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Mercury levels in Southwest Colorado under scrutiny

Updated: 2009-07-16 19:26:48 CST Category: Environmental Toxin Testing

by Laurent Castellucci

The increasing levels of mercury in the environment, especially in edible fish and seafood, has been a growing concern of health officials in the U.S. and around the globe. Mercury is toxic to humans, and can affect the nervous system of adults, children and may be extremely dangerous to pregnant women. Some of the effects of high mercury exposure can include delirium, hallucinations and tremors.

The EPA recently installed a machine to measure mercury in the rain and snow in the mountains around the Silverton, Colorado and Mesa Verde National Park is installing a similar one. A history of oil, gas and coal production in the area has raised concerns about the environmental toxin.

Mercury poison testing can determine actual blood levels of mercury fairly easily. Monitoring by the CDC in the past found that most people have blood mercury levels below the level associated with serious health effects. The EPA estimates that more than 300,000 newborns a year may be at risk due to over-exposure of mercury in the womb.

The EPA is currently deciding where to place a long term storage center for elemental mercury.

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