MERCURY (Hg) AND US

•Introduction

•Safety Moment
•Emergency Situation
•Breaks and Bathrooms
•Please put your Cell Phones on Silent or Vibrate
 MERCURY (Hg)
• Mercury is a naturally-
occurring element.
The simplest form of
mercury is Elemental,
or liquid, mercury.
 What is Mercury
• It is the only metal on earth which
is liquid at room temperatures.
• Elemental mercury is the pure
form of mercury. It is a shiny,
silver-white, odorless liquid, much
heavier than water.
 Uses for Mercury
• Elemental mercury is used in oral
thermometers, barometers,
sphygmomanometers (devices used
to test blood pressure), wall
thermostats for heating and cooling,
fluorescent light bulbs/tubes, some
batteries, electric light switches, some
indoor gas meter regulators (in houses
built before the 1960’s), and for a
variety of other purposes.
• It is also used in some ethnic religious
and cultural practices, and is the form
of mercury that is commonly used in
school chemistry labs.
 Uses for Mercury Cont.
• Elemental mercury is the form of
mercury that many adults remember
rubbing on coins as children to make
them shine; and it is because of this
practice that many people do not realize
the true danger of being exposed to
Elemental mercury.
• It is used in the Oil and Water drilling
frequently but it is also released from the
earths crust during these process as well
How the public is exposed to Elemental mercury?

• People can be exposed to Elemental

mercury when glass thermometers or
other devices containing mercury are
broken, or when mercury is brought
into the home (most often by children)
from schools, abandoned industrial
sites, or other sites where it may be
stored. If not promptly and properly
cleaned up and disposed of, it can be
spread by walking
 How the public is exposed to Elemental mercury?
• sweeping, or vacuuming, thereby presenting a potential
health threat. Tracking throughout the house or into
automobiles.
• While the health risk is not great at the time of a spill, it will
increase over time if the mercury is not properly removed.
• At air temperatures found in homes, mercury evaporates
slowly.
• Mercury vapors are heavier than air and tend to remain
near the floor or mercury source, but can get into the
ventilation system and be spread throughout the home.
• Outdoors, mercury vapors tend to go away quickly, but
indoors (particularly with windows closed), mercury vapors
will accumulate in the air.
• People can absorb Elemental mercury into their bodies
when they breathe the vapors.
 How can mercury enter my body?
• Elemental mercury is absorbed into the body
primarily by breathing the airborne vapors.
Elemental mercury cannot go through
intact skin very well, so touching the beads
is less of a problem than breathing the
vapors.
• If you swallow the metal mercury (which is
certainly not recommended), passes
through your body almost completely without
being absorbed. Therefore, in almost all
circumstances, breathing the mercury vapors
in the air is the only real source of entry of
Elemental mercury into the human body.
 How can Elemental mercury affect my health?

• The nervous system is sensitive to Elemental mercury.

Exposure to very high levels of Elemental mercury vapor
can cause brain, kidney, and lung damage and may
seriously harm a developing fetus.
• Exposure to mercury vapor concentrations high enough to
produce such serious effects might also cause coughing,
chest pains, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, increases in
blood pressure or heart rate, skin rashes, and eye
irritation.
• Exposure to lower levels of airborne mercury for
prolonged periods of time would produce more subtle
effects, such as irritability, sleep disturbances, excessive
shyness, tremors, coordination problems, changes in
vision or hearing, and memory problems.
• Most of the effects of mercury resulting from prolonged
lower level exposure are reversible, once exposure is
terminated and the mercury has left your body.
 How mercury affects children

• Very young children are more

sensitive than adults to the effects
of mercury. Children 5 years of age
and younger are considered to be
particularly sensitive to the effects
of mercury on the nervous system,
since their central nervous system
is still developing.
 Mercury affects children Cont.
• Some children exposed to high mercury vapor levels
develop a reversible condition called acrodynia, in which
the palms of the hands and soles of the feet often become
reddened and tender, before beginning to peel. Children
with acrodynia may also have mood swings, increased
irritability, difficulty sleeping, and muscle or joint pains.
Exposure levels high enough to cause acrodynia might
also cause coughing or pain in the chest area. Acrodynia
is usually, but not always, associated with urine mercury
concentrations of 100 micrograms (or more) of mercury
per liter of urine.
 Mercury affects children Cont.
• When pregnant women are exposed
to mercury, the mercury can pass
from the mother's body to the
developing fetus; it can also be
passed to a nursing infant through
breast milk. However, since breast
feeding itself has significant health
benefits, a physician should be
consulted before stopping breast
feeding because the mother may
have been exposed to mercury.
 Medical test for Mercury?
• Tests are available to measure mercury
levels in the body.
• Blood or urine samples are used to test
for exposure to Elemental mercury.
• Once exposure has stopped, the mercury
level in the blood begins to drop rapidly,
so blood tests are useful only for
continuing or very recent exposures.
• Blood mercury levels are not considered
a good predictor of toxic effects.
 Medical test for Mercury?
• Since the Elemental mercury that is absorbed
into the body is passed almost exclusively in
the urine, urine samples provide the best
indicator of exposure to Elemental Mercury.
• Urine samples may be either collected over a
24-hour period, or may be taken once
(preferably soon after awakening in the
morning) and adjusted for a substance called
creatinine, which occurs naturally in the urine.
Urine mercury concentrations over 10
micrograms per liter would indicate that a
person has been exposed to higher mercury
levels than the average population. However,
that does not imply that health effects will
necessarily result.
Mercury Spills? What NOT to do
• Never use a broom or brush on
Elemental Mercury; it will make the
Mercury vaporize faster and cause it to
become smaller droplets
• Never use a standard vacuum cleaner:
The Mercury will vaporize and right
through the filters.
DON’T LET IT GO DOWN A DRAIN
 Mercury Spills? What To do

