Test Catalog

Test Id : HG

Order This Test

Mercury, Blood

Download
Overview

Test Catalog

Useful For
Suggests clinical disorders or settings where the test may be helpful

Detecting mercury toxicity

Method Name
A short description of the method used to perform the test

Triple Quadrupole Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS/MS)

NY State Available
Indicates the status of NY State approval and if the test is orderable for NY State clients.

Yes

Reporting Name
Lists a shorter or abbreviated version of the Published Name for a test

Mercury, B

Aliases
Lists additional common names for a test, as an aid in searching

Mercury (Hg)

Hg (Mercury)

Specimen Type
Describes the specimen type validated for testing

Whole blood

Specimen Required
Defines the optimal specimen required to perform the test and the preferred volume to complete testing

Patient Preparation: High concentrations of gadolinium and iodine are known to potentially interfere with most inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry-based metal tests. If either gadolinium- or iodine-containing contrast media has been administered, a specimen should not be collected for 96 hours.

Supplies: Metal Free B-D Tube (EDTA), 6 mL (T183)

Container/Tube: Royal blue top (EDTA) plastic trace element blood collection tube

Specimen Volume: Full tube

Collection Instructions:

1. See Metals Analysis Specimen Collection and Transport for complete instructions.

2. Send whole blood specimen in original tube. Do not aliquot.

Special Instructions
Library of PDFs including pertinent information and forms related to the test

Specimen Minimum Volume
Defines the amount of sample necessary to provide a clinically relevant result as determined by the testing laboratory. The minimum volume is sufficient for one attempt at testing.

0.3 mL

Reject Due To
Identifies specimen types and conditions that may cause the specimen to be rejected

Gross hemolysis OK
Gross lipemia OK
Gross icterus OK

Specimen Stability Information
Provides a description of the temperatures required to transport a specimen to the performing laboratory, alternate acceptable temperatures are also included

Specimen Type Temperature Time Special Container
Whole blood Refrigerated (preferred) 28 days
Ambient 28 days
Frozen 28 days

Useful For
Suggests clinical disorders or settings where the test may be helpful

Detecting mercury toxicity

Clinical Information
Discusses physiology, pathophysiology, and general clinical aspects, as they relate to a laboratory test

Mercury (Hg) is relatively non-toxic in its elemental form. If Hg(0) is chemically modified to the ionized, inorganic species, Hg(2+), it becomes toxic. Further bioconversion to an alkyl Hg, such as methyl Hg (CH3Hg[+]), yields a species of mercury that is highly selective for lipid-rich tissue, such as neurons, and is very toxic. The relative order of toxicity is:

 

Least Toxic - Hg(0) < Hg(2+) << CH3Hg(+) -- Very Toxic

 

Mercury can be chemically converted from the elemental state to the ionized state. In industry, this is frequently done by exposing Hg(0) to strong oxidizing agents, such as chlorine.

 

Hg(0) can be bioconverted to both Hg(2+) and alkyl Hg by microorganisms that exist both in the normal human gut and in the bottom sediment of lakes, rivers, and oceans. When Hg(0) enters bottom sediment, it is absorbed by bacteria, fungi, and small microorganisms; they metabolically convert it to Hg(2+), CH3Hg(+), and C2H6Hg. Should these microorganisms be consumed by larger marine animals and fish, the mercury passes up the food chain in rather toxic form.

 

Mercury expresses its toxicity in 3 ways:

-Hg(2+) is readily absorbed and reacts with sulfhydryl groups of protein, causing a change in the tertiary structure of the protein-a stereoisomeric change-with subsequent loss of the unique activity associated with that protein. Because Hg(2+) becomes concentrated in the kidney during the regular clearance processes, this target organ experiences the greatest toxicity.

-With the tertiary change noted previously, some proteins become immunogenic, eliciting a proliferation of T lymphocytes that generate immunoglobulins to bind the new antigen; collagen tissues are particularly sensitive to this.

-Alkyl Hg species, such as CH3Hg(+), are lipophilic and avidly bind to lipid-rich tissues such as neurons. Myelin is particularly susceptible to disruption by this mechanism.

 

Members of the public will occasionally become concerned about exposure to mercury from dental amalgams. Restorative dentistry has used a mercury-silver amalgam for approximately 90 years as a filling material. A small amount of mercury (2-20 mcg/day) is released from a dental amalgam when it was mechanically manipulated, such as by chewing. The habit of gum chewing can cause release of mercury from dental amalgams greatly above normal. The normal bacterial microbiota present in the mouth converts a fraction of this to Hg(2+) and CH3Hg(+), which was shown to be incorporated into body tissues. The World Health Organization safety standard for daily exposure to mercury is 45 mcg/day. Thus, if one had no other source of exposure, the amount of mercury released from dental amalgams is not significant.(1) Many foods contain mercury. For example, commercial fish considered safe for consumption contain less than 0.3 mcg/g of mercury, but some game fish contain more than 2.0 mcg/g and, if consumed on a regular basis, contribute to significant body burdens.

