Industrial hygiene forum
On routine blood tests, two employees of a hospital Dental Service unit had elevated mercury levels. On 23 June 1986, an industrial hygienist made a mercury vapor survey of the area with the use of Jerome direct reading mercury vapor meter and collection on mercury vapor sampling tubes for laboratory analysis by flameless atomic absorption. No work practices were observed that would account for the elevated mercury levels in the blood. All airborne mercury levels were well below detectable limits. A box of Monoject purple top blood collection tubes used for collection of blood for mercury determination was examined. The box listed sodium ethylmercurithiosalicylate as the antimicrobial agent additive. The use of a mercurial preservative on samples for mercury determinations seemed totally inappropriate. Mercury vapor measurements that were made inside these tubes clearly indicated the presence of mercury.
- Research Organization:
- Oneil M. Banks, Inc., Bel Air, MD
- OSTI ID:
- 7025676
- Journal Information:
- Am. Ind. Hyg. Assoc. J.; (United States), Vol. 48:1
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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