Is mercury from thimerosal a major source of mercury exposure in infants?
To answer this question, one must compare an infants environmental exposure (primarily the diet) to mercury exposure from vaccines. However, limited information is available on dietary exposure to mercury in infants less than 6 months of age. In addition, dietary exposure of infants to organic mercury occurs in the form of methylmercury, while exposure to mercury in vaccines occurs as ethylmercury, which may have different toxicity. Recognizing these limitations, available information has suggested that exposure of infants to mercury from vaccines is in the same order of magnitude as exposure to mercury in the diet. Reports of total exposures to mercury (inorganic and organic) in the diet have ranged from less than 0.05 micrograms/kg/day to 0.1 micrograms/kg/day. One investigator calculated that approximately half of mercury in breast milk was in the form of organic mercury, of a total 0.6 micrograms mercury per L. (Oskarsson 1996). At the time of the FDA risk assessment in 1999, expos
Related Questions
- What precautions does the dentist take to protect against mercury exposure while removing a mercury dental filling?
- What precautions does the dentist take to protect against mercury exposure while removing a mercury dental filling?
- Is lead paint still the most important source of lead exposure for children?
- Is lead paint still the most important source of lead exposure for children?
- Is mercury from thimerosal a major source of mercury exposure in infants?
- Are children more sensitive to mercury exposure effects than adults?
