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

MERCURY
2. HEALTH EFFECTS
serious" and "serious" effects. The distinction between "less serious" effects and "serious" effects is
considered to be important because it helps the users of the profiles to identify levels of exposure at which
major health effects start to appear. LOAELs or NOAELs should also help in determining whether or not
the effects vary with dose and/or duration, and place into perspective the possible significance of these
effects to human health.
The significance of the exposure levels shown in the Level of Significant Exposure (LSE) tables and figures
may differ depending on the user's perspective. Public health officials and others concerned with
appropriate actions to take at hazardous waste sites may want information on levels of exposure associated
with more subtle effects in humans or animals (LOAELs) or exposure levels below which no adverse
effects (NOAELs) have been observed. Estimates of levels posing minimal risk to humans (Minimal Risk
Levels or MRLs) may be of interest to health professionals and citizens alike.
Levels of exposure associated with carcinogenic effects (Cancer Effect Levels, CELs) of mercury are
indicated in Tables 2-2 and 2-3 and Figures 2-2 and 2-3. Cancer effects could occur at lower exposure
levels; however, a range for the upper bound of estimated excess risks (ranging from a risk of 1 in 10,000 to
1 in 10,000,000 [10 -4 to 10 -7 ]) has not been developed by EPA.
Estimates of human Minimal Risk Levels (or MRLs) have been made for mercury. An MRL is defined as
an estimate of daily human exposure to a substance that is likely to be without an appreciable risk of
adverse effects (noncarcinogenic) over a specified duration of exposure. Although the term, MRL, may
seem to imply a slight level of risk, MRLs are, in fact, considered to represent safe levels of exposure for all
populations, including sensitive subgroups. MRLs are derived when reliable and sufficient data exist to
identify the target organ(s) of effect or the most sensitive health effect(s) for a specific duration within a
given route of exposure. MRLs are based on noncancerous health effects only and do not consider
carcinogenic effects. MRLs can be derived for acute, intermediate, and chronic duration exposures for
inhalation and oral routes. Appropriate methodology does not exist to develop MRLs for dermal exposure.
Although methods have been established to derive these levels (Barnes and Dourson 1988; EPA 1990a),
uncertainties are associated with these techniques. Furthermore, ATSDR acknowledges additional
uncertainties inherent in the application of the procedures to derive less than lifetime MRLs. As an
example, acute inhalation MRLs may not be protective for health effects that are delayed in development
or are acquired following repeated acute insults, such as hypersensitivity reactions, asthma, or chronic
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