Toxicological aspects of mercury

The mercury is dangerous for the Santé, it affects mainly the cerebral and renal functions and is suspected of being the cause of some Cancer S.
Cet element is all the more toxic as it evaporates easily and that its vapor S is easily comparable by the organization. Moreover, the simultaneous Absorption of Copper, Zinc or Plomb tends to increase the harmful capacity of mercury.

It is important to distinguish the effects of elementary mercury Hg from the effects of the Composés organics of mercury (méthylmercure CH3Hg in particular) much more toxic.

The intoxication with mercury is called Hydrargyrie or Hydrargyrisme.

Mercury like poison

At the time Roman, the Criminal S condemned to work in the mine S of Sulfure of mercury (HgS) had a short life expectancy. At the 1st century, Pline Old the described already the symptoms of poisoning to mercury.

This problem remains current: With the the United States, today, nearly 12% of the women in age to procreate has blood a mercury rate higher than the recommendations of EPA.

And during the history, one can count many other cases of poisoning to mercury.

Occupational diseases
One used solutions of Nitrate of mercury to preserve and treat the Peau X for the manufacture of hats. It was even known as that inspired Lewis Carroll for the character of the insane Chapelier in Alice with the country of the wonders . In France, the diseases related to mercury were among the first recognized like occupational diseases as of 1919.

Accidental acute intoxications
  • Fire of Idria (Italy) in 1803: 900 poisoned people
  • Accident aboard the ship Triumph in 1810: this ship transported Vessie S of mercury. Their accidental opening and the consecutive vapors of mercury caused the death of 3 people. 200 others fell sick.
  • Dead in June 1997 of a professor of Chemistry Karen Wetterhahn.

The consumption of poisoned seeds
One used as of 1890 compounds containing mercury for a better conservation of the seed S. This practice spread starting from 1915. That gave place since to many accidents. People were poisoned while consuming by error of the treated seeds. Here known examples:

There were 3 intoxications in 1970 with the the United States related to the consumption of Porc S nourished with treated seeds.

The treatment of the mercuric seeds using Composés is interdict since 1982 in Western Europe.

The compounds used for the treatment were in particular: chlorophénylmercure, the acetate of phénylmercure, the méthylmercure chloride, phosphate of éthylmercure,…

The poisoned fish consumption
Let us quote for example the tragedy of bay of Minamata to the Japan.

In a general way, it agrees by precaution to prevent that the expectant mothers and the Enfant S of less than 2 years consume several times per month of the large Poisson S of high Mer (to avoid Daurade, Espadon, Marlin, Requin and Thon): a contaminated fish can contain 23 mercury Mg per wet kg of weight is close to 100  000 times concentration of surrounding water. Attention, the predatory fish of Fresh water can also be contaminated. On the other hand, the consumption of Mollusque S Bivalve S does not seem to pose problem.

Mercury like remedy or medical tool

Mercury and syphilis
In 1527, Paracelse recommended already mercury powders some like active ingredient of Onguent (gray pomade) to cure the Syphilis. This remedy more or less was unfortunately used until the arrival of the Pénicilline.

mercury in the mercury amalgams
Thermometer and tensiometer with mercury
Conservative mercuriel in the vaccines
One uses since the years 1930 the thiomersal (or Ethylmercurithio 2 sodium benzoate) like preservative in the vaccines. Many heavy side effects were announced on several occasions. As precaution, but particularly because of the indignation of independent organizations of health and of public dissatisfaction, the laboratories tend today to limit to the maximum its use to the profit of other conservatives. The vaccines for infants and children are in particular concerned. The risks related to these vaccines are not negligible. Namely also that the anti-flu vaccine Fluvirine (laboratory Evans Medical) contains “mercury traces”; curiously this element is not mentioned in the Vidal dictionary of the drugs.

The mercurochrome
The Mercurochrome was used a long time like Antiseptique. However, of fears with respect to its toxicity, make that more recent molecules are preferred to him. The trade mark “Mercurochrome” continues has to manufacture disinfectants, but without mercury.

Rules and thresholds of precaution

Except precise details, one speaks here about mercury Inorganique. Values concerning the organic shapes of mercury which can be lower. The values are given only to title codes.

WHO fixes the maximum weekly mercury amount at 5 µg per kg of body weight. It is advisable in industrial environment not to exceed a concentration of 0,05 mg/m ³ of mercury. Attention however, the limit is lowered to 0,01 mg/m ³ for the organic shapes of mercury.

One should not exceed a concentration of 0,3 µg/m ³ during 24 hours consecutive for the ambient air. This limiting value forces to supervise the industrial stack disposals attentively.

The Drinking water should not contain more than 1 mercury µg/l.

For the Adult , the first effects visible of an intoxication with mercury take place for a concentration minimum of 100 µg/l of blood. The limiting value for the exposed workers is generally fixed at 15 µg/l of blood, 5 µg/l of blood for the general population (either 5 creatin µg/g for the urine).

The use of this element polluting is proscribed today, its rejection is controlled. In spite of that, its use in the gold bearing prospection presents serious public health problems.

Sources & References

Although resulting from reliable sources, the figures given are it as an indication and could not be regarded as most recent.
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