2024-11-22
Silver Liquid Mercury-Liquid mercury: A poisonous plaything
Common organic sources of mercury, although not the subject of this article, include methyl mercury, most commonly found in fish caught in contaminated waters, and thimerosal, a mercury-based preservative that was, until recently, used in some vaccines5 and that is metabolized to ethylmercury and thiosalicylate. Currently, all vaccines recommended for childhood immunizations are free of thimerosal as a preservative.6Many of the mercury spills that are reported to authorities occur when teenagers or young adults find liquid mercury in school chemistry labs or at abandoned or operating industrial sites and take the mercury home. The mercury, which is often shared with other people, can contaminate many homes, schools, vehicle interiors, and other locations, exposing a considerable number of people to the risk of poisoning.Interestingly, in many if not most cases, the symptoms of those exposed are not readily linked to the mercury exposure. Without a careful history or high index of suspicion, it is easy to miss this diagnosis. In fact, many cases are diagnosed only after a sibling or other close associate develops similar signs, prompting the clinician to investigate further.79