Mercury Production Research Articles

Temporal Evolution of Gaseous Mercury Across the Sea Ice‐Seawater Interface: A Mesocosm Study

AbstractIn the marine cryosphere, seasonal sea ice dynamics affect the behavior of gaseous mercury, yet the mechanism remains poorly understood. By carrying out an outdoor sea ice mesocosm study, we examine primarily the abiotic factors influencing mercury dynamics and show distinct behaviors of gaseous mercury across the sea ice‐seawater interface over the full growth‐melt cycle. The distribution of gaseous mercury in sea ice is influenced by entrapment of gaseous mercury from different sources into sea ice of different textures, transport schemes within sea ice, and in situ cryo‐processes that affect mercury speciation. In the growing sea ice sections where solar radiation penetrated, production of gaseous mercury was observed, supporting the occurrence of in‐ice cryo‐photoreduction of divalent mercury. In under‐ice seawater, concentrations of dissolved gaseous mercury decreased gradually during ice growth and increased rapidly to pre‐freezing levels as ice started to melt, suggesting that the atmosphere‐sea ice‐seawater exchange pathway of gaseous mercury could be re‐established through melting first‐year sea ice. Our results from this unique mesocosm study provide new insights on the dynamics of gaseous mercury in and around sea ice that are primarily driven by abiotic processes, assisting model parameterizations for mercury cycling in polar regions.

Geochemical Surveys of Ground and Surface Waters in the Abandoned Hg-Mine of Abbadia San Salvatore (Central Italy): A Preparatory Investigation before Remediation

Since 2013, 34 surveys of surface and ground waters within and outside the former Hg-mine of Abbadia San Salvatore (Italy), which is currently under remediation, were performed for determining Hg, As, Sb, and main and minor solutes. The water quality is rather poor since most waters show relatively high Hg concentrations (up to 695 µg/L). Differently, As and Sb only overcome the Italian law thresholds in a few sites. A high geochemical variability was observed for most groundwaters without any clear relationship between wet and dry periods. The main source of chalcophile elements is likely related to: (i) the interaction between meteoric waters and soils contaminated by the previous production of mercury; or (ii) the interaction between meteoric waters and the anthropic filling material of a former paleo-valley near the furnaces edifices. While the remediation is expected to be concluded in 2025, the aquifer contamination still remains a problem. Our investigation, including geochemical/hydrogeological modeling, is prodromal to future activities aimed at reducing the Hg content. Currently, the construction of a hydraulic barrier is apparently the most suitable solution to minimize the interaction processes between water–rock and man-made material, which are responsible for the 10-year concentration variability.

Elemental mercury production from contaminated riparian soil suspensions under air and nitrogen bubbling conditions.

The dynamic change of redox conditions is a key factor in emission of elemental mercury (Hg0) from riparian soils. The objective of this study was to elucidate the influences of redox conditions on Hg0 emission from riparian soils. Soil suspension experiments were conducted to measure Hg0 emission from five Hg-contaminated soil samples in two redox conditions (i.e., treated with air or with N2). In four of the five samples, Hg0 emission was higher in air treatment than on N2 treatment. Remaining one soil, which has higher organic matter than other soils, showed no distinct difference in Hg0 production between air and N2 treatment. In soil suspensions subject to N2 treatment, the dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and Fe2+ concentrations were 3.38- to 1.34-fold and 1.44- to 2.28-fold higher than those in air treatment, respectively. Positive correlations were also found between the DOC and Fe2+ (r = 0.911, p < 0.01) and Hg2+ (r = 0.815, p < 0.01) concentrations in soil solutions, suggesting Fe2+ formation led to the release of DOC, which bound to Hg2+ in the soil and, in turn, limited the availability of Hg2+ for reduction to Hg0 in N2 treatment. On the other hand, for remaining one soil, more Hg2+ might be adsorbed onto the DOM in the air treatment, resulted in the inhibition of Hg0 production in air treatment. These results imply that the organic matter is important to prevent Hg0 production by changing redox condition. Further study is needed to prove the role of organic matter in the production of Hg0.

