ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
The Need to Act Now on Mercury Testing
By Eric Bind , program manager , New Jersey Biomonitoring and Exposure Assessment Program , New Jersey Department of Health , Environmental and Chemical Laboratory Services and Jennifer Liebreich , senior program manager , Environmental Health
Long-standing public health threats , such as salmonella and lead , as well as emerging concerns , like per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances ( PFAS ) and COVID-19 , rightfully receive much attention . Public health laboratories play a leading role in the ongoing , successful responses to these threats . While limited resources restrict a laboratory ’ s ability to address every threat , mercury is a global health crisis that merits attention not only due to its toxicity and prevalence , but also because of environmental concerns affecting communities disproportionately . Mercury exposure can lead to neurological , endocrine , renal and other serious disorders , with these effects more pronounced in children and developing babies . Importantly , reductions in mercury exposures may be achieved faster with fewer resources than other chemicals ( e . g ., lead and PFAS ) by using exposure reduction strategies , such as product and fish advisories .
Mercury is a toxic metal that people may encounter in four main forms : methylmercury , ethylmercury , inorganic mercury and elemental mercury . Methylmercury is the most toxic form and is associated with fish / seafood consumption . Ethylmercury is found primarily in preservatives . Inorganic mercury is commonly found in skin lightening products ( SLPs ) and ayurvedic medicine . And elemental mercury is present in dental amalgam , compact fluorescent lightbulbs ( CFLs ), and other consumer goods . While many industrial applications have been phased out , there is continued exposure potential from residual , imported and unanticipated sources . All mercury is toxic and
Lead
CDC Reference Value - 3.5 μg / dL
• Routinely evaluated
Screening Policies and Guidelines
• Universal childhood lead screening recommeded
• States have individual rules — mandatory tagging
Medical Treatment Protocols
• CDC guidelines based on exposure level
• Well-established , consistently applied
Tracking and Response
• State child and adult lead programs
• Federal and state funding for tracking
• HUD and other funding available for clean up
Products Limits and Bans
• FDA limit for baby food
Figure 1 .
• National bans on lead in products
bioaccumulates in humans with a one- to two-month half-life in blood .
Building a Public Health Response Infrastructure …
Some public health laboratories are already addressing the mercury crisis . Health departments in California , Minnesota and New York City use laboratory data to eliminate mercuryadded SLPs from the market . Laboratory data identify communities at higher risk of exposure , including populations that are foreign-born , minority or receiving public assistance . Such data can inform public health action . New Jersey Biomonitoring data revealed that mercury exposure is highly prevalent with more than 10 % of the state ’ s population being above New Jersey ’ s 5 µ g / L health limit and approximately 60 % of pregnancies tested
Mercury
No Reference Value
• Limits vary by state — not health-based
No Screening Policies or Guidelines
• No universal screening recommendations
• States have limited reporting requirements
No Medical Treatment Protocols
• No immediate treatment protocols
• No long-term monitoring protocols
Limited Tracking and Response
• Limited or no state tracking programs
• Limited or no funding for tracking
• Limited or no funding available for clean up
Limited Product Testing and Bans
• No limits for food — guidance for fish
• Limited bans on products — varies by state ; limit too high
in the state having mercury at levels potentially causing health risks .
A comprehensive mercury public health response entails : 1 ) reducing consumer demand through public education ; 2 ) reducing supply through product restrictions and enforcement ; and 3 ) laboratory testing to identify exposed individuals and contaminated products . Public health laboratories cannot ban products but can generate the human biomonitoring and consumer product data necessary to inform policy decisions . Such data led to the dental amalgam ban in the European Union , which went into effect January 1 , 2025 .
… And Seeing the Effects
The United States has reduced lead exposure by 93 % over the last six decades .
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18 LAB MATTERS Spring 2025
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