Mercury

• Mercury is released into the air through the burning of fossil fuels and is present in dental fillings and various household goods, such as batteries and fluorescent light bulbs. Eating fish contaminated with mercury is the most common cause of ingestion-related exposure.
  
  

Indentification

• Symptoms of mercury exposure include irritability, vomiting, diarrhea, an increase in blood pressure and tremors. If left untreated, mercury toxicity can result in digestive problems; brain, kidney and lung damage; and death.
  
  

Hair Analysis

• One way to diagnose mercury toxicity is through hair analysis, a laboratory technique that uses strands of hair to test for the presence of heavy metals.
  
  

Significance

• Hair is a continuously growing tissue. While forming in the hair follicle, it absorbs traces of whatever substances are in the blood, from minerals to heavy metals. As such, hair is considered to be a lasting record of the body's condition at the time of growth.
  
  

Procedures and Techniques

• Hair samples often include new growth taken from the nape of the neck. Depending on the lab, a hair sample may be analyzed under a microscope to determine its makeup. Alternatively, chemicals may be used to dissolve the sample before analyzing the extract for heavy metals. Results are typically available within three weeks.
  
  

Considerations

• Hair analysis procedures and techniques differ from lab to lab. Furthermore, because factors such as ethnicity, age, weight and rate of hair growth may affect the test results, hair analysis is not considered to be fully reliable, according to MedIndia. Results must be confirmed by further testing of the blood and urine.