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appetite, nausea, weakness, and muscle tremors. Brief
<br />exposures to very high levels of mercuryvapors an affect
<br />the lungs.
<br />Nervous System: Long-term Overexposure to mercury
<br />vapors an cause a number of symptoms. The first
<br />symptoms may be loss of appetite, fatigue, insomnia, and
<br />changes in behavior or personality (nemexdt-
<br />ability, and shyness). Later, more serious symptoms may
<br />include nausea, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, weight loss.
<br />weakness, and muscle tremors. Some of these symptoms
<br />have been reported after years of exposure to mercury at
<br />air levels slightly above the legal limits (see "Legal Expo-
<br />sure Limits"). When overexposure stops, these symp-
<br />toms will usually go away.
<br />Severe mercury poisoning can permanently damage the
<br />nervous system. Such damage may be accompanied by
<br />hallus iaations, whole-body tremors, a tingling "pins and
<br />needles" sensation, pain, tenderness, numbness, and
<br />weakness. An interesting note is the past use of mercury
<br />in felt production. Felt hat manufacturers suffered from
<br />many symptoms -`of Wo -level mercer exposure, as wit-
<br />nessed in the Mad Hatter character in Alice in Wonder-
<br />land, and the popular phrase "mad as a hatter."
<br />Kidney: Long-term overexposure to mercury can injure,
<br />the kidneys. In most cases, this damage is reversible and
<br />kidney function will gradually recover. once exposure is
<br />stopped. No obvious symptoms are associated with kid-
<br />ney damage, unless the injury is severe. Special urine
<br />tests are used to detect this kidney damage (see "Tests
<br />for Exposure and Medical Effects"). Generally you will
<br />not have kidney damage if you do not have other symp-
<br />toms of chronic mercury overexposure.
<br />Lungs: Inhalation of very high levels of mercury vapors
<br />can affect the lungs, causing coughing, chest tightness
<br />and pain, difficulty in breathing, and pulmonary edema
<br />(fluid in the lungs). Fever, chills, nausea, and vomiting
<br />may also occur. If you develop these symptoms after an
<br />exposure to mercury, see your physician immediately.
<br />Eyes, Nose, and Throat; Long-term mercury overexpo-
<br />sure can cause increased salivation and inflammation of
<br />the mouth and gums. Repeated exposure to mercury
<br />vapors may also discolor the lenses of your eyes. This dis-
<br />coloration (usually brown) is a sign of mercury overexpo-
<br />sure. It an occur with or without other symptoms of
<br />..., ,.
<br />Skin: Prolonged skin contact with liquid mercury can
<br />irritate the skin and cause a rash that allows increased
<br />absorption through the skin.
<br />Cancer. There is little reason to think that mercury could
<br />,cause cancer, although that possibility has not been
<br />audirA
<br />Reproductive Sysft= The effects of metallic mercury
<br />on pregnancy and reproduction have not been studied
<br />thoroughly. When 'c mercury vapor is absorbed
<br />into your body, some of it is changed into another form„
<br />in 'c mercury. In limited studies, exposure of 1 .8
<br />nant to a levels of either metallic or in-
<br />organic mercury caused growth retardation, birth
<br />defects, and death of the fetus or of the offspring shortly
<br />after birth. In another study, exposure of male animals
<br />to inorganic mercury reduced their fertility.
<br />It is not known whether mercury causes similar effects in
<br />humans, but, based on the animal studies, you should
<br />handle it as a potential human reproductive toxin and
<br />minimize your exposure (see "Reducing Your Expo-
<br />sure"). Nursing women should also avoid exposure to
<br />mercury, since inhaled mercury an enter a 's
<br />breast milk.
<br />2
<br />a
<br />The amount of mercuryin your body can be estimated by
<br />measuring mercury in urine or blood Urine analyses are
<br />best for assessing long-term exposures. Blood tests are
<br />useful for assessingrecent high-level exposures, if the test
<br />is done immediately after exposure. Tests for mercury
<br />exposure should be selected and evaluated on a case-by-
<br />case basis by medical personnel who are familiar with
<br />these tests. Other medical tests may be needed, as deter-
<br />mined by a physician. For example, follow-up of
<br />neurological and kidney function may be appropriate for
<br />employees with long-term exposures. More details on
<br />these tests are available through HESIS.
<br />California's Division of Occupational Safety and Health
<br />(DOSH, or "Cal -OSHA") makes and enforces regula-
<br />tions for chemical exposure in the workplace.
<br />Cal/OSHA has adopted two kinds of legal limits for the
<br />amount of mercury in your breathing zone. The fust is a
<br />Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) of 0.05 of
<br />mercury per cubic meter of air (0.0.5 In , u an
<br />average level over eight hours. This means that you may
<br />be exposed to a level greater than 0.05 mg/m3 during part
<br />of the work day, as long as you are exposed to less than
<br />0.05 mg/m3 at other times, so that your average exposure
<br />U
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