What is inorganic mercury?
Where is inorganic mercury located?
In its inorganic form, mercury occurs abundantly in the environment, primarily as the minerals cinnabar and metacinnabar, and as impurities in other minerals. (1)
What does inorganic mercury do?
Inorganic mercury can readily combine with chlorine, sulfur, and other elements, and subsequently weather to form inorganic salts. (1)
Inorganic mercury salts can be transported in water and occur in soil. (1)
Dust containing these salts can enter the air from mining deposits of ores that contain mercury. (1)
Emissions of both elemental or inorganic mercury can occur from coal-fired power plants, burning of municipal and medical waste, and from factories that use mercury. (1)
Inorganic mercury can also enter water or soil from the weathering of rocks that contain inorganic mercury salts, and from factories or water treatment facilities that release water contaminated with mercury. (1)
Although the use of mercury salts in consumer products, such as medicinal products, have been discontinued, inorganic mercury compounds are still being widely used in skin lightening soaps and creams. (1)
Mercuric chloride is used in photography and as a topical antiseptic and disinfectant, wood preservative, and fungicide. (1)
In the past, mercurous chloride was widely used in medicinal products, including laxatives, worming medications, and teething powders. (1)
It has since been replaced by safer and more effective agents. (1)
Mercuric sulfide is used to color paints and is one of the red coloring agents used in tattoo dyes. (1)
Human exposure to inorganic mercury salts can occur both in occupational and environmental settings. (1)
Occupations with higher risk of exposure to mercury and its salts include mining, electrical equipment manufacturing, and chemical and metal processing in which mercury is used. (1)
In the general population, exposure to mercuric chloride can occur through the dermal route from the use of soaps and creams or topical antiseptics and disinfectants. (1)
Another, less well-documented, source of exposure to inorganic mercury salts among the general population is from their use in ethnic religious, magical, and ritualistic practices and in herbal remedies. (1)
Resources
1. https://www.epa.gov/mercury/basic-information-about-mercury
