The Toxicology of Mercury — Current Exposures and Clinical Manifestations

• Published in: The New England journal of medicine Vol. 349; no. 18; pp. 1731 - 1737
• Main Authors: Clarkson, Thomas W, Magos, Laszlo, Myers, Gary J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston, MA Massachusetts Medical Society 30-10-2003
• Subjects: Adult; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Chemical and industrial products toxicology. Toxic occupational diseases; Dental Amalgam - poisoning; Fetus - drug effects; Fishes; Humans; Infant; Medical sciences; Mercury; Mercury - adverse effects; Mercury - chemistry; Mercury Poisoning; Metals and various inorganic compounds; Methylmercury Compounds - poisoning; Occupational Exposure - adverse effects; Occupational health; Preservatives, Pharmaceutical - poisoning; Thimerosal - poisoning; Toxicology; Vaccines; Human; Food poisoning; Clinical form; Adult; Exposure; Poisoning; Occupational exposure; Child; Mercury
• ISSN: 0028-4793; 1533-4406
• DOI: 10.1056/NEJMra022471

Mercury poisoning still occurs as a result of accidental and occupational exposure. For the general population, however, the main concern is the possible adverse effect of exposure to mercury through fish consumption and the receipt of dental amalgams and thimerosal, a preservative used in vaccines. This review summarizes both the facts and the controversies surrounding exposure to methyl mercury, mercury vapor, and the ethyl mercury in thimerosal.
Mercury has been used commercially and medically for centuries. In the past it was a common constituent of many medications. It is still used in hospitals in thermometers and blood-pressure cuffs and commercially in batteries, switches, and fluorescent light bulbs. Large quantities of metallic mercury are employed as electrodes in the electrolytic production of chlorine and sodium hydroxide from saline. These uses still give rise to accidental and occupational exposures.
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Today, however, exposure of the general population comes from three major sources: fish consumption, dental amalgams, and vaccines. Each has its own characteristic form of mercury and distinctive toxicologic profile . . .