• Secure the area.. Don’t let anyone come to

“see” without proper PPE
• Try to adjust to temperature down: Mercury
vaporizes quicker as it gets warmer.
• Tell you Supervisor and Environmental Engineer
• If the area is an enclosed space open a couple
of windows or use a small fan to move the air;
this will help the Vapor to move around and
reduce large concentrations
 Mercury Spills? What To do
• Be careful not to cross contaminate
(Do not walk though the spilled mercury will get on you
shoes)
• You will need a plastic zip lock baggie, a porous sponge,
an index card, and a plastic jar with a good seal. Glass
jars are ok as long as they are secured very well.
 Mercury Spills? What To do

• Start your inspection for spilled mercury several feet away

from the spill looking for droplets. (It may help to darken
the room and use a flash light or black light in the room the
mercury will reflect the light)
• Take your time, if you are in a hurry you will make
mistakes
• Use your index card to push the mercury droplets in the
zip lock bag.
• Work you way towards the larger mercury droplets
following the same procedure.
• Use the sponge to lightly wipe down the area Mercury will
adhere to the sponge
• Place the bag and sponge into the Jar, label it Elemental
Mercury, time and date HAZARDOUS MATERIAL
 Mercury Spills? What To do
• Have the area tested for Mercury vapor.
• Create a Spill Response report and Lessons
Learned for each spill so every one can learn
from the incident.
 PPE & Clothing

• Rubber or PVC gloves

• Goggles or safety
glasses
• Disposable shoe
covers
• REMOVE ALL
METAL JEWELRY!!!
(Mercury Sticks to
other metals very
well)
 Mercury Disposal
• No mercury, including broken
thermometers, may be disposed of
in the normal trash or into the sewer
system.
 Disposal

• Label the container with the

following:
• “Waste Mercury Containing Lamps”
• “Toxic” (or appropriate for region)
• Date placed in the container
• Store in a secure, ventilated area
• Hazardous/Universal waste storage
area
 Mercury Waste
• Includes the mercury and all
waste materials contaminated
with mercury.
– Gloves and other contaminated
debris.
 Basics to Remember 4 Spills
– Prevent spills by having a plan to all mercury-
containing equipment or material
– In case of a spill:
•Stop and Think, Stop Working, Stop the spill
•Warn Others
•Isolate the Area
•Monitor Yourself Carefully and Completely
•Stay In or Near the Area Until Help Arrives
–
– • Do not: allow anyone near the spill without proper
PPE
–
– • Do not: Use anything but the company approved
clean material.
– TELL SOMEONE: Lessons Must be learned and
corrective actions implemented to prevent similar
accidents.
Other forms of Mercury to be concerned about

Two other forms of Mercury that you

may come in contact with at home
are..
• Inorganic Mercury
• Organic Mercury
 Inorganic
Inorganic Mercury Compounds
• can cause kidney failure and
gastrointestinal damage.
• Mercury salts are irritating, and can
cause blisters and ulcers on the lips
and tongue. Rashes, excessive
sweating, irritability, muscle twitching,
weakness and high blood pressure
are other symptoms of elevated
exposures.
 Types of Inorganic Hg
Mercury is combined with other elements, such as
chlorine, sulfur or oxygen, inorganic mercuric salts occur,
generally in the form of white powders or crystals.
You could or can find Inorganic mercury in:
• Antibacterial Medicines containing 2% Hg
• Eye treatment products, such as eye drops and contact
lens solutions
• vaginal contraceptives gels and suppositories:
• mercuric chloride is a topical antiseptic once widely used
in laxatives, teething powders and worming medications
• mercuric iodide, used in creams to lighten the skin. These
formulations are still used in some prescription and over-
the-counter medications, as well as pharmaceutical
preservatives.
• Mercuric sulfide and oxide are sometimes used as
colorants in paint and tattoo dyes.
 Organic Mercury
(such as Methyl mercury)

Can change from one form to another in the

environment. Methyl mercury tends to
accumulate to some degree in all fish, but
especially in predatory fish. Methyl mercury
is absorbed through the digestive tract and
distributed throughout the body. It readily
enters the brain, where it may remain for a
long period of time. In a pregnant woman, it
can also cross the placenta into the fetus,
building up in the fetal brain and other
tissues. Methyl mercury can also be passed
to the infant through breast milk.
 Organic Mercury
• Organic mercury may occur as methyl mercury,
alkyl mercury or phenyl mercury. Organic
Mercury is considered to be the largest
threat to you and I.
• Methyl mercury is the most common form of
organic mercury, and is produced primarily by
microorganisms, bacteria and fungi in the
environment.. The greatest concern for methyl
mercury derived from its uptake by fresh and
saltwater fish and shellfish. Fish at the top of
the food chain (Large Predatory Fish) will
have the largest amount, and the oldest fish will
have accumulated the most.
 Routes of Exposure to Mercury

Hg form == Oral Inhalation Dermal

Elemental Low HIGH Low

Inorganic High Low Moderate

Organic High Low High

How Mercury Moves
 Questions?

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