Download Mercury Software
Doreen Kaczmarek
Small-scale gold refining is a major cause of air pollution from mercury. EPA helped design a low-cost mercury capture system that is simple to build and install, uses locally available materials, and reduces mercury emissions by at least 80%.
Eating contaminated fish is the number one cause of mercury exposure in America. Mercury is spewed into the air from coal-burning power plants and factories. That pollution can travel halfway around the world and then settle into lakes, rivers, and oceans, where it is absorbed or ingested by small organisms and then starts working its way up the food chain, its concentration rising with each step. Big predatory fish, like sharks or tuna, can have especially high concentrations in their bodies.
If you have concerns about your mercury consumption, ask your physician for a blood mercury test. Women with a high blood mercury level who are planning to start a family may decide to postpone pregnancy for a few months until that level drops.
Although the liquid mercury in fever thermometers is less toxic than the form of mercury found in fish, inhaling it can still cause damage to the lungs, kidneys, and brain. In some cities, you may be able to exchange your old mercury thermometer for a free digital replacement. Household hazardous waste collection facilities and many pharmacies also collect and safely dispose of mercury thermometers.
If a mercury thermometer breaks, make sure that children do not touch the liquid mercury or inhale its vapors. Carefully sweep the little silver balls of mercury into a disposable plastic container and seal the container shut. Then take the container to your local household hazardous waste collection facility. Do not flush the mercury down the toilet, vacuum it, or throw it in the garbage can.
The most popular alternative to mercury fillings is composite, or porcelain, fillings. However, these fillings contain the hormone-disrupting chemical bisphenol A, or BPA. Gold fillings appear to be the safest alternative but are considerably more expensive. Discuss the benefits and drawbacks of each option with your dentist.
In late 1990s, NRDC and others successfully pressed for the removal of thimerosal, a preservative that contains ethyl mercury, from childhood vaccines to limit mercury exposure. The flu vaccine is the only routine childhood vaccine that still sometimes includes thimerosal, but parents can request a mercury-free version. Some of the combined diphtheria and tetanus vaccines may contain trace residues of thimerosal, but the amounts are extremely small.
Summary: Mercury combines with other elements, such as chlorine, sulfur, or oxygen, to form inorganic mercury compounds or "salts", which are usually white powders or crystals. Mercury also combines with carbon to make organic mercury compounds. The most common one, methylmercury, is produced mainly by microscopic organisms in the water and soil. More mercury in the environment can increase the amounts of methylmercury that these small organisms make.
Metallic Mercury is a dense liquid that vaporizes easily at room temperature. Metallic mercury is not easily absorbed into unbroken skin. However, it vaporizes, even at room temperature. The higher the temperature, the more vapors are released. Mercury vapors are colorless and odorless, though they can be seen with the aid of an ultraviolet light. Metallic mercury is used to produce chlorine gas and caustic soda, and is also used in thermometers, dental fillings, and batteries. Mercury salts are sometimes used in skin lightening creams and as antiseptic creams and ointments.
Action Levelspdf icon[579 KB] - Guidance for action levels in the instance of elemental or metallic mercury releases or spills. The action level guidelines are based on the ATSDR Chronic Minimal Risk Level and the EPA Reference Concentration.
NOTE: On February 8, 2006, technical changes were made to the data that was posted on January 19, 2006. The changes corrected data or more properly characterized the species of fish or shellfish sampled. On October 6, 2014, technical changes were made to allow viewers to review the list in order of mercury levels and in alphabetical order by fish species.
Mercury from most fish sold in Australia is not a health risk, when the fish is consumed as part of a normal diet. However, for healthy adults (who are not pregnant) and older children (6 years and over), fish with high levels of mercury should not be eaten more than once a week.
Studies of the brain development of children whose mothers ate significant amounts of fish with high mercury levels during pregnancy have been carried out in New Zealand, the Faroe Islands and the Seychelles.
The Joint Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and World Health Organization (WHO) Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) reviewed these studies in 2003. These researchers recommended reducing the amount of fish known to contain mercury in the diet, particularly for pregnant women. This position was reaffirmed in 2007.
Australian research shows that mercury levels in some fish, particularly shark, could be even higher than in the areas studied for this research. In fact, it seems that mercury levels in some shark species caught in Victorian waters are particularly high.
The Australian guidelines for safe levels of mercury in the diet were revised in 2004 and again in 2020 by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ). Advice on the consumption of fish was updated to reflect the Joint FAO and WHO Expert Committee (JECFA) research.
NIEHS, FDA, and EPA studied health effects of methylmercury on humans from consuming contaminated fish. As part of a healthy eating pattern, eating certain fish may offer heart health benefits and lower the risk of obesity. But consuming large quantities of contaminated fish can increase exposure to mercury. Pregnant women who eat fish high in mercury on a regular basis run the risk of permanently damaging their developing fetuses. Children born to these mothers may exhibit motor difficulties, sensory problems and cognitive deficits. Find a link to advice about eating fish below.
Use this Guide to learn about mercury, understand its environmental and health effects, safely manage products and wastes that contain it, and find out what Massachusetts and other states in the region are doing to reduce mercury exposure.
Mercury won't harm you if it stays inside an item. But when a product containing it is broken, thrown in the trash, or poured down the drain, mercury accumulates in the environment, polluting air and water, and accumulating in fish.
See Key Actions below for different interactive maps with disposal sites for mercury-added products. Call each event or disposal site before arriving with mercury-added products to assure that they are open and accepting your item. Always specify if the mercury-added product is broken or intact.
See Additional Resources below to learn more about cleaning up spilled mercury vapor and liquid mercury that is less than 2 tablespoons. All mercury spills GREATER THAN 2 TABLESPOONS should be reported to 911 or the 24/7 DEP Spill Hotline at 888-304-1133 immediately.
Even before the 2006 law took effect, MassDEP required power plants to reduce mercury emissions and municipal waste combustion facilities to separate mercury-containing items from the loads of trash sent to them for disposal.
Mercury poisoning refers to toxicity from mercury consumption. Mercury is a type of toxic metal that we can come into contact with in a variety of ways. This may include consuming certain types of seafood and wearing certain types of jewelry.
Consuming foods with mercury is a common cause of this type of poisoning. Children and pregnant people are the more vulnerable to the effects of mercury poisoning. You can help prevent toxicity by limiting your exposure to this potentially dangerous metal.
Mercury exposure can lead to developmental problems in the brain, which can also affect physical functions such as motor skills. Some children who are exposed to mercury at a young age may develop learning disabilities, according to the Environmental Defense Fund.
Fish get mercury from the water they live in. All types of fish contain some amount of mercury. Larger types of fish can have higher amounts of mercury because they prey on other fish that contain mercury too. The concentration of mercury concentrations in fish and seafood may be 1 to 10 million times that of the concentration in the surrounding water.
A 2020 study found that, for study participants, eating fish less than one time a week had little effect. However, participants who ate fish two or more times a week had dangerously high levels of fetal mercury exposure.
If your mercury levels reach a certain point, a healthcare professional may have you do chelation therapy. Chelating agents are drugs that remove the metal from your organs and help your body dispose of them.
Many types of human activities have the potential to create mercury pollution. UNEP is working with governments and other stakeholders to reduce mercury pollution and its negative impacts. UNEP supports a range of activities on mercury, including:
This update to the Global Mercury Assessment 2013 provides the most recent information available for the worldwide emissions to air, releases to water, and transport of mercury in atmospheric and aquatic environments.
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.
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