Background and geochemical baseline values of chalcophile and siderophile elements in soils around the former mining area of Abbadia San Salvatore (Mt. Amiata, southern Tuscany, Italy)

Background and geochemical baseline values of Potentially Toxic Elements (PTEs) in soils developed on natural or anthropogenically-affected areas are increasingly important parameters as they represent highly useful tools at local, regional, national and European level. While background values are mostly applied to uncontaminated areas to verify the presence of high to anomalous concentrations of PTEs due to geogenic sources, the geochemical baseline values are better representing those areas where the anthropogenic activities have altered more or less significantly the background values. This is the case of the Municipality of Abbadia San Salvatore, mostly lying above the volcanic products of Mt. Amiata (Tuscany, central Italy) and, subordinately, above sedimentary formations, where >100 years of exploitation of cinnabar (HgS) and production of liquid mercury have affected the environmental matrices, including the pedosphere compartment. Consequently, 51 top-soils and 51 sub-soils, developed on the volcanic and sedimentary domains were collected and analyzed for PTEs (Hg, As, Sb, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu and V). A CoDA (Compositional Data Analysis) approach (robust Principal Component Analysis) combined with geochemical mapping allowed to account for the compositional nature of geochemical data and define the spatial distribution of the investigated chalcophile and siderophile elements. The results obtained by CoDa are useful to understand data variability and relative variations of the elements compared to the barycenter of the total composition. Independently by the substratum (volcanic or sedimentary), the concentrations of Hg, As, Sb, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu and V were highly variable and up to 258, 276, 110, 261, 32, 132, 80 and 173 mg/kg, respectively. Owing to the significant differences between the two geological domains, the two datasets were considered separately in order to define the geochemical baseline values of the analyzed PTEs computed using ProUCL 5.2.0 software. Accordingly, the geochemical baseline values of Hg, As, Cr, Co and V were much higher than the values imposed by the Italian Legislative Decree 152/06, suggesting the importance of exploring the geological features of the investigated territories and their anthropic history, particularly in Italy where poly-metallic sulfide ore deposits have been exploited in many regions since the Etruscan and Roman times.

In Search of Mercury Lost from Sediments in a Previously Contaminated Coastal Area, Harboøre Tange, Denmark

Concentrations of mercury in sediment and benthic invertebrate fauna of Nissum Broad, North-western Jutland, Denmark were investigated. The western coast of Nissum Broad is Harboøre Tange, along which heavy mercury contamination - caused by discharge from production of mercury containing seed dressers in the 1950 and 1960s – was documented in the 1980s. Recent investigations showed marked decreases in mercury contamination in the near shore sediments along Harboøre Tange since the 1980s and the present investigation was initiated to learn if the loss of mercury from Harboøre Tange had led to an increased mercury contamination in the neighbouring marine area, Nissum Broad. Mercury concentrations in the surface sediment correlated with the content of organic matter and the slope of the regression is a good indicator for the degree of mercury contamination. Average mercury concentrations in the upper 5 cm of the sediments ranged between 0.9 and 71 ng g− 1 dry weight (dw) with only 1 station exceeding the Background Assessment Concentration of 70 ng g− 1 dw. Average mercury concentrations in blue mussels Mytilus edulis (169–260 ng g− 1 dw) and periwinkles Littorina littorea (66–203 ng g− 1 dw) exceeded those in uncontaminated areas and the Environmental Quality Standard of approximately 100 ng g− 1 dw. Present sediment mercury concentrations in Nissum Broad are approximately half of what they were in the 1980s, rendering it unlikely that mercury lost from Harboøre Tange has been deposited there. Sediment and organism concentrations did not show any correlation.

Production of mercury: historical practices of optimizing the production processes

Production of mercury: historical practices of optimizing the production processes

The global roots of pre-1900 legacy mercury

During the nineteenth century, a major change took place in the trade, production, and use of mercury that altered its nearly exclusive link to silver refining in the Hispanic New World. We track the global expansion of mercury markets in chronological detail from 1511 to 1900 using historical archives on production and trade, a detailed country-by-country accounting of the pool of anthropogenic mercury from which legacy mercury was ultimately generated. The nature and profile of pre-1900 legacy mercury extends beyond silver refining, mercury production, and gold extraction, and includes alternate sources (vermilion, felt, mercury fulminate) and new regions that were not major silver or gold producers (China, India, United Kingdom, France, among others), that accounted for approximately 50% of total mercury consumed in the nineteenth century. The nature of the pre-1900 mercury market requires a quantitative distinction between legacy mercury and historic anthropogenic mercury production and use, since the chemistry of its end-uses determines the pathways and timelines for its incorporation into the global biogeochemical cycle. We thus introduce the concept of a mercury source pool to account for total historic anthropogenic mercury within and outside this cycle. Together with a critical review of previous assumptions used to reconstruct the historical use and loss of mercury, a much lower level of emissions of pre-1900 legacy mercury is proposed. A coordinated effort across disciplines is needed, to complete a historically accurate scenario that can guide the multilateral policies adopted under the United Nations Minamata Convention to control mercury in the environment.

