Skip Navigation

Tox Town - Environmental health concerns and toxic chemicals where you live, work, and play
Mercuryen español
Mercury can be found in air, water and freshwater fish. Can harm the nervous system.

What is mercury?

Mercury is a metal that occurs naturally in the environment. It comes in several odorless forms. It can be a shiny, silver-white liquid, or a tin-white solid. If it is heated, it becomes a colorless gas. The chemical symbol for mercury is Hg

Mercury is used in some thermometers, barometers, vapor and fluorescent lamps, mirror coatings, dental fillings, batteries, pharmaceuticals, and agricultural chemicals. Mercury salts are sometimes used in skin-lightening and antiseptic creams. 

Mercury is used to make electrical equipment, wire, and switching devices; to extract gold and silver from ores; and to produce chlorine gas and caustic soda, a liquid chemical. Mercury compounds were once used in latex paints, but were banned from that use in 1990.

How might I be exposed to mercury?

You can be exposed to mercury by eating fish or shellfish contaminated with mercury, or having skin contact with it. 

You can be exposed to mercury by breathing contaminated air at work, or by breathing contaminated air from spills, incinerators, and industries that burn fuels that contain mercury.

How can mercury affect my health?

Exposure to high levels of mercury can cause mercury poisoning, which can cause death or permanently damage the brain and kidneys. This brain damage can cause tremors, hallucinations, psychosis, changes in vision or hearing, memory problems, loss of appetite and weight, and irritability. 

If you are pregnant, repeated exposure to mercury may increase the risk of damage to the fetus, or cause miscarriage. 

Exposure to high levels of mercury vapor can damage kidneys. It can also irritate lungs and cause depression, inflammation of the gums and mouth, coughing, chest pain, and shortness of breath. Repeated low exposure may cause skin allergies. 

Short-term exposure to high levels of mercury vapors can cause lung damage, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, increases in heart rate or blood pressure, skin rashes, and irritation or cloudiness of the eyes. 

If you think you have been exposed to mercury, contact your health care professional. 

For poisoning emergencies or questions about possible poisons, please contact your local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222.


Web Links from MedlinePlus (National Library of Medicine)
Mercury

More Links
Mercury Compounds. Hazardous Substances Data Bank (National Library of Medicine)
Mercury home page (Environmental Protection Agency)
Mercury in Buildings (Purdue University)
Mercury in Medical Facilities (Purdue University)
Mercury. Haz-Map (National Library of Medicine)
Mercury. ToxFAQs (Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry)

Locations where Mercury may be found
City
City
Farm
Farm
Town
Town
U.S.-Mexico Border
U.S.-Mexico Border
Port
Port
Brownfield
Dental Office and Lab
Drinking Water
Factory
Homes
Hospital
Offices and Stores
Pharmacy
River
School
Drinking Water
Homes
Landfill
Shed
Drinking Water
Factory
Homes
Offices and Stores
River
School
Drinking Water
Homes
Illegal Dumps and Tire Piles
Maquiladora
River
Stormwater and Sewage
Tienda
Trash Burning
Coastal Brownfield
Cruise Ship
Drinking Water
Homes
Marina and Boats
Offices and Stores
River
Shipping
Shipyard
Storms and Floods
Stormwater and Sewage
Urban and Industrial Runoff

Last Updated: November 06, 2008

Interactive Graphic Neighborhoods City Farm Town US - Mexico Border Port