Mercury

Question 1

Where is mercury found

Answer 1

• rocks
• cinnabar
• background in soil, air and water
• gas emitted by volcanos

Question 2

Increased since industrial revolution

Answer 2

Applications for mercury

Question 3

Create mercury vapour

Answer 3

Base metal smelting and gold mining

Question 4

HgS

Answer 4

Cinnabar (main mineral is mercury)

Question 5

2/3 of total mercury emissions in US

Answer 5

Industry sectors

Question 6

3 industrial categories responsible for mercury emissions

Answer 6

1. medical waste incinerators
2. municipal waste combusters
3. coal-fired power plants

Question 7

Which of the 3 industrial emitters of mercury has yet to significantly reduce their mercury emissions

Answer 7

Coal-fired power plants

Question 8

2011 US EPA emission legislation to power plants

Answer 8

• 99% mercury prevented
• 88% reduction of acid gas
• 41% reduction of sulfur dioxide

Question 9

Chemical forms of mercury

Answer 9

1. elemental
2. inorganic
3. organic

Question 10

Elemental mercury

Answer 10

Liquid metal

Question 11

Inorganic mercury

Answer 11

• mercury chloride
• mercuric sulfide (cinnabar)

Question 12

Organic mercury

Answer 12

• Methyl, ethyl, dimethyl mercury
• phenyl organic groups

Question 13

Methylmercury

Answer 13

Mercury converted by bacteria in aquatic sediments

Question 14

Biomagnifies in aquatic animals

Answer 14

Methylmercury

Question 15

Percentage of absorption of methylmercury in GI tract

Answer 15

100%

Question 16

Major source of organic mercury for humans

Answer 16

Methylmercury

Question 17

How does mercury get into humans

Answer 17

1. emitted in power plant
2. precipitates back to earth
3. aquatic bacteria convert to methylmercury
4. fish accumulate methylmercury through food chain
5. people eat fish

Question 18

Reproductive neurotoxin that affects brain and CNS

Answer 18

Mercury

Question 19

Greatest risk to mercury

Answer 19

Pregnant women, women of childbearing age, children

Question 20

Fetal mercury dammage

Answer 20

Mercury can cross placenta and cause irreparable neurological damage to fetus

Question 21

2001 mercury CDC study of women in US

Answer 21

1 in 10 women have high enough levels to cause neurological damage to children

Question 22

Mass methylmercury poisoning incident

Answer 22

1971 Iraq poison grain disaster

Question 23

Paresthesia, ataxia and vision loss

Answer 23

= (Numbness of skin and lack of muscle control)

symptoms in Iraqi grain disaster

Question 24

Poison grain in Iraq

Answer 24

Grain treated with methymercury fungicide, not intended for human consumption, imported from Mexico and US

Question 25

Death toll of 1971 Iraq poison grain disaster

Answer 25

459 people

Question 26

Minamata disease

Answer 26

Neurological syndrome caused by severe mercury poisoning

Question 27

Cause of Minamata disease in Japan

Answer 27

Release of methymercury in the industrial wastewater from the Chisso Corp. chemical factory accumulated in shellfish and fish

Question 28

Death toll of Minamata disease in Japan

Answer 28

1,784 out of 2,265 victims

Question 29

Cause of Minamata disease in Ontario First Nations People

Answer 29

Drygen Chemical Company dumped over 9,000kg of mercury into Wabigoon-English river system where it was converted to methylmercury by bacteria

Question 30

More than 90% of which First Nations groups show signs of mercury poisioning in Ontario

Answer 30

Grassy Narrows and Whitedog

Question 31

Dental amalgam

Answer 31

Dental filling made of liquid elemental mercury and allot of silver, tin and copper

Question 32

What percentage of amalgam is mercury

Answer 32

50

Question 33

Risk associated with amalgum fillings

Answer 33

Can release mercury vapor

Question 34

Pros of dental amalgum

Answer 34

Strong, long-lasting and least expensive

Question 35

FDS on dental amalgum

Answer 35

Safe for adults and children over 6

Question 36

FDA recommendation for current amalgam fillings

Answer 36

If they are in good shape, keep them, because taking them off can release vapor

Question 37

Health Canada estimation for amount of mercury released per day by amalgam fillings

Answer 37

3 millionths of a gram out of 9 millionths of a gram from all sources