FACT SHEET ON A DRINKING WATER CHEMICAL CONTAMINANT
GENERAL INFORMATION
Synonyms:
•	Inorganic mercury:
•	Mercury (II) Chloride: Mercuric Bichloride;
Mercury Perchloride
•	Mercury (II) Sulfate: Mercuric Sulfate
Chemical Description:
•	Naturally occurring element (metal), abundant
in earth's crust, usually occurring as a sulfide,
chloride, or oxide
Properties:
» Exists in three forms: elemental mercury,
inorganic salts (mercuric and mercurous salts),
and an organic compound (methylmercury)
•	Elemental form is a silver-white, heavy,
relatively inert liquid which is insoluble in wafer
and has a high vapor pressure at room
temperature
•	Mercuric (divalent) salts are more wafer
soluble than mercurous (tnvalent) salts
Production and Us#:
•	Metallic mercury has the most industrial uses:
•	as a cathode in electrolytic preparations of
chlorine and caustic soda
» in eicfricai apparatuses (lamps, arc rectifiers,
and mercury battery cells)
•	in dental amalgams
•	as catalysts
» in pulp and paper manufacture
•	Inorganic mercury used in fungicides
ENVIRONMENTAL PROFILE
Occurence:
•	Naturally occurring levels of ionic mercury in
surface and ground wafer are estimated to fall
well below the MCI, although higher levels
may occur in ground water from local mineral
deposits
•	Inorganic mercury is fh© form which
predominates in drinking water
tefeases:
•	Released to the environment primarily from
inadequate and improper disposal of industrial
mercury wastes and agricultural applications
Environmental Fat®:
•	Accumulates in the environment by
volatilization and biotransformation
•	All forms of mercury (metal, vapor, inorganic,
organic) are converted to methylmercury in
the biosphere
•	In the atmosphere: binds to dust ease's;
where it can be transported hundreas of
kilometers: deposited and revolatifeed many
times in the environment, with an afmospnenc
residence time of several days; subject to
wash-out by rain
•	In water binds to dissolved matter or fine
particles and is ultimately deposited in
sediment; methylmercury (organic form) is
formed naturally from elemental mercury in
aquatic (upper sedimentary layers of sea or
lake bottoms) and terrestrial environments
» High potential to bioaccumulate. especially m
fish and other aquatic organisms
HEALTH EFFECTS
Humant:
» High acute oral toxicity: effects of short-term
ingestion of high doses of inorganic mercury
are vomiting, severe abdominal pain, followed
by a short period of loss of consciousness
» No information on long-term exposure to
inorganic mercury found in the available
literature
» Eating fish contaminated with mercury residues
has caused secondary poisonings in humans
Experimental Animal*:
•	Both short- and long-term, high-dose exposures
to inorganic mercury cause kidney damage
•	Methylmercury is a highly toxic form and is
associated with central nervous system
damage (mental disturbances, ataxia, speech
disturbances, hearing impairments)
•	May have potential teratogenic effects
« Inadequate data on the mutagenic and
carcinogenic potentsart of inorganic mercury

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REGULATORY PROFILE
Existing Standards:
•Clean Air Act (CAA):
Regulated - revision pending
•Clean Water Act (CWA):
Criteria established
•Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
(RCRA):
Hazardous Waste
•Superfund (CERCLA):
•Hazardous substance
•SARA: Toxic chemical
•F«d oral Insecticide, Fungicide, and
Rodenticide Act (FIFRA):
Registered
•Toxic Substance* Control Act (TSCA):
Not regulated
HEALTH INFORMATION
Maximum Contaminant Level Goals (MCLG):
•	Non-enforceable levels based solely on an
evaluation of possible health risks and
exposure, and faking into consideration a
margin for public safety
•	Set at 0,002 rng/l to protect against damage
to the kidneys and nervous system
MCLG for Mercury = 0.002 mg/l
(effective July 1992)
Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCL):
•	Legally enforceable levels for contaminants in
public drinking water supplies
•	Based on health risks associated with the
contaminants, analytical methods for their
assay, and water treatment feasibility
•	Exceedance of the MCL in drinking water may
result in adverse effects which will depend
upon the contaminant concentration in water,
amount of water/contaminant ingested, and
length of exposure
•	Current MCI = 0.002 mg/t
MCL for Mercury = 0,002 mg/l
(effective July 1992)
EPA Heaffti Advisories (HA):
•	Short-term HAs: Provide acceptable
concentrations of contaminants in water for
up to 10 day exposures, primarily to evaluate
the public health risk resulting from an
accidental spill or an emergency
contamination situation
•	Longer-term HAs: Proviae guidance for
persistent water contamination situations to
cover a period of up to 7 years
•	Lifetime HAs: Derived in the same way as an
MCLG
Health Advisories: ¦
Short-term HA for a child = N/A
Longer-term HA for a child = N/A
Longer-term HA for an adult s N/A
Lifetime HA = 0,002 mg/L
ANALYTICAL METHODS
» Manual Cold Vapor
EPA Method 245.1
•	Automated Cold Vapor
EPA Method 245.2
WATER TREATMENT
lest Available Technology (BAT):
•	Granular Activated Charcoal
•	Lime Softening
•	Coagulation/Filtration
•	Reverse Osmosis
SHORT-TERM HAZARD ELIMINATION
•	If the drinking wafer standards are exceeded,
install BAT or use an alternative drinking water
supply such as bottled water
ADDITIONAL HELP
« State or county health officials can indicate a
certified laboratory for testing
•	Experts in the state Department of
Environmental Protection or Natural Resources
may also be of help
•	The EPA has toll-free numbers for further
information on drinking water quality,
treatment technologies, for obtaining Health
Advisories, and for other regulatory information
•	EPA Hotlines are available Monday through
Friday
•	Safe Drinking Water	800-426-4791
•	National Pesticides:	800-858- 7378
•Superfund/RCRA: 800-424-9346
•	For information on the Ctean Water Act. call
(202) 260-7301
•	For information on the Toxic Substances
Control Act, call (202) 554-1404
•	For information on the Clean Air Act, call
(919) 541-2777

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