The Test
How is it used?
When is it ordered?
What does the test result mean?
Is there anything else I should know?
How is it used?
Mercury testing is used to detect the presence of an excessive amount of mercury in a person's blood and/or urine sample. It may be ordered by a health practitioner to determine whether a person has had short-term exposure to a toxic level of mercury (acute exposure) or has been exposed over an extended period of time (chronic exposure). Testing may also be used to monitor those who may be exposed to mercury in the workplace.
To test for the various forms of mercury [see What is being tested?], more than one type of sample may be collected and tested.