| Disease/Syndrome |
Mercury, elemental, chronic toxic effect |
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| Category |
Poisoning, Heavy Metal |
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| Acute/Chronic |
Chronic |
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| Synonyms |
Mercury poisoning |
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| Biomedical References |
Search PubMed |
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| Comments |
Inhalation of elemental mercury vapor is the most common exposure leading to occupational mercury poisoning. Mercury can cause peripheral neuropathy and neuropsychiatric disorders after chronic exposure. The key to preventing chronic mercury poisoning is to reduce spills and to clean up ones that occur. [ATSDR Case Studies #17] Other forms of mercury poisoning follow ingestion of inorganic mercury and organic mercury compounds. See the chemicals: Mercury, elemental; "Mercury, alkyl compounds"; "Mercury, aryl compounds"; and "Mercury, inorganic compounds." |
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| Latency/Incubation |
In the occupational setting, neurological symptoms develop over months to years; [Olson, p. 254] |
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| Diagnostic |
Background levels of mercury are generally < 10 ug/L for whole blood and <20 ug/L for urine. [Goldfrank, p. 1340] See the ACGIH BEI for inorganic and elemental mercury. |
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| ICD-9 Code |
985.0 |
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| Reference Link |
Mercury exposure: current concepts, controversies, and a clinic's experience |
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| Related Information in Haz-Map |
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| Symptoms/Findings |
Symptoms/Findings associated with this disease:
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| Job Tasks |
High risk job tasks associated with this disease:
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| Agents |
Hazardous agents that cause the occupational disease:
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