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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Mercury study report to Congress. Volume 6. Characterization of human health and wildlife risks from anthropogenic mercury emissions in the United States. Sab review draft

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:285174

The volume of the draft Mercury Study Report to Congress characterizes risk for mercury emitted to the environment from anthropogenic sources. The characterization volume describes human and wildlife health effects of mercury exposure with accompanying analysis of uncertainty in quantitative risk estimates. Exposure pathways for selected human and wildlife populations to mercury are considered, again accompanied by a discussion of uncertainty. The size of the fish-eating U.S. population and quantities of mercury consumed in fish are estimated, as are the number of maternal-fetal pairs for whom maternal fish consumption is projected to exceed levels identified to be of concern. Literature reports of mercury concentrations in tissues of fish-eating wildlife species are presented. The sizes of selected wildlife populations identified as potentially exposed to quantities of methylmercury associated with adverse health effects are estimated. An overall characterization of risk of mercury to human subpopulations and selected fish-consuming wildlife species is developed.

Research Organization:
Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC (United States). Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards
OSTI ID:
285174
Report Number(s):
PB--96-184676/XAB; EPA--452/R-96/001F
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English