With all the recent discussions about the use of mercury (as thimerosal) in some of the H1N1 vaccines, and others, in circulation right now it seemed only appropriate that we inform people of the potential dangers associated with mercury exposure from thimerosal, the air we breathe, the fish we eat, and the water we drink.

Once in the human body, mercury acts as a neurotoxin, interfering with the brain and nervous system.

Exposure to mercury can be particularly hazardous for pregnant women and small children. During the first several years of life, a child’s brain is still developing and rapidly absorbing nutrients. Prenatal and infant mercury exposure can cause mental retardation, cerebral palsy, deafness and blindness. Even in low doses, mercury may affect a child’s development, delaying walking and talking, shortening attention span and causing learning disabilities.

In adults, mercury poisoning can adversely affect fertility and blood pressure regulation and can cause memory loss, tremors, vision loss and numbness of the fingers and toes. A growing body of evidence suggests that exposure to mercury may also lead to heart disease. ( source )

Many health officials also believe the mercury in thimerosal administered to children as part of routine/required childhood vaccinations plays a large role in causing autism and the United States Environmental Protection Agency considers mercury toxic enough to mention it specifically in its Primary Drinking Water Standards.

Sources of Mercury in Our Lives

Although a naturally occuring element, it typically enters the environment as a waste product from industrial processes and poorly run gold mining operations.

The majority of mercury poisoning cases result from people eating fish containing large amounts of mercury and drinking water contaminated with mercury. We have not found evidence of acute mercury poisoning resulting from vaccinations containing thimerosal. Note that we specified ACUTE cases of mercury poisoning.

Other Possible Articles of Interest:

• MCL for Mercury in Drinking Water
• Information About Mercury in the Environment
• Testing for Mercury and Other Metals in Water
• Mercury Found in All Fish Tested in US Freshwater Streams
• Mercury Contamination in Fish
• H1N1 Flu Vaccine Will Contain Mercury

 Share the Water Testing Blog!

•