Mercury, Mercury Everywhere

Humans have long known the toxicity of mercury. During the 19th century, hatmakers developed symptoms of shaking and slurring of speech from exposure to large amounts of inorganic mercury, which was used to give a metallic sheen to felt hats. This gave rise to the phrase “mad as a hatter.”

Both short- and long-term exposure to metallic mercury can lead to serious health problems. Human exposure to metallic mercury occurs primarily from breathing contaminated air. Health problems related to metallic mercury poisoning can include tremors, changes in vision or hearing, insomnia, weakness, difficulty with memory, headaches, irritability, shyness and nervousness, and a health condition called acrodynia, which is characterized by itching, swelling and flushing, pink-colored palms and soles of the feet, excessive perspiration, rashes, irritability, fretfulness, sleeplessness, joint pain, and weakness.

So, what does this have to do with you? In hospitals, mercury is found in clinical procedures, in laboratories, patient areas, storage rooms, and maintenance areas. Mercury is found in sphygmomanometers, dental amalgam, thermometers, esophageal dilators, in Cantor tubes and Miller-Abott tubes, and in histology fixatives and stains. Although many of the medicinal uses of mercury have been discontinued, mercury still appears in eye drops and nasal sprays.

Shockingly, power plants burning coal and municipal and medical waste incinerators burning mercury-tainted trash release 85% of all mercury pollution in the United States. There are approximately 3,000 hospital waste incinerators throughout the United States and there is as much as 50 times more mercury in medical waste than in general municipal waste—a huge source of mercury to the environment.

Fortunately something is being done about this. As of May 2003, 24 states had some regulations in place to either ban or control the use of mercury and to ensure that mercury was being disposed of properly.

Additionally, the majority of products that use mercury purposefully have acceptable alternatives, so hospitals can practice source reduction by replacing mercury-laden products with those that are less toxic. They may not have much choice, either. Recently, a bill to ban mercury fever thermometers nationwide was passed unanimously by the US Senate. The Mercury Reduction Act of 2003, sponsored by Sen Susan M. Collins (R-Me), prohibits the sale or supply of mercury thermometers except by prescription and requires manufacturers to provide clear instructions on handling of thermometers and on proper cleanup in the event of breakage.

Does your facility have a mercury reduction program in place? The Environmental Protection Agency has some action items to consider, as well as details about mercury contamination in health care facilities at www.epa.gov/glnpo/bnsdocs/hgsbook/hospital.pdf.   Your reduction efforts can make a difference.

mbenjamin@medpubs.com