Mercury, Urine

Monitor exposure to mercury (primarily inorganic mercury). Some organic forms of mercury, including phenylmercury, are metabolized to inorganic mercury; however, methylmercury and ethylmercury are not metabolized to inorganic mercury and the primary route of excretion is in the bile and stool; consequently, these alkylmercury compounds are usually not detected in urine.2

This test was developed and its performance characteristics determined by LabCorp. It has not been cleared or approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

BEI® are reference values intended as guidelines for evaluation of occupational exposure. BEI® represent biological levels of chemicals that correspond to workers with inhalation exposure equivalent to the threshold limit value (TLV®) of the chemicals. TLVs refer to the airborne concentrations of substances and represent conditions under which it is believed that nearly all workers may be repeatedly exposed, day after day, without adverse health effects.1
1. TLVs and BEIs, Threshold Limit Values for Chemical Substances and Physical Agents and Biological Exposure Indices 2010, American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH).

2. Baselt RC, Cravey RH, Disposition of Toxic Drugs and Chemicals in Man, 4th ed, Chemical Toxicology Institute, 1995.