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22697 Mercury, Blood (HG)

Mercury, Blood (HG)
Test Code: MERC
Synonyms/Keywords
​Ref Lab Code: 8618, Mercury (Hg), Hg (Mercury)
Useful For
​Detecting mercury toxicity
Specimen Requirements
Specimen Type Preferred Container/Tube Acceptable Container/Tube Specimen Volume Specimen Minimum Volume
(allows for 1 repeat)		 Pediatric Minimum Volume
(no repeat)
​Whole blood Royal Blue Top Tube (RBTT) (EDTA) Vacutainer plastic trace element blood collection tube​ ​ Full tube ​ 0.3 mL​ ​
Collection Processing Instructions
​1. Send specimen in original tube.
2. See Metals Analysis-Collection and Transport in Special Instructions for complete instructions.
Trace Metals Analysis - Specimen Collection and Transport
 
Additional Information: High concentrations of gadolinium and iodine are known to interfere with most metals tests. If either gadolinium- or iodine-containing contrast media has been administered, a specimen should not be collected for 96 hours.
Specimen Stability Information
Specimen Type Temperature Time
Whole blood​ Refrigerated (preferred)​ 21 days​
​ Ambient ​ 21 days​
​ Frozen ​ 21 days​
Rejection Criteria
Gross icterus
Green top (heparin) tube​
Performing Laboratory Information
Performing Location Day(s) Test Performed Analytical Time Methodology/Instrumentation
Mayo Medical Laboratories​
 Monday through Saturday​
1 day
Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS)​
Reference Lab
Mayo Clinic Laboratories
Reference Range Information
0-9 ng/mL
Interpretation
​The quantity of mercury (Hg) found in blood and urine correlates with degree of toxicity. Hair analysis can be used to document the time of peak exposure if the event was in the past.
 
Normal whole blood mercury is usually <10 ng/mL.
 
Individuals who have mild exposure during work, such as dentists, may routinely have whole blood mercury levels up to 15 ng/mL.
 
Significant exposure is indicated when the whole blood mercury is >50 ng/mL if exposure is due to alkyl Hg, or >200 ng/mL if exposure is due to Hg(+2).
Outreach CPTs
CPT Modifier
(if needed)		 Quantity Description Comments
​83825 ​ ​ ​ ​
Synonyms/Keywords
​Ref Lab Code: 8618, Mercury (Hg), Hg (Mercury)
Ordering Applications
Ordering Application Description
​Centricity ​Mercury-Blood
​Cerner ​Mercury Level (8618)
​COM ​Mercury, Blood
If the ordering application you are looking for is not listed, contact your local laboratory for assistance.
Specimen Requirements
Specimen Type Preferred Container/Tube Acceptable Container/Tube Specimen Volume Specimen Minimum Volume
(allows for 1 repeat)		 Pediatric Minimum Volume
(no repeat)
​Whole blood Royal Blue Top Tube (RBTT) (EDTA) Vacutainer plastic trace element blood collection tube​ ​ Full tube ​ 0.3 mL​ ​
Collection Processing
​1. Send specimen in original tube.
2. See Metals Analysis-Collection and Transport in Special Instructions for complete instructions.
Trace Metals Analysis - Specimen Collection and Transport
 
Additional Information: High concentrations of gadolinium and iodine are known to interfere with most metals tests. If either gadolinium- or iodine-containing contrast media has been administered, a specimen should not be collected for 96 hours.
Specimen Stability Information
Specimen Type Temperature Time
Whole blood​ Refrigerated (preferred)​ 21 days​
​ Ambient ​ 21 days​
​ Frozen ​ 21 days​
Rejection Criteria
Gross icterus
Green top (heparin) tube​
Useful For
​Detecting mercury toxicity
Reference Range Information
0-9 ng/mL
Interpretation
​The quantity of mercury (Hg) found in blood and urine correlates with degree of toxicity. Hair analysis can be used to document the time of peak exposure if the event was in the past.
 
Normal whole blood mercury is usually <10 ng/mL.
 
Individuals who have mild exposure during work, such as dentists, may routinely have whole blood mercury levels up to 15 ng/mL.
 
Significant exposure is indicated when the whole blood mercury is >50 ng/mL if exposure is due to alkyl Hg, or >200 ng/mL if exposure is due to Hg(+2).
For more information visit:
Performing Laboratory Information
Performing Location Day(s) Test Performed Analytical Time Methodology/Instrumentation
Mayo Medical Laboratories​
 Monday through Saturday​
1 day
Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS)​
Reference Lab
Mayo Clinic Laboratories
For billing questions, see Contacts
Outreach CPTs
CPT Modifier
(if needed)		 Quantity Description Comments
​83825 ​ ​ ​ ​
For most current information refer to the Marshfield Laboratory online reference manual.