Sources of Mercury

There are 3 main types of mercury exposure:

1. Organic Mercury

This appears to be the major cause of elevated mercury on a hair tissue analysis Sources include:

• Fish is the major source (worse in large long-living predator fish such as swordfish, shark, large (king, bluefin) tuna, catfish, ling and barramundi)
• Past vaccines with thiomersal
• Elemental and inorganic mercury can be converted to methylmercury by microorganisms in the environment, however this is usually a minor source in humans

2. Elemental Mercury

• Mostly from amalgams
• Used widely in scientific devices, electrical equipment, and industry, including in thermometers, barometers, batteries, electrical switches and relays, fluorescent light bulbs, solders, semiconductor solar cells, catalysts, preservatives, electroplating, paints, pharmaceuticals and chlor- alkali (some high fructose corn syrups)
• Liquid mercury forms a stable amalgam with silver and gold; thus it has been used to extract pure gold and silver from gold and silver ores. The mercury in amalgamation with gold or silver is evaporated by heating and becomes purified gold and silver. Miners can be exposed to mercury vapour by inhalation. (Mercury released from such practice contaminates the environment and can become methyl mercury through microorganisms). This purification process can also be used by jewellery stores or at home
• It is also released into the air when coal and other fossil fuels are burned

3. Inorganic Mercury

• Cinnabar (Mercury sulphide) used by Chinese several thousand years ago for a red dye pigment. Still used occasionally for the red colour in tattoos
• Medical applications since ancient Egypt including mercury compounds used in creams for skin infections, and in developing countries, they have been applied to the treatment of skin sores from syphilis
• Mercury compounds have been used as laxatives
• Teething powders used calomel (mercurous chloride)
• “Hatter’s shake” or “mad hatter” was a result of the use of Mercuric Nitrate to treat the fur used in high quality felt hats
• Also used in antiseptic preservatives, mercurochrome (dibromohydroxymercurifluorescein) and preservative antibacterial agents as phenylmercury compounds
• Skin lightening products and cosmetics
• Elemental and organic mercury can also convert to inorganic mercury

References:

1. http://healthywa.wa.gov.au/Articles/J_M/Mercury-exposure
2. Osiecki H. The Nutrient Bible. 7th Edition. Australia. Bio Concepts Publishing, 2008.
3. Clinipath Pathology. Sonic Pathology Handbook. Australia. Sonic Healthcare Ltd, 2014.
4. Mediscan for Bioceuticals. Hair Mineral Analysis: A Practitioner’s Guide. Australia.Bioceuticals, 2010.
5. Cutler AH, Hair Test Interpretation: Finding Hidden Toxicities. United States of America.Andrew Hall Cutler, 2004.
6. an AJ, et al. Heavy metals and human health: Mechanistic insight into toxicity and counter defense system of antioxidants. International Journal of Molecular Science.2015; 16: 29592-29630.
7. https://www.cdc.gov/biomonitoring/pdf/Mercury_FactSheet.pdf
8. http://www.inchem.org/documents/cicads/cicads/cicad50.htm
9. Park J, Zheng W. Human exposure and health effects of inorganic and elemental mercury.Journal of Preventative Medicine and Public Health. 2012; 45(6): 344-352.

---