Special Programs Administration, Office of HazardousMaterials Initiatives and Training (DHM-50), Washington, D.C. (1996).,p. G-172]**QC REVIEWED**

Public safety: CALL Emergency Response Telephone Number on Shipping Paper first. If Shipping Paper not available or no answer, refer to appropriate telephone number listed on the inside back cover. Isolate spill or leak area immediately for at least 10 to 25 meters (30 to 80 feet) in all directions. Stay upwind. Keep unauthorized personnel away. /Mercury; Mercury, metallic/  [U.S. Department of Transportation. 1996 North American Emergency Response Guidebook. A Guidebook for First Responders During the Initial Phase of aHazardous Materials/Dangerous Goods Incident. U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) Research and Special Programs Administration, Office of HazardousMaterials Initiatives and Training (DHM-50), Washington, D.C. (1996).,p. G-172]**QC REVIEWED**

Protective clothing: Wear positive pressure self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA). Structural firefighters' protective clothing will only provide limited protection. /Mercury; Mercury, metallic/  [U.S. Department of Transportation. 1996 North American Emergency Response Guidebook. A Guidebook for First Responders During the Initial Phase of aHazardous Materials/Dangerous Goods Incident. U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) Research and Special Programs Administration, Office of HazardousMaterials Initiatives and Training (DHM-50), Washington, D.C. (1996).,p. G-172]**QC REVIEWED**

Evacuation: Large spill: Consider initial downwind evacuation for at least 100 meters (330 feet). Fire: When any large container is involved in a fire, consider initial evacuation for 500 meters (1/3 mile) in all directions. /Mercury; Mercury, metallic/  [U.S. Department of Transportation. 1996 North American Emergency Response Guidebook. A Guidebook for First Responders During the Initial Phase of aHazardous Materials/Dangerous Goods Incident. U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) Research and Special Programs Administration, Office of HazardousMaterials Initiatives and Training (DHM-50), Washington, D.C. (1996).,p. G-172]**QC REVIEWED**

Fire: Use extinguishing agent suitable for type of surrounding fire. Do not direct water at the heated metal. /Mercury; Mercury, metallic/  [U.S. Department of Transportation. 1996 North American Emergency Response Guidebook. A Guidebook for First Responders During the Initial Phase of aHazardous Materials/Dangerous Goods Incident. U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) Research and Special Programs Administration, Office of HazardousMaterials Initiatives and Training (DHM-50), Washington, D.C. (1996).,p. G-172]**QC REVIEWED**

Spill or leak: Do not touch or walk through spilled material. Do not touch damaged containers or spilled material unless wearing appropriate protective clothing. Stop leak if you can do it without risk. Prevent entry into waterways, sewers, basements or confined areas. Do not use steel or aluminum tools or equipment. Cover with earth, sand, or other non-combustible material followed with plastic sheet to minimize spreading or contact with rain. For mercury, use a mercury spill kit. Mercury spill areas may be subsequently treated with calcium sulfide/calcium sulfide or with sodium thiosulfate/sodium thiosulfate wash to neutralize any residual mercury. /Mercury; Mercury, metallic/  [U.S. Department of Transportation. 1996 North American Emergency Response Guidebook. A Guidebook for First Responders During the Initial Phase of aHazardous Materials/Dangerous Goods Incident. U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) Research and Special Programs Administration, Office of HazardousMaterials Initiatives and Training (DHM-50), Washington, D.C. (1996).,p. G-172]**QC REVIEWED**

First aid: Move victim to fresh air. Call emergency medical care. Apply artificial respiration if victim is not breathing. Administer oxygen if breathing is difficult. Remove and isolate contaminated clothing and shoes. In case of contact with substance, immediately flush skin or eyes with running water for at least 20 minutes. Keep victim warm and quiet. Ensure that medical personnel are aware of the material(s) involved, and take precautions to protect themselves. /Mercury; Mercury, metallic/  [U.S. Department of Transportation. 1996 North American Emergency Response Guidebook. A Guidebook for First Responders During the Initial Phase of aHazardous Materials/Dangerous Goods Incident. U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) Research and Special Programs Administration, Office of HazardousMaterials Initiatives and Training (DHM-50), Washington, D.C. (1996).,p. G-172]**QC REVIEWED**

Skin, Eye and Respiratory Irritations:

MANY MERCURY CMPD ... ARE IRRITATING TO SKIN & MAY PRODUCE DERMATITIS WITH OR WITHOUT VESICATION. CONTACT WITH EYES CAUSES ULCERATION OF CONJUNCTIVA & CORNEA. /MERCURY CMPD/  [Gosselin, R.E., R.P. Smith, H.C. Hodge. Clinical Toxicology of Commercial Products. 5th ed. Baltimore: Williams and Wilkins, 1984.,p. III-263]**PEER REVIEWED**

Toxic Combustion Products:

DANGEROUS WHEN HEATED, IT EMITS HIGHLY TOXIC FUMES.  [Sax, N.I. Dangerous Properties of Industrial Materials. 4th ed. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1975. 900]**PEER REVIEWED**

Hazardous Reactivities & Incompatibilities:

Mercury in the presence of calcium: Amalgam formation at 390 deg C produces a violent reaction.  [Bretherick, L. Handbook of Reactive Chemical Hazards. 3rd ed. Boston, MA: Butterworths, 1985. 871]**PEER REVIEWED**

Acetylene, ammonia, chlorine dioxide, azides, calcium (amalgam formation), sodium carbide, lithium, rubidium, copper.  [NIOSH. NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards. DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 97-140. Washington, D.C. U.S. Government Printing Office, 1997. 192]**QC REVIEWED**

Ground mixtures of sodium carbide and mercury, aluminum, lead, or iron can react vigorously.  [National Fire Protection Association. Fire Protection Guide on Hazardous Materials. 9th ed. Boston, MA: National Fire Protection Association, 1986.,p. 491M-128]**PEER REVIEWED**

A violent exothermic reaction or possible explosion occurs when mercury comes in contact with lithium and rubidium.  [Bretherick, L. Handbook of Reactive Chemical Hazards. 3rd ed. Boston, MA: Butterworths, 1985. 1388]**PEER REVIEWED**

CHLORINE DIOXIDE & LIQUID HG, WHEN MIXED, EXPLODE VIOLENTLY.  [National Fire Protection Association. Fire Protection Guide on Hazardous Materials. 9th ed. Boston, MA: National Fire Protection Association, 1986.,p. 491M-128]**PEER REVIEWED**

Mercury undergoes hazardous reactions in the presence of heat and sparks or ignition.   [ITII. Toxic and Hazarous Industrial Chemicals Safety Manual. Tokyo, Japan: The International Technical Information Institute, 1982. 314]**PEER REVIEWED**

HG & AMMONIA CAN PRODUCE EXPLOSIVE CMPD. ... METHYL AZIDE IN PRESENCE OF HG WAS SHOWN TO BE POTENTIALLY EXPLOSIVE.  [National Fire Protection Association. Fire Protection Guide on Hazardous Materials. 9th ed. Boston, MA: National Fire Protection Association, 1986.,p. 491M-128]**PEER REVIEWED**

Incompatible with boron diiodophosphide; ethylene oxide; metals; methyl azide; methylsilane, oxygen; oxidants; tetracarbonylnickel, oxygen.  [Sax, N.I. Dangerous Properties of Industrial Materials. 6th ed. New York, NY: Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1984. 1750]**PEER REVIEWED**

