What is the health impact of mercury exposure?
All forms of mercury are toxic to humans, but the various forms of organic and inorganic mercury have different toxicity. Generally, organic forms are much more toxic than inorganic forms. The organic forms of mercury are primarily neurotoxins. Therefore exposure can damage the brain and nervous system. The developing brain of a fetus or child is especially vulnerable to organic mercury exposure. Inorganic forms of mercury primarily affect the kidney, but are also neurotoxins. Other organs and systems of the body can be harmed by exposure to mercury. A human can be exposed to mercury via all three routes of exposure: inhalation, ingestion, and through the skin. The most likely routes of exposure are inhalation of inorganic mercury vapor after a spill or during a manufacturing process, or ingestion of methylmercury from contaminated fish. The fetus of a mother who eats contaminated fish can be exposed to methylmercury via the mother’s blood, and an infant can be exposed by ingestion of
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