What kind of health hazard does exposure to Mercury pose?
When liquid mercury is spilled, it forms droplets that can accumulate in the tiniest of spaces and then emit vapors into the air. Health problems caused by mercury depend on how much has entered your body, how it entered your body, how long you have been exposed to it, and how your body responds to the mercury. All mercury spills, regardless of quantity, should be treated seriously. Mercury concentrations in air are usually low and of little direct concern. But when mercury enters water, biological processes transform it to a highly toxic form that builds up in fish and animals that eat fish. People are exposed to mercury primarily by eating fish. Methylmercury is highly toxic. The developing fetus is the most sensitive to the effects of mercury, and so women of childbearing age are the population of greatest concern. Children of women exposed to relatively high levels of methylmercury during pregnancy have exhibited a variety of abnormalities, including delayed onset of walking and ta
