revised final - Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry ...

MERCURY 227
2. HEALTH EFFECTS
621.3 mg per ball. Since the minimum recommended adult dosage is 2 such balls daily, intake levels of up
to 1.2 mg of mercury (presumed to be mercury sulfide) might be a daily dosage.
Some religions have practices that may include the use of metallic mercury. Examples of these religions
include Santeria (a Cuban-based religion that worships both African deities and Catholic saints), Voodoo (a
Haitian-based set of beliefs and rituals), Palo Mayombe (a secret form of ancestor worship practiced mainly
in the Caribbean), and Espiritismo (a spiritual belief system native to Puerto Rico). Not all people who
observe these religions use mercury, but when mercury is used in religious, folk, or ritualistic practices,
exposure to mercury may occur both at the time of the practice and afterwards from breathing in
contaminated indoor air. Metallic mercury is sold under the name "azogue" (pronounced ah-SEW-gay) in
stores called “botanicas.” Botanicas are common in Hispanic and Haitian communities, where azogue may
be sold as an herbal remedy or for spiritual practices. The metallic mercury is often sold in capsules or in
glass containers. It may be placed in a sealed pouch to be worn on a necklace or carried in a pocket, or it
may be sprinkled in the home or car. Some store owners may also suggest mixing azogue in bath water or
perfume, and some people place azogue in devotional candles. The use of metallic mercury in a home or
apartment not only threatens the health of the current residents, but also poses health risks to future
residents, who may unknowingly be exposed to further release of mercury vapors from contaminated floors,
carpeting, or walls.
Due to the increased number of reported metallic mercury poisonings and to the widespread potential for
exposure to liquid/metallic mercury in school chemistry and science laboratories and other places accessible
to the general public, the EPA and ATSDR issued a joint mercury alert in June 1997, alerting school and
public health officials to the potential toxicity of this substance. This joint mercury alert also advised
restricting access to mercury-containing spaces and storage rooms, and the use of alternative substances or
chemicals for purposes for which liquid/metallic mercury is currently used.
Issues relevant to children are explicitly discussed in Sections 2.6, Children’s Susceptibility, and 5.6,
Exposures of Children.
Minimal Risk Levels for Mercury
A common misconception is that health guidance values, such as the MRL, represent a level above which
toxicity is likely to occur. This misconception has occasionally led to unwarranted concern and public