A mercury manometer used with ammonia became blocked by deposition of a grey-brown solid, which exploded during attempts to remove it mechanically or on heating. The solid appeared to be a dehydration product of Millon's base and was freely soluble in sodium thiosulfate solution. This method of cleaning is probably safer than others, but the use of mercury manometers with ammonia should be avoided as intrinsically unsafe. Although pure dry ammonia and mercury do not react even under pressure at 340 kbar and 200 deg C, the presence of traces of water leads to the formation of an explosive compound, which may explode during depressurization of the system. Explosions in mercury-ammonia systems had been reported previously.  [Bretherick, L. Handbook of Reactive Chemical Hazards. 3rd ed. Boston, MA: Butterworths, 1985. 1217]**PEER REVIEWED**

Prior History of Accidents:

Several bottles, containing mercury, broke and spilled their contents as a delivery truck carrying the chemicals entered the loading dock of a university. Mercury was spilled all over the flatbed (wooden) of the truck and some of it seeped through cracks and fell onto the concrete. As the mercury fell onto the concrete thousands of mercury beads were formed. Approximately 10 kg of mercury was spilled. Cleanup crews arrived at the site and immediately barricaded the area to prevent public access. The delivery truck was moved to a leveled area to reduce spillage and was later moved to a waste management facility for decontamination. The crews wore protective clothing and self-contained breathing apparatus as personal protection. Since the cleanup of mercury from the concrete was requiring more time than what was expected. The self-contained breathing apparatus /equipment/ were depleting rapidly and a central air supply (with appropriate hoses and suits) was used to continuously supply clean air to the  cleanup personnel. The beads of mercury on the concrete were picked up using mercury spill kits and a mercury vacuum cleaner. The cleanup took approximately 15 hr to complete. No environmental effects of damage occurred from the spill.  [Environment Canada; Tech Info for Problem Spills: Mercury (Draft) p.63 (1982)]**PEER REVIEWED**

Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health:

10 mg/cu m (as Hg)  [NIOSH. NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards. DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 97-140. Washington, D.C. U.S. Government Printing Office, 1997. 192]**QC REVIEWED**

Protective Equipment & Clothing:

Greater than 28 mg/cu m or entry and escape from unknown concentrations: Self-contained breathing apparatus with a full facepiece, operated in pressure-demand or other positive pressure mode, or a combination respirator which includes a Type C supplied-air respirator with a full facepiece, operated in pressure-demand or other positive pressure or continuous-flow mode and an auxiliary self-contained breathing apparatus, operated in pressure-demand or other positive pressure mode.  [Mackison, F. W., R. S. Stricoff, and L. J. Partridge, Jr. (eds.). NIOSH/OSHA - Occupational Health Guidelines for Chemical Hazards. DHHS(NIOSH) PublicationNo. 81-123 (3 VOLS). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, Jan. 1981. 5]**PEER REVIEWED**

Employees should be provided with and required to use impervious clothing, gloves, face shields (eight-inch minimum), and other appropriate protective clothing necessary to prevent repeated or prolonged skin contact with liquid mercury. If employee's clothing may have become contaminated with mercury, employees should change into uncontaminated clothing before leaving the work premises. Clothing contaminated with mercury should be placed in closed containers for storage until it can be discarded or until provision is made for the removal of mercury from the clothing. If the clothing is to be laundered or otherwise cleaned to remove the mercury, the person performing the operation should be informed of mercury's hazardous properties. Non-impervious clothing which becomes contaminated with mercury should be removed promptly and not reworn until the mercury is removed from the clothing.  [Mackison, F. W., R. S. Stricoff, and L. J. Partridge, Jr. (eds.). NIOSH/OSHA - Occupational Health Guidelines for Chemical Hazards. DHHS(NIOSH) PublicationNo. 81-123 (3 VOLS). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, Jan. 1981. 3]**PEER REVIEWED**

Recommendations for respirator selection. Max concn for use: 0.5 mg/cu m. Respirator Class(es): Any chemical cartridge respirator with cartridge(s) providing protection against the compound of concern. End of service life indicator (ELI) required. Any supplied-air respirator. /Mercury vapor/  [NIOSH. NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards. DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 97-140. Washington, D.C. U.S. Government Printing Office, 1997. 193]**QC REVIEWED**

Recommendations for respirator selection. Max concn for use: 1.25 mg/cu m. Respirator Class(es): Any supplied-air respirator operated in a continuous-flow mode. Any powered, air-purifying respirator with cartridge(s) providing protection against the compound of concern. End of service life indicator (ESLI) required. (Canister) /Mercury vapor/   [NIOSH. NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards. DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 97-140. Washington, D.C. U.S. Government Printing Office, 1997. 193]**QC REVIEWED**

Recommendations for respirator selection. Max concn for use: 2.5 mg/cu m. Respirator Class(es): Any chemical cartridge respirator with a full facepiece and cartridge(s) providing protection against the compound of concern. End of service life indicator (ESLI) required. Any air-purifying, full-facepiece respirator (gas mask) with a chin-style, front- or back-mounted canister providing protection against the compound of concern. End of service life indicator (ESLI) required. Any supplied-air respirator that has a tight-fitting facepiece and is operated in a continuous-flow mode. Any powered, air-purifying respirator with a tight-fitting facepiece and cartridge(s) providing protection against the compound of concern. End of service life indicator (ESLI) required. (Canister) Any self-contained breathing apparatus with a full facepiece. Any supplied-air respirator with a full facepiece. /Mercury vapor/  [NIOSH. NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards. DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 97-140. Washington, D.C. U.S. Government Printing Office, 1997. 193]**QC REVIEWED**

Recommendations for respirator selection. Max concn for use: 10 mg/cu m.
Respirator Class(es): Any supplied-air respirator operated in a pressure-demand or other positive-pressure mode. /Mercury vapor/  [NIOSH. NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards. DHHS (NIOSH)  Publication No. 97-140. Washington, D.C. U.S. Government Printing Office, 1997. 193]**QC REVIEWED**

Recommendations for respirator selection. Condition: Emergency or planned entry into unknown concn or IDLH conditions: Respirator Class(es): Any self-contained breathing apparatus that has a full facepiece and is operated in a pressure-demand or other positive pressure mode. Any supplied-air respirator that has a full facepiece and is operated in pressure-demand or other positive pressure mode in combination with an auxiliary self-contained breathing apparatus operated in pressure-demand or other positive pressure mode. /Mercury vapor/  [NIOSH. NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards. DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 97-140. Washington, D.C. U.S. Government Printing Office, 1997. 193]**QC REVIEWED**

Recommendations for respirator selection. Condition: Escape from suddenly occurring respiratory hazards: Respirator Class(es): Any air-purifying, full-facepiece respirator (gas mask) with a chin-style, front- or back-mounted canister providing protection against the compound of concern. End of service life indicator (ESLI) required. Any appropriate escape-type, self-contained breathing apparatus. /Mercury vapor/  [NIOSH. NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards. DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 97-140. Washington, D.C. U.S. Government Printing Office, 1997. 193]**QC REVIEWED**

Wear appropriate personal protective clothing to prevent skin contact.  [NIOSH. NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards. DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 97-140. Washington, D.C. U.S. Government Printing Office, 1997. 193]**QC REVIEWED**

Preventive Measures:

Preventive measure: Adequate ventilation; Use of disposable uniforms, so that a contaminated uniform is not a source of absorption through the skin: use of disposable mercury-vapor-absorbing masks; careful attention to good housekeeping, eg, avoidance of spills, and prompt and proper cleaning if a spill occurs; All containers of mercury and its compounds should be kept tightly closed; Floors should be washed on a regular basis with dilute calcium sulfide solution or other suitable reactant; Floors should be nonporous; all workers directly involved in the plant operation should shower thoroughly each day before leaving. /Mercury compounds/  [Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology. 3rd ed., Volumes 1-26. New York, NY: John Wiley and Sons, 1978-1984.,p. 15(81) 167]**PEER REVIEWED**

