Naked Science Forum

Life Sciences => Physiology & Medicine => Topic started by: kmb on 13/09/2005 01:14:06

Title: Is there a test for mercury exposure?
Post by: kmb on 13/09/2005 01:14:06
how can u tell if you were ever exposed to mercury 30 years ago.i went thru alot of the symptoms that are listed  about what is listed about mercury.i still get twiching eyelids and locallized myuscle twitches.if any one knows something or if there is a test to see if i was ever exposed to murcury let me know
Title: Is there a test for mercury exposure?
Post by: RD on 26/06/2008 19:37:44
This report includes the case of an individual who suffered acute mercury poisoning and high levels of mercury were found in his brain 16 years later.
A biopsy of the thyroid seems to be a sensitive indicator of Mercury exposure...

Quote
Nylander observed that pituitary glands sampled postmortem from dentists contained excessive
amounts of mercury, much more than was present in their brain tissue. Similarly Kosta et al also found
remarkably high concentrations in this gland and in the thyroid in Yugoslav miners of the order a thousand
times the amounts found in an unexposed population
.'

http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/picrender.fcgi?artid=1009672&blobtype=pdf
 
Title: Is there a test for mercury exposure?
Post by: Bored chemist on 26/06/2008 20:51:31
Mercury is fairly persistent in the body but if there wasn't enough to make you ill 30 years ago then there won't be enough to cause symptoms now.
If you really want to check then your doctor can probably arange for a urine sample to be analysed. Actually he will probably just say there must be something else causing those symptoms- which might be more useful to know.
Title: Is there a test for mercury exposure?
Post by: Alan McDougall on 30/06/2008 18:37:43
A blood mercury level test will reveal the present level, of course not the past. But mercur does accumulate if one is constantly exposed to it. Indeed it is poisoness, deadly and can kill.