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Mercury
is a silvery metal that was known to ancient civilizations and
was used to make dyes and paints. The largest deposits of mercuric
sulfide ore, or cinnabar, are located in Spain and Italy, which
account for most of the world's production of this metal.
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Cinnabar
- Mercuric sulfide ore, the principal source of the metal
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The
metal is used to manufacture thermometers, barometers, diffusion
pumps, fluorescent bulbs, and in dental preparations, batteries
for cameras, calculators, computers, for extracting gold and silver
from their ores, pesticides, mirrors, and others. The main concern
is to dispose of these wastes in appropriate sites without harming
the environment, since mercury is not biodegradable.
Mercury can be found in the environment in various forms, but
metallic mercury poses the greatest problem to health. Contamination
can occur through the vapor (mining) or by ingesting contaminated
food like fish, especially the carnivorous species.
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Chemical Form
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Exposure Route
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Effects on Health
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Metallic Mercury
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Inhalation
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Pulmonary bronchitis,
behavioral disorders, kidney problems, tremors
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Methyl Mercury
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Ingestion of contaminated
foods, contact with the chemical product
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Altered motor development,
motor disorders, and ataxia in adults
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Classification
of fish samples according to mercury content and recommendations
by the World Health Organization and Brazilian Legislation
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Classification
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Content (ng/g)
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Fit for frequent
consumption
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< 300
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Fit for occasional
consumption
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300 - 600
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Unfit for consumption
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> 600
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Commercialization
allowed
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< 1000
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Copyright
- © 2006 Allegra's Method. All rights reserved.
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