Eating and smoking should not be permitted in areas where mercury is handled, processed, or stored. Employees who handle mercury should wash their hands thoroughly with soap or mild detergent and water before eating, smoking, or using toilet facilities.   [Mackison, F. W., R. S. Stricoff, and L. J. Partridge, Jr. (eds.). NIOSH/OSHA - Occupational Health Guidelines for Chemical Hazards. DHHS(NIOSH) PublicationNo. 81-123 (3 VOLS). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, Jan. 1981.]**PEER REVIEWED**

If material not involved in fire: Keep material out of water sources and sewers. Keep upwind. Avoid bodily contact with the material. Do not handle broken packages without protective equipment. Wash away any material which may have contacted the body with copious amounts of water or soap and water.  [Association of American Railroads. Emergency Handling of Hazardous Materials in Surface Transportation. Washington, D.C.: Assoc. of American Railroads,Hazardous Materials Systems (BOE), 1987. 440]**PEER REVIEWED**

Contact lenses should not be worn when working with this chemical.  [NIOSH. NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards. DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 97-140. Washington, D.C. U.S. Government Printing Office, 1997. 193]**QC REVIEWED**

SRP: The scientific literature for the use of contact lenses in industry is conflicting. The benefit or detrimental effects of wearing contact lenses depend not only upon the substance, but also on factors including the form of the substance, characteristics and duration of the exposure, the uses of other eye protection equipment, and the hygiene of the lenses. However, there may be individual substances whose irritating or corrosive properties are such that the wearing of contact lenses would be harmful to the eye. In those specific cases, contact lenses should not be worn. In any event, the usual eye protection equipment should be worn even when contact lenses are in place.  **PEER REVIEWED**

The worker should immediately wash the skin when it becomes contaminated.  [NIOSH. NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards. DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 97-140. Washington, D.C. U.S. Government Printing Office, 1997. 193]**QC REVIEWED**

Work clothing that becomes wet or significantly contaminated should be removed and replaced.  [NIOSH. NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards. DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 97-140. Washington, D.C. U.S. Government Printing Office, 1997. 193]**QC REVIEWED**

Workers whose clothing may have become contaminated should change into uncontaminated clothing before leaving the work premises.  [NIOSH. NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards. DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 97-140. Washington, D.C. U.S. Government Printing Office, 1997. 193]**QC REVIEWED**

Stability/Shelf Life:

SLIGHTLY VOLATILE AT ORDINARY TEMP; WHEN PURE, DOES NOT TARNISH ON EXPOSURE TO AIR AT ORDINARY TEMP, BUT WHEN HEATED TO NEAR BOILING POINT, SLOWLY OXIDIZES TO MERCURIC OXIDE (HGO)  [The Merck Index. 10th ed. Rahway, New Jersey: Merck Co., Inc., 1983. 842]**PEER REVIEWED**

IN MOIST AIR, IT MAY OXIDIZE SLOWLY FORMING MERCUROUS OXIDE (HG2O)  [Clayton, G. D. and F. E. Clayton (eds.). Patty's Industrial Hygiene and Toxicology: Volume 2A, 2B, 2C: Toxicology. 3rd ed. New York: John Wiley Sons, 1981-1982. 1771]**PEER REVIEWED**

Shipment Methods and Regulations:

No person may /transport,/ offer or accept a hazardous material for transportation   in commerce unless that person is registered in conformance ... and the hazardous material is properly classed, described, packaged, marked, labeled, and in condition for shipment as required or authorized by ... /the hazardous materials regulations (49 CFR 171-177)./  [49 CFR 171.2 (7/1/96)]**QC REVIEWED**

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) Dangerous Goods Regulations are published by the IATA Dangerous Goods Board pursuant to IATA Resolutions 618 and 619 and constitute a manual of industry carrier regulations to be followed by all IATA Member airlines when transporting hazardous materials.  [IATA. Dangerous Goods Regulations. 38th ed. Montreal, Canada and Geneva, Switzerland: International Air Transport Association, Dangerous Goods Board, January, 1997. 174]**QC REVIEWED**

The International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code lays down basic principles for transporting hazardous chemicals. Detailed recommendations for individual substances and a number of recommendations for good practice are included in the classes dealing with such substances. A general index of technical names has also been compiled. This index should always be consulted when attempting to locate the appropriate procedures to be used when shipping any substance or article.  [IMDG; International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code; International Maritime Organization p.8182 (1988)]**QC REVIEWED**

Storage Conditions:

Storage temperature: Ambient; Venting: Open  [U.S. Coast Guard, Department of Transportation. CHRIS - Hazardous Chemical Data. Volume II. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1984-5.]**PEER REVIEWED**

Keep "away from" azides.  [Bureau of Explosives; Hazardous Matls Regs of DOT p.129 (1985) ICC No. BOE-6000E]**PEER REVIEWED**

Cleanup Methods:

Mercury removal in wastewater can be accomplished by the two following processes: BMS Process: Chlorine is added to the wastewater, oxidizing any
mercury present to the ionic state. The BMS adsorbent (an activated carbon
concentrate of sulfur cmpd on its surface) is used to collect ionic mercury. The   spent adsorbent is then distilled to recover the mercury, leaving a carbon residue for reuse or disposal. TMR IMAC Process: Waste water is fed into a reactor, whereby a slight excess of chlorine is maintained, oxidizing any mercury present to ionic mercury. The liquid is then passed through the TMR IMAC ion-exchange resin where mercury ions are adsorbed. The mercury is then stripped from the spent resin with hydrochloric acid solution.  [Environment Canada; Tech Info for Problem Spills: Mercury (Draft) p.59 (1982)]**PEER REVIEWED**

The following treatment processes have shown possible applicability for spill countermeasures: clarification/sedimentation > 99% removal; clarification/ sedimentation with chemical addition: (alum) > 62% removal, (alum, polymer) 88% removal, (lime) > 96% removal, (BaCl2) 87% removal, and (polymer) 99% removal.   [USEPA; Treatability Manual Vol 5 Summary (1980) EPA 600/8-80-042E as cited in Environment Canada; Tech Info for Problem Spills: Mercury (Draft) p.59 (1982)]**PEER REVIEWED**

In mining and primary metal recovery operations, it has been a standard practice to liberally dust mercury spills with flowers (microcrystalline) of sulfur or preferably calcium polysulfide, to encourage the formation of a surface coating of mercuric sulfide which would reduce the rate of Hg vapor loss during the period of cleanup.  [Nat'l Research Council Canada; Effects of Mercury in the Canadian Environment p.183 (1979) NRCC No. 16739]**PEER REVIEWED**

The chloralkali industry has long relied upon wet operation, that is maintaining a water flow over the concrete floors underlying the electrolytic mercury (Hg) cells to reduce Hg vapor loss in this way. Sumps in the underfloor drainage systems were used to collect Hg from spills which were flushed into them, but the design of these was not highly effective. To reduce Hg losses via this route, water use for this purpose is now kept to a minimum necessity and the sump discharge is either fed into the brine circuit or treated for Hg removal prior to discharge.  [Nat'l Research Council Canada; Effects of Mercury in the Canadian Environment p.183 (1979) NRCC No. 16739]**PEER REVIEWED**

"Dry" cell-room operation is now far more frequently practiced, with cleanup possible via a specially equipped industrial vacuum cleaner.  [Glidden GM; US Patent 2,785,767 to Acme Protection Equipment Co (1957) as cited in Nat'l Research Council Canada; Effects of Mercury in the Canadian Environment p.183 (1979) NRCC No. 16739]**PEER REVIEWED**

A small aspirator-driven vacuum trap with a "mercury sweeper", an amalgamated copper roller operating in a small, tin-plate "dustpan" or "mercury scoop" is
effective. This can be followed, if necessary, (and with an appropriate choice, for the surface on which the spill took place) by washes with dilute nitric acid (approx 1 M), concentrated sulfuric acid, or bleach washes, and then by clear water rinses.

