Mercury and its Effects on Humans

Today when people think of heavy metal, they think of numerous rock bands such as Guns n’ Roses, AC/DC, or Led Zepplin. However the more health conscious person should think of heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, and mercury. The most common metal to come in contact with humans, with possibly the most serious effects, is mercury. Mercury is a natural substance that can be found in the environment. It is the only common metal that is a liquid at room temperature, but at high temperatures it can evaporate into a colourless, odourless vapour. For years, this type of mercury has been used in products such as thermometers, switches, batteries, jewellery, cosmetics and even dental fillings (VDH 2004). Although mercury use has decreased throughout the years, many households still contain products with mercury in them. The following paragraphs give reasons why the use of mercury has decreased throughout the years by describing the effects of mercury on the human body, how mercury gets in the human body, and the steps taken to prevent the effects of mercury on the human body.

The health effects of mercury exposure depend on several key factors, mainly the amount of mercury and the length of exposure. However, a person’s general health, age, sex, diet, and lifestyle are also factors determining the overall effects of mercury on a person. Young children and foetuses are especially susceptible to mercury due to their developing organs. Mercury affects several systems and organs in the human body such as the nervous system, the digestive system, the immune system and the endocrine system, the respiratory system, the kidney, and the heart. Mercury has short-term and long-term effects for each system and organ. The following information on the short and long term effects of mercury inhalation are based on several occupational studies.

The effects due to short-term exposure to mercury are rarely seen anymore because of the strict rules used in workplaces where mercury is commonly used. However, in the past, short-term exposure to mercury caused harmful effects on the nervous, digestive, and respiratory systems. In most cases, exposure occurred when mercury was heated into a vapour, and therefore inhaled by the person.

The short-term effects on the nervous system usually i...

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... recycling before these products can be disposed of or scrapped;

· Fluorescent lamps must be disposed of at special facilities licensed to recycle the mercury;

· Certain toxic substances, including mercury, are prohibited in inks, dyes, pigments, paints or fungicides as well as in any packaging products;

· MPCA permits for incinerators include limits on the amount of mercury they may release.

(MCPA 2004)

Together the causes of mercury, and the effects mercury has on the human body prove that mercury is a dangerous metal. The actually effects of mercury and how they get into the human body still overshadow the actions taken to avoid mercury and its effects. The above paragraphs show good reason why the numbers of products in the household containing mercury are decreasing as the years go by. They also provide reasonable doubt as to why such a potentially dangerous metal was ever used in common household products. Such a question may never be answered, however many people may sleep better at night knowing that the question will never have to be answered, sleeping in a mercury free home.