title: A review of events that expose children to elemental mercury in the United States.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Concern for children exposed to elemental mercury prompted the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to review the sources of elemental mercury exposures in children, describe the location and proportion of children affected, and make recommendations on how to prevent these exposures. In this review, we excluded mercury exposures from coal-burning facilities, dental amalgams, fish consumption, medical waste incinerators, or thimerosal-containing vaccines.
  
  
  METHODS
  We reviewed federal, state, and regional programs with information on mercury releases along with published reports of children exposed to elemental mercury in the United States. We selected all mercury-related events that were documented to expose (or potentially expose) children. We then explored event characteristics (i.e., the exposure source, location).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Primary exposure locations were at home, at school, and at other locations such as industrial property not adequately remediated or medical facilities. Exposure to small spills from broken thermometers was the most common scenario; however, reports of such exposures are declining.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Childhood exposures to elemental mercury often result from inappropriate handling or cleanup of spilled mercury. The information reviewed suggests that most releases do not lead to demonstrable harm if the exposure period is short and the mercury is properly cleaned up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Primary prevention should include health education and policy initiatives. For larger spills, better coordination among existing surveillance systems would assist in understanding the risk factors and in developing effective prevention efforts.
authors: Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Atlanta, Georgia 30341, USA. RLee3@cdc.gov
authors: Robin
authors: R
authors: Lee
authors: Dan
authors: D
authors: Middleton
authors: Kathleen
authors: K
authors: Caldwell
authors: Steve
authors: S
authors: Dearwent
authors: Steven
authors: S
authors: Jones
authors: Brian
authors: B
authors: Lewis
authors: Carolyn
authors: C
authors: Monteilh
authors: Mary Ellen
authors: ME
authors: Mortensen
authors: Richard
authors: R
authors: Nickle
authors: Kenneth
authors: K
authors: Orloff
authors: Meghan
authors: M
authors: Reger
authors: John
authors: J
authors: Risher
authors: Helen Schurz
authors: HS
authors: Rogers
authors: Michelle
authors: M
authors: Watters
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D006801:Humans; D008628:Mercury / Q000097:blood*; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D008628:Mercury