[Nat'l Research Council Canada; Effects of Mercury in the Canadian Environment p.184 (1979) NRCC No. 16739]**PEER REVIEWED**

Precautions for the hospital use of mercury have been outlined together with cleanup and special procedures to control mercury (Hg) vapor. Among these, use of an emulsified oil containing calcium polysulfide, or of an organic sulfur cmpd in a proprietary mixture have been suggested after the bulk of the spill has been recovered by conventional means. Helpful post-cleanup procedures are the application of an impervious paint film to suppress volatilization, and in floor maintenance measures the use of a wax containing 3-5% flowers of sulfur.   [Stock CJ; J Am Med Technol 35: 164-7 (1973) as cited in Nat'l Research Council Canada; Effects of Mercury in the Canadian Environment p.184 (1979) NRCC No. 16739]**PEER REVIEWED**

After the use of a vacuum trap to recover the bulk of the metal, a fine copperwire or plated carbon fiber brush is recommended as the optimum cleanup utensil, particularly when the spill occurs on metal surfaces susceptible to amalgamation.  [Chadwick MD; Materials Prot Perform 8: 21-2 (1979) as cited in Nat'l Research Council Canada; Effects of Mercury in the Canadian Environment p.184 (1979) NRCC No. 16739]**PEER REVIEWED**

Disposal Methods:

SRP: At the time of review, criteria for land treatment or burial (sanitary landfill) disposal practices are subject to significant revision. Prior to implementing land disposal of waste residue (including waste sludge), consult with environmental regulatory agencies for guidance on acceptable disposal practices.  **PEER REVIEWED**

Mercury is a poor candidate for incineration.  [USEPA; Engineering Handbook for Hazardous Waste Incineration p.3-14 (1981) EPA 68-03-3025]**PEER REVIEWED**

Mercury (Hg) bearing brine purification muds from Hg cell process in chlorine production or Hg bearing wastewater treatment sludges from the production of Hg sulfide pigment is a poor candidate for incineration.  [USEPA; Engineering Handbook for Hazardous Waste Incineration p.3-18 (1981) EPA 68-03-3025]**PEER REVIEWED**

Chemical Treatability of Mercury; Concentration Process: Biological treatment; Chemical Classification: Metals; Scale of Study: Respirometer study; Type of Wastewater Used: Synthetic wastewater; Influent concentration: 0-200 ppm; Results of Study: O2 uptake inhibited.  [Lamb JC III et al; J Water Pollut Control Fed 36 (10): 1263-84 (1964) as cited in USEPA; Management of Hazardous Waste Leachate, EPA Contract No. 68-03-2766 p. E-53 (1982)]**PEER REVIEWED**

Chemical Treatability of Mercury; Concentration Process: Biological treatment; Chemical Classification: Metals; Scale of Study: Laboratory scale; Type of Wastewater Used: Synthetic wastewater; Influent concentration: 5-10 ppm; Results of Study: 51-58% reduction.  [Ghosh MM, Zugger PD; J Water Pollut Control Fed 45 (3): 424-33 (1973) as cited in USEPA; Management of Hazardous Waste Leachate, EPA Contract No. 68-03-2766 p. E-53 (1982)]**PEER REVIEWED**

Chemical Treatability of Mercury; Concentration Process: Chemical Precipitation; Chemical Classification: Metals; Scale of Study: Pilot scale; Type of Wastewater Used: Domestic wastewater and pure compound; Influent concentration: 0.5 ppm at 4 gpm at pH= 7.0; Results of Study: High lime system- 70% reduction.  [Maruyama T et al; J Water Pollut Control Fed 47 (5): 962-75 (1975) as cited in USEPA; Management of Hazardous Waste Leachate, EPA Contract No. 68-03-2766 p. E-72 (1982)]**PEER REVIEWED**

Chemical Treatability of Mercury; Concentration Process: Chemical Precipitation; Chemical Classification: Metals; Scale of Study: Full scale, continuous flow; Type of Wastewater Used: Domestic wastewater; Results of Study: 9 ppb: 71% reduction with lime; 1.2 ppb: 25% reduction with lime.  [McCarty PL et al; Water Factory 21: Reclaimed Water, Volatile Organics, Virus, and Treatment Performance EPA-600/2-78-076 (1978) as cited in USEPA; Management of Hazardous Waste Leachate, EPA Contract No. 68-03-2766 p. E-72 (1982)]**PEER REVIEWED**

Chemical Treatability of Mercury; Concentration Process: Chemical Precipitation; Chemical Classification: Metals; Scale of Study: Pilot scale; Type of Wastewater Used: Synthetic wastewater; Results of Study: 500 ppb: 70% reduction with lime; 60 ppb: 94% reduction with alum; 50 ppb: 98% reduction with ferric chloride.  [Hannah SA et al; J Water Pollut Control Fed 49 (11): 2297-309 (1977) as cited in USEPA; Management of Hazardous Waste Leachate, EPA Contract No. 68-03-2766 p. E-72 (1982)]**PEER REVIEWED**

Chemical Treatability of Mercury; Concentration Process: Activated carbon;
Chemical Classification: Metals; Scale of Study: Unknown; Type of Wastewater Used: Unknown; Influent concentration: 10 ppb; Results of Study: 80% reduction achieved with carbon dose of 100 mg/l. PAC plus chelating agent.  [Thiem L et al; J Amer Water Works Assoc 68 (8): 447-51 (1976) as cited in USEPA; Management of Hazardous Waste Leachate, EPA Contract No. 68-03-2766 p. E-165 (1982)]**PEER REVIEWED**

Chemical Treatability of Mercury; Concentration Process: Activated carbon;
Chemical Classification: Metals; Scale of Study: Literature review; Type of Wastewater Used: Unknown; Results of Study: 80% reduction by PAC and Alum coagulation.  [Dryden FE et al; Priority Pollutant Treatability Review EPA Contract No. 68-03-2579 (1978) as cited in USEPA; Management of Hazardous Waste Leachate, EPA Contract No. 68-03-2766 p. E-165 (1982)]**PEER REVIEWED**

Occupational Exposure Standards:

OSHA Standards:

Permissible Exposure Limit: Table Z-2 Acceptable Ceiling Concentration: 1 mg/10 cu m.   [29 CFR 1910.1000 (7/1/98)]**QC REVIEWED**

Vacated 1989 OSHA PEL TWA 0.05 mg/cu m, skin designation, is still enforced in some states. /Vapor/  [NIOSH. NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards. DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 97-140. Washington, D.C. U.S. Government Printing Office, 1997. 367]**QC REVIEWED**

Threshold Limit Values:

8 hr Time Weighted Avg (TWA) 0.025 mg/cu m, skin /Mercury, inorganic forms including metallic mercury/  [American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists. Threshold Limit Values (TLVs) for Chemical Substances and Physical Agents Biological Exposure Indices for 1998. Cincinnati, OH: ACGIH, 1998. 46]**QC REVIEWED**

BEI (Biological Exposure Index): Total inorganic mercury in urine (preshift): 35 ug/g creatinine. The determinant is usually present in a significant amt in biological specimens collected from subjects who have not been occupationally exposed. Such background levels are incl in the BEI value. /Mercury/  [American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists. Threshold Limit Values (TLVs) for Chemical Substances and Physical Agents Biological Exposure Indices for 1998. Cincinnati, OH: ACGIH, 1998. 101]**QC REVIEWED**

