Mercury Poisoning
Symptoms and Causes
Mercury poisoning symptoms vary widely. The differences are due to the exact chemical compounds, how the mercury came into the body, and the total quantity of mercury.
The symptoms categories include:
- Chronic mercury poisoning due to inhalation or contact
- Chronic mercury poisoning due to ingestion
- Acute mercury poisoning
- Sensitivity reactions to mercury
Chronic mercury poisoning due to inhalation or contact
The typical mercury poisoning symptoms include:
- A metallic taste, with excess saliva Inflammation in the mouth
- Teeth becoming looser in the mouth
- A blue line along the gums
- Numbness or pain, along with tremors, in the hands, feet, arms or legs
- Loss of appetite and loss of weight
- Mental and personality changes, usually towards depression and withdrawal
The cause is repeated exposure to various forms of mercury, often due to the person’s occupation. Some miners or factory workers might inhale mercury vapour, or dust containing mercury compounds, during their work.
Hatters used mercuric nitrate to make felt hats; they absorbed the chemical through the skin. A typical Western householder’s greatest risk would be from a broken mercury vapour lamp or compact fluorescent bulb.
Chronic mercury poisoning due to inhalation or contact
The typical mercury poisoning symptoms in this circumstance include:
- Progressive muscular weakness
- Progressive loss of vision
- Impaired brain function
- Possible paralysis, coma or death
This is known as Minamata disease. The syndrome was found in Minamata, Japan, in the 1950’s. The cause: eating large quantities of seafood, which had been contaminated with methyl-mercury compounds.
The contamination was traced back to factory effluent. (Similar symptoms were found in cats and seabirds in the area).
Similar mercury poisoning symptoms have been found where farming communities ate mercury-treated grain seeds. The treatment was a fungicide, and should have been safe if the seeds were planted. However, some of the seeds were processed and eaten. A typical Western householder’s greatest risk would be from eating a great deal of fish from a contaminated river or lake.
Acute mercury poisoning symptoms
The first symptoms include severe inflammation of the stomach or bowels, cramps, nausea, vomiting, and bloody diarrhea.
Later, the mercury poisons the kidneys, resulting in progressive decrease in urination. Kidney failure is fatal because the body cannot excrete its usual toxins.
The cause is ingesting soluble mercury salts, such as mercuric chloride. This may be accidental, in some industrial settings, or deliberate as a suicide attempt. (Mercuric chloride had been used in making vinyl chloride).
In large quantities, Thimerosal is an acute poison. Whether caused by inhalation, ingestion or skin contact, it affects the kidneys and central nervous system. The hazard would be, for example, to a factory or health-care worker who is dealing with a large amount. It is considered a problemfor young children who receive multiple vaccinations, due to the fact that the mercury accumulates in the child's system and develops a cumulative effect.
It is also dangerous for young childred due to the vulnerability of their young bodies and their limited ability to rid their sytem of the mercury.
Sensitivity Reactions to Mercury
These would be considered “allergic” reactions to medical uses of mercury compounds. Again, the symptoms depend on the specific medications.
Some mercury compounds are used as diuretics, to increase urination.
For these diuretics, mercury sensitivity symptoms include:
- Asthma
- Hives, or other skin lesions
- Sudden death <
Calomel is a mercury compound used as a cathartic or laxative.
Its mercury sensitivity symptoms include:
- Fever
- Rash
- Enlarged lymph nodes
Some skin ointments incorporate mercury, and may lead to the same mercury sensitivity symptoms as calomel. Some paints include mercury to inhibit mold. (Watch for the chemical “phenylmercuric propionate” ). Mercury sensitivity may result in acrodynia, sometimes called “pink disease”, especially in children.
Its symptoms include:
- Redness of the skin
- Irritability
- Insomnia
- Loss of appetite
- Teeth becoming looser in the mouth
- Inflammation in the mouth
You may learn more information about mercury and how it affects at Facts About Mercury.
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