The most commonly accepted methods of assessing mercury exposure are to test urine or blood. Both tests usually measure levels of total mercury (elemental, inorganic and organic). Elevated mercury in urine usually indicates exposure to an elemental or inorganic source of mercury, such as from a job that uses mercury.
Elemental (Metallic) Mercury
Metallic mercury mainly causes health effects when inhaled as a vapor where it can be absorbed through the lungs. Symptoms of prolonged and/or acute exposures include: Tremors; Emotional changes (such as mood swings, irritability, nervousness, excessive shyness);
The traditional treatment for mercury poisoning is to stop all exposures. In many cases, chelation therapy is also used. This involves giving a medication (the chelator) which goes into the body and grabs the metal (chelos is the Greek word for claw) then carries the metal out of the body, usually into the urine.
Permanent damage to the brain has been shown to occur from exposure to sufficiently high levels of metallic mercury. The kidneys are also sensitive to the effects of mercury, because mercury accumulates in the kidneys and causes higher exposures to these tissues, and thus more damage.
Some of the health effects exposure to mercury may cause include: irritation to the eyes, skin, and stomach; cough, chest pain, or difficulty breathing, insomnia, irritability, indecision, headache, weakness or exhaustion, and weight loss.
A large overdose of inorganic mercury may cause massive blood and fluid loss, kidney failure, and likely death. Chronic brain damage from organic mercury poisoning is difficult to treat. Some people never recover, but there has been some success in people who receive chelation treatment.
Health effects of mercury exposure
The inhalation of mercury vapour can produce harmful effects on the nervous, digestive and immune systems, lungs and kidneys, and may be fatal. The inorganic salts of mercury are corrosive to the skin, eyes and gastrointestinal tract, and may induce kidney toxicity if ingested.
Removing mercury from drinking water
Mercury can be reduced below 2 ppb in drinking water using granular activated carbon filtration, coagulation/filtration, lime softening or reverse osmosis.
The most common way people in the U.S. are exposed to mercury is by eating seafood contaminated with methylmercury. Nearly all fish and shellfish contain trace amounts of methylmercury.
Many studies show that high exposure to mercury induces changes in the central nervous system, potentially resulting in irritability, fatigue, behavioral changes, tremors, headaches, hearing and cognitive loss, dysarthria, incoordination, hallucinations, and death.
Is there a home test for mercury poisoning? Yes, home tests for mercury poisoning typically come with a quick test kit and full instructions. You can also book a qualified home nurse who will retrieve a blood sample to measure the level of mercury in your blood.
Mercury poisoning occurs when your body is exposed to too much mercury. Mercury is a type of elemental metal found in the Earth's crust that's toxic to humans. Mercury poisoning most often happens by eating too much seafood that contains mercury. If you were exposed to mercury, contact poison control at 1-800-222-1222.
Fetuses, infants and young children are four to five times more sensitive to mercury exposure than adults. High levels of mercury can impair a child's physical and mental development, including motor skills, learning capacity and memory.
Mercury: Nervous system, skin, face, thyroid. It has a direct influence over mental disorders, ear problems, etc.
Certain nutrients such as Selenium, Vitamin C and E, and Glutathione help with mercury removal. Adding these nutrients in your diet can go a long way in preventing mercury toxicity. Besides, high doses of chlorella, a green algae, has also been proven helpful in reducing body mercury levels.
The most common way people in the United States are exposed to mercury is by eating fish containing methylmercury. Other exposures may result from using or breaking products containing mercury.
Fruits and vegetables high in vitamin C can reduce the damage caused by heavy metal toxins by acting as an antioxidant. Vitamin C helps convert toxins into a water-soluble form that may be eliminated easily from the body.
Salmon is low in mercury.
Farmed salmon has on average, 0.05 micrograms of mercury per gram. This is well below the levels deemed safe for women and children by the FDA and EPA, which inform the United States Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA).
Canned white, or albacore (0.32 parts per million of mercury). Children under six can eat up to one 3-ounce portion a month; children from 6-12, two 4.5-ounce portions a month. Adults, including pregnant women, can safely eat this kind of tuna up to three times a month (women, 6-ounce portions; men, 8-ounce portions).
The three forms are called elemental (or metallic) mercury, inorganic mercury compounds, and organic mercury compounds. Elemental mercury is liquid at room temperature.
Canned light tuna is in the “Best Choices” category and it is fine to eat 2 to 3 servings per week. We recommend that you eat a variety of fish.
Broad neurological symptoms
This can include trouble thinking or processing thoughts, as well as sudden memory problems. The effect on the nervous system can also inhibit the senses, leading to: Sudden vision changes (particularly a loss of peripheral vision) Impaired speech and hearing.