BEI (Biological Exposure Index): Total inorganic mercury in blood (end of shift at end of workweek): 15 ug/l. The determinant is usually present in a significant amt in biological specimens collected from subjects who have not been occupationally exposed. Such background levels are incl in the BEI value. /Mercury/  [American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists. Threshold Limit Values (TLVs) for Chemical Substances and Physical Agents Biological Exposure Indices for 1998. Cincinnati, OH: ACGIH, 1998. 101]**QC REVIEWED**

Excursion Limit Recommendation: Excursions in worker exposure levels may exceed three times the TLV-TWA for no more than a total of 30 min during a work day, and under no circumstances should they exceed five times the TLV-TWA, provided that the TLV-TWA is not exceeded. /Mercury, inorganic forms including metallic mercury, as Hg/  [American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists. Threshold Limit Values (TLVs) for Chemical Substances and Physical Agents Biological Exposure Indices for 1998. Cincinnati, OH: ACGIH, 1998. 6]**QC REVIEWED**

A4. A4= Not classifiable as a human carcinogen. /Mercury, inorganic forms, including metallic mercury, as Hg/  [American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists. Threshold Limit Values (TLVs) for Chemical Substances and Physical Agents Biological Exposure Indices for 1998. Cincinnati, OH: ACGIH, 1998. 46]**QC REVIEWED**  NIOSH Recommendations:

Recommended Exposure Limit: 10 Hr Time-Weighted Avg: 0.05 mg/cu m, skin (Hg vapor).   [NIOSH. NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards. DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 97-140. Washington, D.C. U.S. Government Printing Office, 1997. 192]**QC REVIEWED**

Recommended Exposure Limit: Ceiling Value: 0.1 mg/cu m, skin.  [NIOSH. NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards. DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 97-140. Washington, D.C. U.S. Government Printing Office, 1997. 192]**QC REVIEWED**

Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health:

10 mg/cu m (as Hg)  [NIOSH. NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards. DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 97-140. Washington, D.C. U.S. Government Printing Office, 1997. 192]**QC REVIEWED**

Other Occupational Permissible Levels:

Water: Health and Welfare Canada recommends 0.001 mg/l Hg as a maximum acceptable concn in water; Air: The Ontario limit for airborne environmental Hg is 5 ug/cu m.   [Environment Canada; Tech Info for Problem Spills: Mercury (Draft) p.34 (1982)]**PEER REVIEWED**

Manufacturing/Use Information:

Major Uses:

IN BAROMETERS, THERMOMETERS, HYDROMETERS, PYROMETERS; IN MERCURY ARC LAMPS PRODUCING ULTRAVIOLET RAYS, IN SWITCHES, FLUORESCENT LAMPS; IN MERCURY BOILERS; MFR ALL MERCURY SALTS, MIRRORS; CATALYST IN OXIDN OF ORG CMPD; EXTRACTING GOLD & SILVER FROM ORES; ELECTRIC RECTIFIERS; MAKING MERCURY FULMINATE; FOR MILLON'S REAGENT; AS CATHODE IN ELECTROLYSIS, ELECTROANALYSIS  [The Merck Index. 10th ed. Rahway, New Jersey: Merck Co., Inc., 1983. 843]**PEER REVIEWED**

PULP & PAPER MFR  [National Research Council. Drinking Water & Health Volume 1. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 1977. 271]**PEER REVIEWED**

COMPONENT OF BATTERIES (EG, ZINC-CARBON & MERCURY CELLS), INDUSTRIAL & CONTROL INSTRUMENTS (EG, METERS), & AMALGAMS (EG, FOR DENTAL PREPARATIONS); AGENT IN MFR OF WIRE & SWITCHING DEVICES (EG, OSCILLATORS); CATHODE IN ELECTROLYTIC MFR OF CHLORINE & CAUSTIC SODA; CATALYST FOR URETHANE & EPOXY RESINS; LABORATORY REAGENT; LUBRICANT (EG, IN TURBINES)  [SRI]**PEER REVIEWED**

METALLIC MERCURY (QUICKSILVER) HAS BEEN EMPLOYED IN INDIA TO FUMIGATE & PROTECT GRAIN IN CLOSED CONTAINERS FROM ... INSECT INFESTATION.  [Farm Chemicals Handbook 1983. Willoughby, Ohio: Meister Publishing Co., 1983.,p. C-150]**PEER REVIEWED**

Used in ... agricultural chemicals, antifouling paints, /SRP: as a wet chemistry method/, and many other uses.  [The Merck Index. 10th ed. Rahway, New Jersey: Merck Co., Inc., 1983. 843]**QC REVIEWED**

MEDICATION  **QC REVIEWED**

MEDICATION (VET)  **QC REVIEWED**

Manufacturers:

Centerchem, Inc, Hq, 475 Park Ave S, New York, NY 10016 (212) 725-5665
[Campbell, J.B. (ed.). Chemical Week Buyer's Guide '85. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill, Inc., 1985. 468]**PEER REVIEWED**

Rascher & Betzold, Inc, Hq, 5410 N Damen Ave, Chicago, IL 60625 (312) 275-7300   [Campbell, J.B. (ed.). Chemical Week Buyer's Guide '85. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill, Inc., 1985. 468]**PEER REVIEWED**

SST Corporation, Hq, 1373 Broad St, Clifton, NJ 07015 (516) 466-8440    [Campbell, J.B. (ed.). Chemical Week Buyer's Guide '85. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill, Inc., 1985. 468]**PEER REVIEWED**

Eastman Kodak Laboratory and Specialty Chemicals Eastman Kodak Co, Hq, 343 State St, Rochester, NY 14650 (716) 722-2915  [Campbell, J.B. (ed.). Chemical Week Buyer's Guide '85. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill, Inc., 1985. 468]**PEER REVIEWED**

Spectrum Chemical MFG Corp, Hq, 14422 S San Pedro St, Gardena, CA 90248 (213) 516-8000   [Campbell, J.B. (ed.). Chemical Week Buyer's Guide '85. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill, Inc., 1985. 468]**PEER REVIEWED**

D F Goldsmith Chemical & Metal Corp, 909 Pitner Ave, Evanston, IL 60202,
(312) 869-7800  [Kuney, J.H. and J.N. Nullican (eds.) Chemcyclopedia. Washington, DC: American Chemical Society, 1988. 294]**PEER REVIEWED**

Belmont Metals, Inc, 327 Belmont Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11207, (718) 342-4900  [OPD Chemical Buyer's Directory 1988 p. 413]**PEER REVIEWED**

Methods of Manufacturing:

CONDENSATION OF MERCURY VAPOR FROM MERCURY ORE ROASTING OR FROM HEATING SECONDARY MERCURY-EG, FROM BATTERIES OR SLUDGES & WASTES  [SRI]**PEER REVIEWED**

Obtained by roasting cinnabar (mercuric sulfide).  [The Merck Index. 10th ed. Rahway, New Jersey: Merck Co., Inc., 1983. 842]**PEER REVIEWED**

Formulations/Preparations:

Blue pill; blue mass. Contains 32-34% metallic mercury. The rest is honey,
licorice, althea, glycerol, and some mercury oleate.  [The Merck Index. 10th ed. Rahway, New Jersey: Merck Co., Inc., 1983. 843]**PEER REVIEWED**

Grades or Purity: Pure  [U.S. Coast Guard, Department of Transportation. CHRIS - Hazardous Chemical Data. Volume II. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1984-5.]**PEER REVIEWED**

Available in commercial, instrument, redistilled, technical, and triple distilled grades.   [Environment Canada; Tech Info for Problem Spills: Mercury (Draft) p.1 (1982)]**PEER REVIEWED**

Typical commercial grade: 99.9% mercury  [Environment Canada; Tech Info for Problem Spills: Mercury (Draft) p.3 (1982)]**PEER REVIEWED**