 

Therapy is usually monitored by following urine output; therapy may be terminated after urine excretion is below 50 mcg/day.

Reference Values
Describes reference intervals and additional information for interpretation of test results. May include intervals based on age and sex when appropriate. Intervals are Mayo-derived, unless otherwise designated. If an interpretive report is provided, the reference value field will state this.

<10 ng/mL

Reference values apply to all ages.

Interpretation
Provides information to assist in interpretation of the test results

The quantity of mercury (Hg) found in blood and urine correlates with degree of toxicity. Hair analysis can be used to document the time of peak exposure if the event was in the past.

 

Normal whole blood mercury is usually below 10 ng/mL.

 

Individuals who have mild exposure during work, such as dentists, may routinely have whole blood mercury levels up to 15 ng/mL.

 

Significant exposure is indicated when the whole blood mercury is above 50 ng/mL if exposure is due to alkyl Hg, or above 200 ng/mL if exposure is due to Hg(2+).

Cautions
Discusses conditions that may cause diagnostic confusion, including improper specimen collection and handling, inappropriate test selection, and interfering substances

No significant cautionary statements

Clinical Reference
Recommendations for in-depth reading of a clinical nature

1. Lee R, Middleton D, Calwell K, et al. A review of events that expose children to elemental mercury in the United States. Environ Health Perspect. 2009;117(6):871-878

2. Bjorkman L, Lundekvam B, Laegreid T, et al. Mercury in human brain, blood, muscle and toenails in relation to exposure: an autopsy study. Environmental Health. 2007;6:30-44

3. deBurbure C, Buchet JP, Leroyer A, et al. Renal and neurologic effects of cadmium, lead, mercury, and arsenic in children: evidence of early effects and multiple interactions at environmental exposure levels. Environ Health Perspect. 2006;114(4):584-590

4. Strathmann FG, Blum LM. Toxic elements. In: Rifai N, Chiu RWK, Young I, Burnham CD, Wittwer CT, eds. Tietz Textbook of Laboratory Medicine. 7th ed. Elsevier; 2023:chap 44

Method Description
Describes how the test is performed and provides a method-specific reference

The metal of interest is analyzed by triple quadrupole inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.(Unpublished Mayo method)

PDF Report
Indicates whether the report includes an additional document with charts, images or other enriched information

No

Day(s) Performed
Outlines the days the test is performed. This field reflects the day that the sample must be in the testing laboratory to begin the testing process and includes any specimen preparation and processing time before the test is performed. Some tests are listed as continuously performed, which means that assays are performed multiple times during the day.

Monday through Saturday

Report Available
The interval of time (receipt of sample at Mayo Clinic Laboratories to results available) taking into account standard setup days and weekends. The first day is the time that it typically takes for a result to be available. The last day is the time it might take, accounting for any necessary repeated testing.

1 to 2 days

Specimen Retention Time
Outlines the length of time after testing that a specimen is kept in the laboratory before it is discarded

14 days

Performing Laboratory Location
Indicates the location of the laboratory that performs the test

Rochester

Fees :
Several factors determine the fee charged to perform a test. Contact your U.S. or International Regional Manager for information about establishing a fee schedule or to learn more about resources to optimize test selection.

  • Authorized users can sign in to Test Prices for detailed fee information.
  • Clients without access to Test Prices can contact Customer Service 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
  • Prospective clients should contact their account representative. For assistance, contact Customer Service.

Test Classification
Provides information regarding the medical device classification for laboratory test kits and reagents. Tests may be classified as cleared or approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and used per manufacturer instructions, or as products that do not undergo full FDA review and approval, and are then labeled as an Analyte Specific Reagent (ASR) product.

This test was developed and its performance characteristics determined by Mayo Clinic in a manner consistent with CLIA requirements. It has not been cleared or approved by the US Food and Drug Administration.

CPT Code Information
Provides guidance in determining the appropriate Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code(s) information for each test or profile. The listed CPT codes reflect Mayo Clinic Laboratories interpretation of CPT coding requirements. It is the responsibility of each laboratory to determine correct CPT codes to use for billing.

CPT codes are provided by the performing laboratory.

83825

LOINC® Information
Provides guidance in determining the Logical Observation Identifiers Names and Codes (LOINC) values for the order and results codes of this test. LOINC values are provided by the performing laboratory.

Test Id Test Order Name Order LOINC Value
HG Mercury, B 5685-3
Result Id Test Result Name Result LOINC Value
Applies only to results expressed in units of measure originally reported by the performing laboratory. These values do not apply to results that are converted to other units of measure.
8618 Mercury, B 5685-3

Test Setup Resources

Setup Files
Test setup information contains test file definition details to support order and result interfacing between Mayo Clinic Laboratories and your Laboratory Information System.

Excel | Pdf

Sample Reports
Normal and Abnormal sample reports are provided as references for report appearance.

Normal Reports | Abnormal Reports

SI Sample Reports
International System (SI) of Unit reports are provided for a limited number of tests. These reports are intended for international account use and are only available through MayoLINK accounts that have been defined to receive them.

SI Normal Reports | SI Abnormal Reports