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Laboratory:

Clinical Biochemistry (SENDOUTS)

Test Name:

MERCURY - (U)

Test Code: HGU

Clinical Information:

Avoid seafood consumption for three days prior to collection.
Test Indications: Detecting mercury toxicity, even though the correlation between the levels of mercury excretion in the urine and the clinical symptoms is considered poor.

24-hour urine mercury measurement is the preferred test to assess toxicity in patients who have suspected stable and chronic exposure to elemental mercury. While whole-blood mercury concentrations can reflect very large acute mercury exposure, this test becomes less reliable as redistribution to tissues takes place, making 24-hour urine testing more reliable in stable, chronic, or low-grade mercury exposures.

Treatment with a chelating agent is indicated in selected patients. Chelators increase the urinary excretion of mercury.

Test Approval Requirements: F260-11-02 Biochemistry Approval for Test Referral Form

Collection Devices:

Preferred Device:	1 - Urine Collection Container - 24 h Urine Collection Container - 24 h Manufacturer: VWR Scientific Products/Simport Plastics Catalogue #: CA73960-110
Alternate Device:	1 - Urine Collection 12 mL Tube Urine Collection 12 mL Tube Manufacturer: Sarstedt Canada Inc. (vendor) Catalogue #:

Specimen Required:

Urine: 10.0 mL

Specimen Stability:
Ambient: 14 days
Refrigerated: 11 months
Frozen: 11 months

Referral:

Urine: 10.0 mL

Shipping & Storage: Collect and transfer 10 mL in a metal-free specimen vial. State ’24 h urine’, ’collection date’ and ’total volume’ or indicate ’Random’. Store and send refrigerated to In-Common Laboratories.
Referred Out Location: In-Common Laboratories

Requisition:

_SH Urine Testing Requisition (R250-10-95)

Reference Values:

Method of Analysis: ICP-MS
24 h Urine , In-Common Laboratories Reference Values
Random Urine , In-Common Laboratories Reference Values

Availability:

Within 2 Weeks