USP mercury conforms to US Pharmacopeia specifications. Triple distilled mercury conforms to American Dental Association & National Formulary requirements and reagent grade conforms to the ACS specifications.  [CONSIDINE. CHEMICAL AND PROCESS TECHNOL ENCYC 1974 p.730]**PEER REVIEWED**

Consumption Patterns:

MFR OF ELECTRICAL APPARATUS, 56%; MFR OF CHLORINE & CAUSTIC SODA (REPLENISHMENT OF MERCURY LOST IN PROCESS & NOT RECYCLED), 13%; MFR OF INDUSTRIAL & CONTROL INSTRUMENTS, 7%; DENTAL AMALGAMS, 2%; OTHER USES (MOSTLY AS CHEM INT, ALSO INCLUDES OTHER AMALGAMS & MERCURY USED IN PRODN OF NEW CHLORINE/CAUSTIC SODA PLANTS), 22% (1982)   [SRI]**PEER REVIEWED**

Electrical products such as dry-cell batteries, fluorescent light bulbs, switches, and other control equipment account for 50% of mercury used. Mercury is also used in substantial quantities in electrolytic preparation of chlorine and caustic soda (chlor-alkali industry, mercury cell process; 25%), paint manufacture (12%), and dental preparations (3%). Lesser quantities are used in industrial catalyst manufacture (2%), pesticides manufacture (1%), general laboratory use (1%), and pharmaceuticals (0.1%).   [Kayser, R., D. Sterling, D. Viviani (eds.). Intermedia Priority Pollutant Guidance Documents. Washington, DC: U.S.Environmental Protection Agency, July 1982.,p. 3-1]**PEER REVIEWED**

Electrical, 56%; electrolytic production of chlorine and caustic soda, 12%; paints, 10%; industrial and control instruments, 6%; and other, 16% (1986)  [BUREAU OF MINES. MINERAL COMMODITY SUMMARIES 1987 p.100]**PEER REVIEWED**

U. S. Production:

(1977) 1.17X10+9 G  [SRI]**PEER REVIEWED**

(1982) 1.04X10+9 G  [SRI]**PEER REVIEWED**

(1986) Greater than 3.49x10+9 g /Mine production data was withheld to avoid disclosing proprietary data/  [BUREAU OF MINES. MINERAL COMMODITY SUMMARIES 1987 p.100]**PEER REVIEWED**

U. S. Imports:

(1977) 9.91X10+8 G  [SRI]**PEER REVIEWED**

(1982) 3.07X10+8 G  [SRI]**PEER REVIEWED**

(1986) 6.56x10+8 g   [BUREAU OF MINES. MINERAL COMMODITY SUMMARIES 1987 p.100]**PEER REVIEWED**

U. S. Exports:

(1977) 3.3X10+7 G  [SRI]**PEER REVIEWED**

Laboratory Methods:

Clinical Laboratory Methods:

RADIOCHEM METHOD FOR NEUTRON ACTIVATION ANALYSIS OF MERCURY IN BIOLOGICAL MATERIAL WAS DEVELOPED. APPLICATIONS TO ANAL OF HAIR & FOODSTUFF SAMPLES ARE PRESENTED. QUANTITIES AS LOW AS 0.001 MUG WERE DETECTED IN HAIR SAMPLES.  [BISO JN ET AL; RADIOCHEM RADIOANAL LETT 58 (3): 175 (1983)]**PEER REVIEWED**

NAA (Neutron Activation Analysis) was used to detect protein bound mercury in fractions of human liver separated by gel-filtration chromatography.  [Norheim G, Steinnes E; Anal Chem 47 (9): 1688-90 (1975) as cited in Nat'l Research Council Canada; Effects of Mercury in the Canadian Environment p.195 (1979) NRCC No. 16739]**PEER REVIEWED**

The analysis of mercury in stomach content, vomitus, urine, or homogenized kidney is determined when a clean, copper wire, which has been dropped in an acidified test solution, is covered with a silver gray deposit. This wire can then be removed from the solution and the mercury thereon characterized by suitable reactions which produce characteristic colors. Quantiation can be realized by oxidizing away the organic matter in the sample and determining the mercury remaining in the aqueous digest. The test is sensitive to 30 ug of mercury, and estimates may be made at 25 ug intervals up to about 100 ug.  [Sunshine, Irving (ed.) Methodology for Analytical Toxicology. Cleveland: CRC Press, Inc., 1975. 224]**PEER REVIEWED**

The analysis of mercury in urine is done colorimetrically using dithizone as a chelating agent. The absorbance of mercury dithizone is determined with a spectrophotometer at a wavelength of 490 nm. Samples of vomitus or gastric lavage can also be analyzed by this method.  [Sunshine, Irving (ed.) Methodology for Analytical Toxicology. Cleveland: CRC Press, Inc., 1975. 226]**PEER REVIEWED**

Mercury in urine is easily analyzed using a flameless atomic absorption spectrophotometer, with a special mercury detector assembly. A commercial unit (Model MAS-50 Mercury Analyzer System from Coleman Instruments Division) designed to facilitate the analysis of various samples for their mercury content is available. The unit contains a circulating pump, a mercury light source, an absorption cell, a photodetector, and a five and a half inch meter calibrated to read directly to read from 0 to 9 ug of mercury. A scale expansion unit provides reading to 28 ug, if required. Response time is less than one minute over the full concentration range.  [Sunshine, Irving (ed.) Methodology for Analytical Toxicology. Cleveland: CRC Press, Inc., 1975. 225]**PEER REVIEWED**

A dual-stage atomization atomic absorption spectroscopy technique was developed to allow speciation of 11 mercury containing compounds in aqueous soln & biological fluids. The temp control used was not adequate for mercury salts extremely volatile below 200 deg C. Absorption traces of whole blood, blood serum, sweat & urine spiked with mercuric chloride indicated that the technique is useful for their detection.  [Robinson JW, Skelly EM; J Environ Sci Health, Part A A17 (3): 391-425 (1982)]**PEER REVIEWED**

Urine samples analyzed for mercury by flameless atomic absorption. Range: 0.003 to above 0.3 mg/l.  [U.S. Department of Health, Education Welfare, Public Health Service. Center for Disease Control, National Institute for Occupational Safety Health. NIOSH Manual of Analytical Methods. 2nd ed. Volumes 1-7. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1977-present.,p. V1 165-1]**PEER REVIEWED**

Blood samples analyzed for mercury by flameless atomic absorption. Range: 0.005 to 4.5 ug/ml.  [U.S. Department of Health, Education Welfare, Public Health Service. Center for Disease Control, National Institute for Occupational Safety Health. NIOSH Manual ofAnalytical Methods. 2nd ed. Volumes 1-7. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1977-present.,p. V1 167-1]**PEER REVIEWED**

Analytic Laboratory Methods:

FLAMELESS ATOMIC ABSORPTION METHOD FOR DISSOLVED & SUSPENDED MERCURY APPLICABLE TO DETECTION OF 0.2-10 UG HG/L OF DRINKING, SURFACE, & SALINE WATERS, & DOMESTIC & INDUSTRIAL WASTES.  [Association of Official Analytical Chemists. Official Methods of Analysis. 10th ed. and supplements. Washington, DC: Association of Official Analytical Chemists, 1965. New editions through13th ed. plus supplements, 1982.,p. 14/630 33.095]**PEER REVIEWED**

MERCURY WAS DETECTED IN WATER BY SELECTIVE ION EXCHANGE CHROMATOGRAPHY.  [CLECHET P, ESCHALIER G; ANAL CHIM ACTA 156: 295-9 (1984)]**PEER REVIEWED**