Archaeological Investigation and Industrial Heritage Study of the Wanshan Mercury Mining Site in Guizhou Province, China

ABSTRACT Mercury is the only natural liquid non-ferrous metal that occurs under normal temperature. Cinnabar, also known as Chensha 辰砂 and Dansha 丹砂 in ancient China, is a natural ore of mercury sulphide that exists in mercury mines and is the most common source ore for refining elementary mercury. The largest cinnabar deposit in China is at the Wanshan mercury mine in Wanshan Town, Guizhou Province, which was an important centre for the mercury production industry since the Tang Dynasty (AD 618–907). An archaeological field survey of the area identified 36 locations related to cinnabar mining and mercury production spanning the period from the Tang and Song Dynasties (AD 960–1279) to the late 20th century. This survey was the first comprehensive archaeological investigation and exploratory research of these materials, and provides a fresh insight into the evolution of the Wanshan mercury mine and its secondary development as a unique industrial heritage site.

Stabilization of Waste Mercury with Sulfide through the Ball-Mill Method and Heat Treatment

Most mercury supplies nowadays are limited due to their toxicity and difficulty in treatment. If mercury is stored inappropriately, it will not only contaminate the environment but also pass along the food chain and eventually to humans. Therefore, addressing mercury waste is crucial for the environment and human health. This study aims to stabilize waste mercury using sulfur powder and generate mercury production through a ball mill and heat treatment. To begin with, sulfur powder, waste mercury (98%) from chemicals, and milling balls will be mixed in this step. The parameters in this process were milling temperature, milling time, ball/material ratio, and milling speed. Under the optimal parameters of 35 °C for milling temperature, 12 h for milling time, 46% for the ball/material ratio, and 300 rpm for milling speed, β-HgS was obtained, and α-HgS was subsequently acquired through dry distillation in a tubular furnace at 600 °C for 3 h. On the other hand, high-purity mercury (99.5%) could be recovered under the circumstances of heating α-HgS with oxygen at 600 °C for 3 h. In a nutshell, waste mercury (98%) could be treated appropriately under the state of α-HgS, and high-purity mercury (99.5%) could be produced and reused for other industries through this research. Both contribute to environmental remediation and resource recovery goals.

Dissolved gaseous mercury production and sea-air gaseous exchange in impacted coastal environments of the northern Adriatic Sea

The northern Adriatic Sea is well known for mercury (Hg) contamination mainly due to historical Hg mining which took place in Idrija (Slovenia). The formation of dissolved gaseous mercury (DGM) and its subsequent volatilisation can reduce the amount of Hg available in the water column. In this work, the diurnal patterns of both DGM production and gaseous elemental Hg (Hg0) fluxes at the water-air interface were seasonally evaluated in two selected environments within this area, a highly Hg-impacted, confined fish farm (VN: Val Noghera, Italy) and an open coastal zone less impacted by Hg inputs (PR: Bay of Piran, Slovenia). A floating flux chamber coupled with a real-time Hg0 analyser was used for flux estimation in parallel with DGM concentrations determination through in-field incubations. Substantial DGM production was observed at VN (range = 126.0–711.3 pg L−1) driven by both strong photoreduction and possibly dark biotic reduction, resulting in higher values in spring and summer and comparable concentrations throughout both day and night. Significantly lower DGM was observed at PR (range = 21.8–183.4 pg L−1). Surprisingly, comparable Hg0 fluxes were found at the two sites (range VN = 7.43–41.17 ng m−2 h−1, PR = 0–81.49 ng m−2 h−1), likely due to enhanced gaseous exchanges at PR thanks to high water turbulence and to the strong limitation of evasion at VN by water stagnation and expected high DGM oxidation in saltwater. Slight differences between the temporal variation of DGM and fluxes indicate that Hg evasion is more controlled by factors such as water temperature and mixing conditions than DGM concentrations alone. The relative low Hg losses through volatilisation at VN (2.4–4.6% of total Hg) further confirm that static conditions in saltwater environments negatively affect the ability of this process in reducing the amount of Hg retained in the water column, therefore potentially leading to a greater availability for methylation and trophic transfer.

