Mercury, also known as metallic mercury or mercury, can be found in two states, as a liquid in a normal room temperature of 25°C. or as steam. When mercury is in a vapor state it tends to be more dangerous than when it is in a liquid state. Mercury will form Hg+ and Hg+2 salts once bound to other elements such as oxygen and chlorine. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Mercury occurs naturally in the form of vapor and can be found in the Earth's crust once degassed, it can also form from eruptions of some volcanoes and from the evaporation of ocean water. It can also be produced by burning coal and smelting some metals. Mercury is also found in very low concentrations in air, food and water. Exposure to mercury can occur in 3 ways; The first is dietary exposure, primarily through the consumption of fish, a person will be exposed to high amounts of organic mercury (particularly methylmercury), while inorganic mercury will be found in other foods. Occupational exposure, which is the second way of exposure, usually occurs to workers working in a chloralkali industry as they inhale mercury vapor while working. It can also occur during the manufacturing of some instruments, during gold mining, and even dentists are exposed to it while preparing mercury amalgams. The third way of exposure is accidental exposure, it is due to broken containers and barometers that contain mercury, also from repeated exposure to amalgam during a visit to the dentist. Symptoms can vary depending on the form of mercury; at high concentrations mercury vapor when inhaled will cause bronchitis, inorganic mercury (which can be found in tattoo inks) will cause damage to the renal tubules in the kidney, while methylmercury tends to be neurotoxic, all of which can progress to coma and ultimately to death. Symptoms of inhaling mercury vapor may vary depending on short or long-term exposure. In case of short-term exposure the symptoms may be cough, chest pain, vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, increased blood pressure, some eye problems and you may taste a sort of metallic taste in your mouth. In case of long-term exposure, anorexia, anxiety, insomnia, tremors and loss of appetite. One of the most important mechanisms of toxicity that produces cell death/damage within the cell is the high binding affinity of the -SH protein group. Other mechanisms include increased oxidative stress, decreased glutathione level, and mitochondrial damage. Both urine and blood samples are used to test whether someone has been exposed to mercury; urine is the most preferable when testing for elemental mercury. It is best to take urine samples once in the morning after waking from sleep or collect them over a 24-hour period. Blood samples may be taken after a long period (up to 3 days) to test for exposure to high levels of mercury. So, what to do if someone has been exposed to mercury? The person must be removed from the exposure area immediately, so once admitted to hospital they will receive intensive care from the doctor and nurses as well as chelation therapy to try to eliminate the mercury from their body. a pregnant woman, a newborn and a small child are the 3 most affected groups who could have serious problems after inhaling mercury vapor. Mercury, once inhaled by a pregnant woman, can pass her body and reach the.