EPA (1979) Method 245.1 states that the analysis of mercury of water and wastewater can be performed by cold vapor techniques, manual or automated. This method is also listed as Standard Methods 303F, ASTM D3223-80, and USGS I-3462-84.  [51 FR 23696 (6/30/86)]**PEER REVIEWED**

Air samples containing mercury can be analyzed with flameless, cold-vapor
atomic absorption, at a wavelength of 253.7 nm. Desorption is performed with a Thermal Desorption Unit at 650-700 deg C. The mercury from the outlet of the desorption unit enters the optical cell, 2.5-4cm path length, of the atomic absorption spectrophotometer through a glass tube maintained at 70 deg C. This NIOSH approved method has an estimated detection limit of 0.001 ug/sample,  and a relative standard deviation of 0.051, over a working range of 0.001 to 1.0 ug/sample.  [U.S. Department of Health, Education Welfare, Public Health Service. Center for Disease Control, National Institute for Occupational Safety Health. NIOSH Manual ofAnalytical Methods. 2nd ed. Volumes 1-7. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1977-present.,p. 6000-1-5]**PEER REVIEWED**

The analysis of mercury in fish can be performed with flameless atomic absorption. A digestion of the sample with hydrochloric and nitric acid occurs in a special apparatus which is connected to the spectrophotometer.  [Association of Official Analytical Chemists. Official Methods of Analysis. 10th ed. and supplements. Washington, DC: Association of Official Analytical Chemists, 1965. New editions through13th ed. plus supplements, 1982.,p. 14/469 25.134]**PEER REVIEWED**

Flameless atomic absorption method for dissolved & suspended mercury applicable to detection of 0.2-10 ug Hg/l of drinking, surface, & saline waters & domestic & industrial wastes.  [Association of Official Analytical Chemists. Official Methods of Analysis. 10th ed. and supplements. Washington, DC: Association of Official Analytical Chemists, 1965. New editions through13th ed. plus supplements, 1982.,p. 13/559 33.095]**PEER REVIEWED**

Analyte: Elemental Mercury; Matrix: air; Procedure: Atomic absorption, flameless; Desorption: thermal (650-700 deg C); Wavelength: 253.7 nm; Range: 0.01-1 ug/samp; Est LOD: 0.001 ug/samp; Precision: 0.051; Interferences: methyl mercuric chloride  [U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service. Centers for Disease Control, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. NIOSHManual of Analytical Methods, 3rd ed. Volumes 1 and 2 with 1985 supplement, and revisions. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, February 1984.,p. V2 6000-1]**PEER REVIEWED**

The following method is applicable for the examination of ground and surface waters, domestic and industrial waste effluents, and treatment process samples. Method 245.1 for the determination of Mercury employs manual cold vapor technique. The detection limit is 0.2 ug Hg/l. Standard deviation at 0.35 level was +/- 0.16. Percent recoveries at the three levels were 89, 87, and 87% respectively.  [USEPA; Methods for Chemical Analysis of Water and Wastes p.245.1-1 (1983) EPA-600/4-79-020]**PEER REVIEWED**

Mercury in Solid or Semisolid Waste (Manual Cold Vapor Technique). Method 7471, a cold vapor atomic absorption method is based on the absorption of radiation at 243.7 nm wavelengths by mercury vapor. Aqueous samples must be acidified to a pH of less than 2 with nitric acid.  [USEPA; Test Methods for Evaluating Solid Waste. Physical/Chemical Methods 3rd Ed (1986) EPA 955-001-00000-1]**PEER REVIEWED**

Mercury in Liquid Waste (Manual Cold Vapor Technique) Method 7470 is a
cold vapor atomic absorption procedure approved for determining the concentration of mercury in mobility-procedure extracts, aqueous wastes, and ground waters. Based on the absorption of radiation at 253.7 nm by mercury vapor. Typical detection limit is 0.0002 mg/l.  [USEPA; Test Methods for Evaluating Solid Waste. Physical/Chemical Methods 3rd Ed (1986) EPA 955-001-00000-1]**PEER REVIEWED**

DETECTION OF HG IN FISH MUSCLE SAMPLES CAN BE MADE BY AN ANODIC STRIPPING VOLTAMMETRIC TECHNIQUE (ASV) USING A AU DISK AS WORKING ELECTRODE. GOOD AGREEMENT IS ACHIEVED WHEN COMPARED WITH RESULTS OBTAINED FROM NEUTRON ACTIVATION ANALYSIS.  [GOLIMOWSKI J, GUSTAVASSON I; SCI TOTAL ENVIRON 31 (1): 89 (1983)]**PEER REVIEWED**

Sampling Procedures:

The sampling/preserving method of choice appears to be in pyrex glass containers using 5% HNO3 + 0.01% K2Cr2O7 preservative to prevent losses due to volatilization and adsorption on the glass. Samples treated in this manner have remained stable for more than 5 mo.   [Feldman C; Anal Chem 46 (1): 99-102 (1974) as cited in Nat'l Research Council Canada; Effects of Mercury in the Canadian Environment p.193 (1979) NRCC No. 16739]**PEER REVIEWED**

Air samples containing mercury are taken with a glass tube, 2 cm x 4 mm ID, with unsealed ends containing one section of 30 mg of silvered Chromosorb P held in place with quartz wool plugs. A sampling pump is connected to this tube and accurately calibrated at a flow rate of 0.01 to 2.0 l/min for a total sample size of 0.5 to 7.0 liters. Elution is performed with a thermal desorption unit. This NIOSH approved technique has an overall precision of 0.061, over a studied range of 0.046 to 0.18 mg/cu m using 3.0 liter samples.   [U.S. Department of Health, Education Welfare, Public Health Service. Center for Disease Control, National Institute for Occupational Safety Health. NIOSH Manual ofAnalytical Methods. 2nd ed. Volumes 1-7. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1977-present.,p. 6000-1-3]**PEER REVIEWED**

Analyte: Elemental mercury; Matrix: Air; Sampler: Solid sorbent tube (30 mg silvered Chromosorb P, with glass prefilter); Flow rate: 0.01-0.2 l/min; vol: min: 0.5 l, max: 7 l @ 0.1 mg/cu m; Stability: at least 7 days at 25 deg C  [U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service. Centers for Disease Control, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. NIOSHManual of Analytical Methods, 3rd ed. Volumes 1 and 2 with 1985 supplement, and revisions. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, February 1984.,p. V2 6000-1]**PEER REVIEWED**

The collection of sample prior to analysis requires particular attention. The sample bottle whether borosilicate glass, polyethylene polypropylene or Teflon should be thoroughly washed with detergent and tap water; rinsed with 1:1 nitric acid, tap water, 1:1 hydrochloric acid, tap water and finally deionized distilled water in that order. /Metals/  [USEPA; Methods for Chemical Analysis of Water and Wastes p. METALS-4-5 (1983) EPA-600/4-79-020]**PEER REVIEWED**

Special References:

Special Reports:

Nat'l Research Council Canada; Effects of Mercury in the Canadian Environment (1979) NRCC No. 16739

USEPA; Ambient Water Quality Criteria Doc: Mercury (1984) EPA 440/5-84-026

Environment Canada; Tech Info for Problem Spills: Mercury (Draft) (1982)

USEPA; Mercury Health Effects Update (1984) EPA 600/8-84-019F

Wren CD; Environ Res 40 (1): 210-44 (1986). A review of the available literature on mercury levels and toxicity in wild mammals (excluding marine mammals).