ВЛИЯНИЕ МЕТАБОЛИЧЕСКОЙ И ИММУНОКОРРЕГИРУЮЩЕЙ ТЕРАПИИ НА ДИНАМИКУ НАРУШЕННЫХ ПОКАЗАТЕЛЕЙ НЕВРОЛОГИЧЕСКИХ И ПСИХИЧЕСКИХ ФУНКЦИЙ ПРИ ХРОНИЧЕСКОЙ ПРОФЕССИОНАЛЬНОЙ РТУТНОЙ ИНТОКСИКАЦИИ У КОНТИНГЕНТА ИНВАЛИДОВ В ВОЗРАСТЕ 18 ЛЕТ И СТАРШЕ

The use of drugs with antioxidant and antihypoxant activity in combination with immunocorrectors for chronic occupational mercury intoxication in a contingent of disabled people aged 18 years and older makes it possible to increase the effectiveness of medical rehabilitation of this contingent. The developed treatment regimens affect the main links of pathogenetic tissue damage by mercury vapor. In order to increase the objectivity of the results of the study, the predominant neurological disorders occurring in the lower extremities must be diagnosed on a complex computer-dynamic complex "ZEBRIS" with the function of a diagnostic track with a power platform, which allows to identify the degree of distribution of force and pressure of the feet when walking, violations of static support capacity on a moving platform. We have analyzed statistical data on disability due to exposure to chronic mercury intoxication for the period 2019- 2021 in the Republic of Mordovia. Risk groups have been identified according to the degree of loss of professional ability to work, depending on age, duration of work in mercury production, concomitant diseases. Contingents of disabled people with impaired mental and statodynamic functions were identified. Groups of disabled people in need of medical and social rehabilitation measures have been identified.

Cross Sections of the Production of Mercury and Radon Isotopes in Complete Fusion Reactions with 36,40Ar and 40,48Ca Projectiles

Cross Sections of the Production of Mercury and Radon Isotopes in Complete Fusion Reactions with 36,40Ar and 40,48Ca Projectiles

Study Details Management of Mercury for Production Facilities

This article, written by JPT Technology Editor Chris Carpenter, contains highlights of paper OTC 31465, “Management of Mercury Offshore for Onshore Production Facilities,” by Mohamed Sopiee Saaibon, Zainab Kayat, and Fatimah A. Karim, Petronas. The paper has not been peer reviewed. Copyright 2022 Offshore Technology Conference. Reproduced by permission. The objective of the complete paper is to provide an approach to mitigating the adverse effects of mercury found in production fields. It includes an evaluation of treatment-facility requirements and suitable technologies for production fields and facilities. The evaluation covers assessment of pipeline integrity and managing unexpected increases in mercury content to ensure that mercury removal units (MRU) can treat gas within design specifications. Introduction Mercury is present as a contaminant in many oil and gas reservoirs; southeast Asia is a well-known for high concentrations of mercury. The presence of mercury poses a threat to the operator’s integrated upstream value chain. The primary concern is exposure of mercury to downstream aluminum heat exchangers for liquefied natural gas (LNG) production. The production lines and risers, although made of carbon steel, are exposed to integrity threats and, consequently, risk deferment of production. Initial Problem Concerns regarding mercury’s presence in hydrocarbon processing systems arose when substantial liquid mercury was detected at the operator’s downstream onshore LNG plant at levels three times beyond the design of its existing onshore MRU within the plant. Such high mercury concentration in feed gas was not expected because the wells had been operational for only 1 year. Immediate measures taken to handle these high quantities of mercury to protect the plant and its aluminum equipment included the following: - Reduction of feed-gas intake and production slowdown - Closing of wells with high mercury content - Mixing of that gas with low-mercury gas - Preparation for MRU adsorbent changeout No method exists to predict mercury production, and thus mitigation and equipment design—particularly that of an MRU across an integrated oil and gas production system—cannot be based on subsurface production data alone. A holistic approach to determine reservoir mercury concentrations from geology by on onsite sampling and mapping, from the wellhead to the production facility along the pipeline to the plant, was initiated.

