MERCURY

Mercury is a chemical element with the symbol Hg and atomic number 80. A heavy, silvery d-block metal, mercury is the only metal that is liquid at standard conditions for temperature and pressure. Mercury is used in thermometers, barometers, manometers, sphygmomanometers, float valves, and other scientific apparatus. Mercury is a very toxic metal.

Mercury is such a highly reactive toxic agent that it is difficult to identify its specific mechanism of damage, and much remains unknown about the mechanism. It damages the central nervous system, endocrine system, kidneys, and other organs, and adversely affects the mouth, gums, and teeth. Exposure over long periods of time or heavy exposure to mercury vapor can result in brain damage and ultimately death. Mercury and its compounds are particularly toxic to fetuses and infants. Women who have been exposed to mercury in pregnancy have sometimes given birth to children with serious birth defects.

Exposure to mercury can occur from breathing contaminated air, drinking contaminated water, from eating foods containing mercury including fish, plants and livestock, and from improper use or disposal of mercury and mercury-containing objects. Inorganic mercury is the most common form that is present in drinking water but is not considered to be very harmful to human health, in terms of the levels found in drinking water. However, kidney damage may result from exposure to inorganic mercury through other sources. Organic mercury is produced by specific bacterial organisms in surface waters that convert inorganic mercury into organic mercury, which is the form of mercury that poses a significant threat to human health.

Regular activated carbon water filters cannot remove mercury from tap water. Some specially treated carbon can remove mercury and will state so on their packaging. All reverse osmosis systems can remove 93-98% of mercury from the water.

* Some info courtesy of Wikipedia.

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