Miller DR, Buchanan JM; Atmospheric Transport of Mercury: Exposure Commitment and Uncertainty Calculations, MARC Report # 14 (1979)

WHO; Environ Health Criteria: Mercury (1976)

NIOSH/OSHA; Occupational Health Guide for Chemical Hazards: Inorganic
Mercury (1981) DHHS Pub. NIOSH 81-123

RESISTANCE OF MICROORGANISMS TO HEAVY METALS & THEIR POSSIBLE USE FOR REMOVAL OF HEAVY METALS FROM WASTEWATER. [WOOD JM, HONG-KANG WANG; MICROBIAL RESISTANCE TO HEAVY METALS; ENVIRON SCI TECHNOL 17(12) 582A (1983)]

Kay SH; Govt Reports Announce & Index 11 (1985). This report reviews the
literature on the biomagnification of toxic heavy metals and organic contaminants within marine and freshwater food webs and is limited to gill-breathing species. The toxic metals included arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, mercury (both inorganic and methylmercury), nickel, selenium, silver, tin, and zinc.

[WHO; Environmental Health Criteria 118: Inorganic Mercury (1991)]

WHO; Environmental Health Criteria 119: Principles and Methods for the Assessment of Nephrotoxicity Associated with Exposure to Chemicals (1991)

DHHS/ATSDR; Toxicological Profile for Mercury (Update) (1994) ATSDR/TP-93/10

De Flora S, Bennicelli C, and Bagnesco, M. Genotoxicity of mercury compounds. A review. Mutat Res 375(1):57-79 (1994).

Ratcliffe HE, Swanson GM, and Fischer LJ. Human exposure to mercury: a
critical assessment of the adverse health effects. J Toxicol Enviro Health 49(3):221-70 (1996).

Brune D, et al. A review of normal concentrations of mercury in total blood. Sci Total Environ: 100 Spec No: 235-82 (1991).

Synonyms and Identifiers:

Related HSDB Records:
3930 [METHYLMERCURY] Metabolite
1265 [MERCURIC OXIDE]
4487 [MERCUROUS OXIDE]

Synonyms:

COLLOIDAL MERCURY  **PEER REVIEWED**
Hydrargyrum  **PEER REVIEWED**
KWIK (DUTCH)  **PEER REVIEWED**
LIQUID SILVER  **PEER REVIEWED**
MERCURE (FRENCH)  **PEER REVIEWED**
MERCURIO (ITALIAN)  **PEER REVIEWED**
MERCURY, METALLIC  **PEER REVIEWED**
NCI-C60399  **PEER REVIEWED**
QUECKSILBER (GERMAN)  **PEER REVIEWED**
QUICKSILVER  **PEER REVIEWED**

Formulations/Preparations:

Blue pill; blue mass. Contains 32-34% metallic mercury. The rest is honey,
licorice, althea, glycerol, and some mercury oleate.  [The Merck Index. 10th ed. Rahway, New Jersey: Merck Co., Inc., 1983. 843]**PEER REVIEWED**

Grades or Purity: Pure  [U.S. Coast Guard, Department of Transportation. CHRIS - Hazardous Chemical Data. Volume II. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1984-5.]**PEER REVIEWED**

Available in commercial, instrument, redistilled, technical, and triple distilled grades.   [Environment Canada; Tech Info for Problem Spills: Mercury (Draft) p.1 (1982)]**PEER REVIEWED**

Typical commercial grade: 99.9% mercury  [Environment Canada; Tech Info for Problem Spills: Mercury (Draft) p.3 (1982)]**PEER REVIEWED**

USP mercury conforms to US Pharmacopeia specifications. Triple distilled mercury conforms to American Dental Association & National Formulary requirements and reagent grade conforms to the ACS specifications.  [CONSIDINE. CHEMICAL AND PROCESS TECHNOL ENCYC 1974 p.730]**PEER REVIEWED**

Shipping Name/ Number DOT/UN/NA/IMO:
UN 2024; Mercury compounds, liquid, not otherwise specified
IMO 6.1; Mercury compounds, liquid or solid, not otherwise specified
UN 2025; Mercury compound, solid, not otherwise specified
Standard Transportation Number:
49 232 69; Mercury compound, solid
49 443 25; Mercury, metallic

EPA Hazardous Waste Number:

U151; A toxic waste when a discarded commercial chemical product or manufacturing chemical intermediate or an off-specification commercial chemical product.

D009; A waste containing mercury may (or may not) be characterized a hazardous waste (D009) following testing by the Toxicant Extraction Procedure asprescribed by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) regualtions(see 40 CFR 261).

RTECS Number:

NIOSH/OV4550000

Administrative Information:

Hazardous Substances Databank Number: 1208 Last Revision Date: 20000912 Last Review Date: Reviewed by SRP on 05/20/1988

Update History:

Field Update on 09/12/2000, 1 field added/edited/deleted.
Field Update on 06/12/2000, 1 field added/edited/deleted.
Field Update on 06/12/2000, 1 field added/edited/deleted.
Complete Update on 02/08/2000, 1 field added/edited/deleted.
Complete Update on 11/18/1999, 1 field added/edited/deleted.
Complete Update on 08/30/1999, 5 fields added/edited/deleted.
Complete Update on 05/04/1999, 1 field added/edited/deleted.
Complete Update on 04/02/1999, 2 fields added/edited/deleted.
Field Update on 03/19/1999, 1 field added/edited/deleted.
Complete Update on 01/27/1999, 1 field added/edited/deleted.
Complete Update on 11/19/1998, 1 field added/edited/deleted.
Complete Update on 11/12/1998, 1 field added/edited/deleted.
Complete Update on 02/27/1998, 1 field added/edited/deleted.
Complete Update on 01/15/1998, 1 field added/edited/deleted.
Complete Update on 10/20/1997, 1 field added/edited/deleted.
Complete Update on 08/13/1997, 1 field added/edited/deleted.
Complete Update on 04/07/1997, 2 fields added/edited/deleted.
Complete Update on 03/17/1997, 2 fields added/edited/deleted.
Complete Update on 02/27/1997, 1 field added/edited/deleted.
Complete Update on 07/11/1996, 1 field added/edited/deleted.
Complete Update on 06/21/1996, 2 fields added/edited/deleted.
Complete Update on 06/07/1996, 1 field added/edited/deleted.
Complete Update on 04/09/1996, 8 fields added/edited/deleted.
Field Update on 01/21/1996, 1 field added/edited/deleted.
Complete Update on 08/21/1995, 1 field added/edited/deleted.
Complete Update on 05/26/1995, 1 field added/edited/deleted.
Complete Update on 05/17/1995, 2 fields added/edited/deleted.
Complete Update on 02/27/1995, 1 field added/edited/deleted.
Complete Update on 01/26/1995, 1 field added/edited/deleted.
Complete Update on 12/22/1994, 1 field added/edited/deleted.
Complete Update on 11/18/1994, 1 field added/edited/deleted.
Complete Update on 11/14/1994, 1 field added/edited/deleted.
Complete Update on 10/12/1994, 2 fields added/edited/deleted.
Complete Update on 08/17/1994, 1 field added/edited/deleted.
Complete Update on 03/25/1994, 1 field added/edited/deleted.
Complete Update on 02/02/1994, 1 field added/edited/deleted.
Complete Update on 01/25/1994, 1 field added/edited/deleted.
Complete Update on 08/07/1993, 1 field added/edited/deleted.
Field update on 12/19/1992, 1 field added/edited/deleted.
Complete Update on 12/08/1992, 1 field added/edited/deleted.
Complete Update on 11/20/1992, 1 field added/edited/deleted.
Complete Update on 04/27/1992, 1 field added/edited/deleted.
Complete Update on 01/23/1992, 1 field added/edited/deleted.
Complete Update on 07/08/1991, 1 field added/edited/deleted.
Complete Update on 01/07/1991, 3 fields added/edited/deleted.
Field Update on 01/15/1990, 1 field added/edited/deleted.
Complete Update on 01/11/1990, 2 fields added/edited/deleted.
Complete Update on 04/17/1989, 93 fields added/edited/deleted.
Complete Update on 04/28/1986