Reconstructing atmospheric Hg levels near the oldest chemical factory in central Europe using a tree ring archive

The Chemical Factory in Marktredwitz (CFM) is known as the oldest chemical factory in Germany (1778–1985), and from the beginning of the 20th century focused primarily on the production of mercury (Hg) compounds. Due to extensive pollution, together with employee health issues, the CFM was shut in 1985 by a government order and remediation works proceeded from 1986 to 1993. In this study, tree ring archives of European Larch (Larix decidua Mill.) were used to reconstruct changes of air Hg levels near the CFM. Mercury concentrations in larch boles decreased from 80.6 μg kg−1 at a distance of 0.34 km–3.4 μg kg−1 at a distance of 16 km. The temporal trend of atmospheric Hg emissions from the CFM reconstructed from the tree ring archives showed two main peaks. The first was in the 1920s, with a maximum tree ring Hg concentration 249.1 ± 43.9 μg kg−1 coinciding with when the factory had a worldwide monopoly on the production of Hg-based seed dressing fungicide. The second peak in the 1970s, with a maximum tree ring Hg concentration of 116.4 ± 6.3 μg kg−1, was associated with a peak in the general usage and production of Hg chemicals and goods. We used the tree ring record to reconstruct past atmospheric Hg levels using a simple model of Hg distribution between the larch tree rings and atmosphere. The precision of the tree ring model was checked against the results of air Hg measurements during the CFM remediation 30 years ago. According to the tree ring archives, the highest air Hg concentrations in the 1920s in Marktredwitz were over 70 ng m−3. Current air Hg levels of 1.18 ng m−3, assessed in the city of Marktredwitz, indicate the lowest air Hg in the past 150 years, underscoring the effective remediation of the CFM premises 30 years ago.

Verification of inactivation effect of deep-ultraviolet LEDs on bacteria and viruses, and consideration of effective irradiation methods

With the widespread of the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), the inactivation of bacteria and viruses using ultraviolet (UV) light has been reevaluated. However, there are many applications where the safety to the human body itself and inactivation effect itself are questioned, and there is a movement to review the UV-C guidelines (Global Lighting Association, Position Statement on Germicidal UV-C Irradiation UV-C SAFETY GUIDELINES, 2020). Since the Minamata Convention on Mercurybans the production of mercury in principle, deep-ultraviolet light-emitting diodes (UVC-LEDs) are now being used in place of mercury lamps. In this paper, we will discuss effective irradiation methods for the inactivation of pathogens on solid surfaces, the inactivation of pathogens in water, and the inactivation of viruses in aerosols using UVC-LED.

Fish, rice, and human hair mercury concentrations and health risks in typical Hg-contaminated areas and fish-rich areas, China

Human exposure to methylmercury (MeHg) from consuming contaminated fish has been a major concern for decades. Besides, human MeHg exposure through rice consumption has been recently found to be important in some Asian countries. China is the largest country on mercury (Hg) production, consumption, and anthropogenic emission. However, the health risks of human Hg exposure are not fully understood. A total of 624 fish, 299 rice, and 994 human hair samples were collected from typical Hg-contaminated areas and major fish-rich areas to assess the health risks from human Hg exposure in China. Fish and rice samples showed relatively low Hg levels, except the rice in the Wanshan Hg mining area (WMMA). Human hair total Hg (THg) and MeHg concentrations were significantly elevated in WMMA, Zhoushan (ZS), Xiamen (XM), Qingdao (QD), and zinc smelting area (ZSA), and 85% of hair samples in WMMA, 62% in ZS, 40% in XM, 26% in QD, and 17% in ZSA had THg concentrations exceeding the limit set by the USEPA (1 μg/g). Rice consumption was the main pathway (>85%) for human MeHg exposure in the studied Hg-contaminated areas. Meanwhile, fish was the primary human MeHg exposure source (>85%) in coastal cities. Therefore, soil remediation in typical Hg-contaminated areas and scientific guidance for fish consumption in coastal provinces are urgently needed to reduce the health risks from human Hg exposure in China.

Why the English–Wabigoon river system is still polluted by mercury 57 years after its contamination

Between 1962 and 1969, 10 tonnes of mercury were discharged from a chlor-alkali plant in Dryden, Ontario, to the English–Wabigoon River. Present-day fish mercury concentrations are amongst the highest recorded in Canada. In 2017, the Grassy Narrows Science Team found no evidence of ongoing discharges from the plant site to the river water, even though large quantities of mercury remain at the site. Instead, our data suggest that ongoing erosion of high mercury particles by the river, as it meanders through contaminated floodplains, is responsible for present-day transport of mercury to Clay Lake and to Ball Lake, located 154 km downstream. In Clay Lake, surface sediment total mercury concentrations and inflow water concentrations are still about 15 times above background (86 km downstream), and in Ball Lake mercury concentrations in sediments appeared to be still increasing. The remobilization of legacy inorganic mercury from riverbank erosion between Dryden and Clay Lake stimulates methyl mercury production there, in Clay Lake, and in Ball Lake. The large quantities of methyl mercury produced between Dryden and Clay Lake are mostly dissolved in water and are swept downstream, elevating concentrations in water and biota throughout the system. Several options for remediating the ongoing contamination are discussed.

