Guidelines for safe exposure to Thimerosal
Guidelines for safe exposure to methylmercury are based on the analysis of unintended environmental exposures resulting in overt toxicity. Such guidelines have been developed by three federal agencies and the World Health Organization (WHO).
The World Health Organization recommends a limit of 3.3 micrograms of methylmercury/ kilogram of body weight/ week (0.47 micrograms/ kg/ day).
Three U.S. federal agencies have set lower guidelines for methylmercury exposure:
Environmental Protection Agency: 0.1 micrograms/ kg/ day
Agency for Toxic Substances Disease Registry: 0.3 micrograms/ kg/ day
Food and Drug Administration: 0.4 micrograms/ kg/ day
Although these guidelines are each slightly different, but each leaves a large margin for safety, and exposure to amounts that exceed these guidelines does not mean that the developing infant is exposed to toxic levels of mercury.
A concentration of 1:10,000
= 0.01% concentration
= 50 micrograms per 0.5 mL
1 microgram
= 1mcg
= one millionth of a gram
Most pediatric vaccines come in doses of 0.5 mL (one-half milliliters) so most concentrations are reported “per 0.5 mL.”
Because thimerosal is half mercury, a vaccine with 0.01% concentration of thimerosal
= 0.005% concentration of mercury
= 25 micrograms of mercury per 0.5 mL of vaccine.
(For comparison, most commercial fish contain an average of 23 micrograms of mercury per 8 ounces of fish (i.e., 0.1 micrograms of mercury per gram of fish)).
The World Health Organization recommends a limit of 3.3 micrograms of methylmercury/ kilogram of body weight/ week (0.47 micrograms/ kg/ day).
Three U.S. federal agencies have set lower guidelines for methylmercury exposure:
Environmental Protection Agency: 0.1 micrograms/ kg/ day
Agency for Toxic Substances Disease Registry: 0.3 micrograms/ kg/ day
Food and Drug Administration: 0.4 micrograms/ kg/ day
Although these guidelines are each slightly different, but each leaves a large margin for safety, and exposure to amounts that exceed these guidelines does not mean that the developing infant is exposed to toxic levels of mercury.
A concentration of 1:10,000
= 0.01% concentration
= 50 micrograms per 0.5 mL
1 microgram
= 1mcg
= one millionth of a gram
Most pediatric vaccines come in doses of 0.5 mL (one-half milliliters) so most concentrations are reported “per 0.5 mL.”
Because thimerosal is half mercury, a vaccine with 0.01% concentration of thimerosal
= 0.005% concentration of mercury
= 25 micrograms of mercury per 0.5 mL of vaccine.
(For comparison, most commercial fish contain an average of 23 micrograms of mercury per 8 ounces of fish (i.e., 0.1 micrograms of mercury per gram of fish)).
Thimerosal contains ethylmercury. At high introduction levels, methylmercury can be poisonous to individuals. In the United States, government rules keep however much methylmercury as could be expected out of the earth and nourishment, yet over a lifetime, everybody is presented to some methylmercury.
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