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Summary
Mercury is an element that is found in air, water and soil. It has several forms. Metallic mercury is a shiny, silver-white, odorless liquid. If heated, it is a colorless, odorless gas. It also combines with other elements to form powders or crystals. Mercury is in many products. Metallic mercury is used in glass thermometers, silver dental fillings, and button batteries. Mercury salts may be used in skin creams and ointments. It's also used in many industries.
Mercury in the air settles into water. It can pass through the food chain and build up in fish, shellfish, and animals that eat fish. The nervous system is sensitive to all forms of mercury. Exposure to high levels can damage the brain and kidneys. Pregnant women can pass the mercury in their bodies to their babies.
It is important to protect your family from mercury exposure:
- Carefully handle and dispose of products that contain mercury
- Limit your consumption of fish with higher levels of mercury
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
- Basic Information about Mercury (Environmental Protection Agency) Also in Spanish
-
Mercury
(National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences)
- Mercury (Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry) Also in Spanish
Diagnosis and Tests
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Heavy Metal Blood Test
(National Library of Medicine)
Also in Spanish
Related Issues
- Dental Amalgam Fillings (Food and Drug Administration)
- Health Effects of Exposures to Mercury (Environmental Protection Agency) Also in Spanish
- Storing, Transporting and Disposing of Mercury in Your Home (Environmental Protection Agency)
- Thimerosal and Vaccines (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Specifics
- Mercury Poisoning Linked to Skin Products (Food and Drug Administration) Also in Spanish
- Should I Be Concerned about Eating Fish and Shellfish? (Environmental Protection Agency)
Clinical Trials
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Mercury Poisoning
(National Institutes of Health)
Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Mass spectrometry measurements of mercury isotope ratios support geochemical sourcing of...
- Article: Munduruku Indigenous children: health situation in an area with high mercury...
- Article: Childhood mercury exposure and early death in Grassy Narrows First Nation,...
- Mercury -- see more articles
Find an Expert
Women
- Mercury and Pregnancy (March of Dimes Foundation)
Patient Handouts
- Mercuric chloride poisoning (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Mercuric oxide poisoning (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Mercury poisoning (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
The information on this site should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care or advice. Contact a health care provider if you have questions about your health.