Aqueous Elemental Mercury Production versus Mercury Inventories in the Lake Michigan Airshed: Deciphering the Spatial and Diel Controls of Mercury Gradients in Air and Water

Atmospheric delivery of mercury (Hg) is important to the Upper Great Lakes, and understanding gaseous Hg exchange between surface water and air is critical to predicting the effects of declining me...

Sources and Toxicity of Mercury in the San Francisco Bay Area, Spanning California and Beyond.

This report synthesizes and evaluates published scientific literature on the environmental occurrence and biomagnification of mercury with emphasis on the San Francisco Bay Area (SFBA), California. Mercury forms various compounds, well known for their toxicity in humans and environmental ecosystems. Elemental mercury is transported and distributed by air, water, and sediments. Through the metabolic processes of algae and bacteria, mercury is converted into organic compounds, such as methylmercury (MeHg), which then bioaccumulates up through trophic levels. In fish, it is found primarily in skeletal muscle, while in humans, the primary target organs are the brain and kidneys. Health concerns exist regarding bioaccumulation of mercury in humans. This paper reviews the known anthropogenic sources of mercury contamination, including atmospheric deposition through aerial transport from coal burning power plants, cement production, and residual contaminants of mercury from gold mining, as well as mercury-containing waste from silver amalgams emitted from dental offices into waterways. Although tools exist for measuring mercury levels in hair, breast milk, urine, blood, and feces in humans, current diagnostic tools are inadequate in measuring total mercury load, including deposited mercury in tissues. Additionally, insufficient attention is being paid to potential synergistic impacts of mercury interaction with multipliers such as lead, cadmium, and aluminum. We provide specific data on methylmercury concentrations at different trophic levels, followed by recommendations for reducing the level of mercury in the SFBA in order to protect the health of humans and other species.

Influence of mercury on the human and animal organism

In the list of environmental pollutants, mercury is one of the first places. It is mercury, its inorganic and especially organic compounds belong to extremely toxic substances of the first class of danger.Mercury has been known since ancient times, it is mentioned in the writings of Aristotle, Theophrastus, Pliny the Elder, Vitruvius and other ancient scholars. The Latin name for this metal is “Hydrargium”, given to mercury by Greek physician Dioscorides (1st century B.C.), means in translation “silver water”. The most important and ancient in Ukraine is the Mykytiv mercury deposit, which was opened in 1879. and operated since 1885. Production of mercury until 1914 was 300–400 t/year (most of it was exported). After the revolution and the war it was slowly recovered (127 tons in 1926), in 1935–1940 it is annually brought to about 300 tons. After the Second World War, the Mykytiv deposit was built. Discovered in it reserves (up to a depth of 300 m) were evaluated in 6.000 tons in 1927, after deep drilling was introduced in the 1960s. they have increased slightly. In the world economy, mercury is widely used in the electrical engineering and instrument industry, laboratory and medical practice, in the production of chlorine/alkali, in agriculture (included in fertilizers), in small-scale mining of gold and silver and other fields. No other chemical element belonging to the first class of danger has such wide use in production processes, products, substances and such multivariate penetration into the organism (with air, food, water, through the skin) as mercury and its compounds. The main source of mercury poisoning is mercury vapor and dust of mercury compounds. The toxicity of metallic mercury is due to the fact that while inhaling its vapors more than 80 % of the mercury is absorbed by the brain, kidneys and other internal organs, leading to he devastating consequences primarily on the central nervous system and kidneys. Mercury semi withdrawal period from humans is from 35 to 96 days. The average semi withdrawal period from the blood is 65 days, from hair 72 days, in total from the organism - 76 days. A longer semi withdrawal period of mercury from the brain than from other organs has been recorded in experimental animal searches. In humans, high levels of mercury in brain tissue were detected 10 years after it ceased contact with a toxic substance. Mercury poisoning can be acute or chronic. In everyday life, most often find the second option.