IRIS

Mercury Salts, Inorganic

CASRN Various

Systematic Review Protocol for the Inorganic Mercury Salts IRIS Assessment (Preliminary Assessment Materials)

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Notice

EPA announces the availability of the Systematic Review Protocol for the IRIS Inorganic Mercury Salts Assessment for a 30-day public comment period as announced in the Federal Register. The deadline for comments is April 12, 2021.

Overview

In March 2021, EPA released the Systematic Review Protocol for the Inorganic Mercury Salts IRIS Assessment (Preliminary Assessment Materials). As part of developing a draft IRIS assessment, EPA presents a methods document, referred to as the protocol, for conducting a chemical-specific systematic review of the available scientific literature. Protocols communicate the rationale for conducting the assessment of inorganic mercury salts, describe screening criteria to identify relevant literature, outline the approach for evaluating study quality, and describe the dose-response methods.

Citation

U.S. EPA. Systematic Review Protocol for the Inorganic Mercury Salts IRIS Assessment (Preliminary Assessment Materials). U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, EPA/635/R-20/239, 2021.

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Background

Mercury occurs naturally in geologic materials in the environment and can exist in inorganic form as salts. In its inorganic form, mercury occurs abundantly in the environment - primarily as the minerals (e.g., cinnabar (HgS), metacinnabar) - and as impurities in other minerals. Its geologic associations are with volcanic rocks and hydrothermal systems. The abundance of each of these in the environment make it available for combining with chlorine, sulfur, and other elements as it weathers to form these and other inorganic salts. Inorganic mercury salts can be transported in water and occur in soil.

Human exposure to inorganic mercury salts can occur both in occupational and environmental settings. Occupations with higher risk of exposure to mercury and its salts include mining, electrical equipment manufacturing, and chemical and metal processing in which mercury is used. In the general population, exposure to mercuric chloride can occur through the dermal route from the use of soaps and creams or topical antiseptics and disinfectants. Exposure may also occur from consuming outdated medicinal products, such as laxatives, worming medications, and teething powders.

History/Chronology

Date Description
01- Oct 2019 EPA released the IRIS Assessment Plan (IAP) for Inorganic Mercury Salts for public comment and review. [Federal Register Notice Oct 8, 2019]
02- Dec 2019 EPA hosted a public science meeting to discuss preliminary meeting materials for inorganic mercury salts.
03- Mar 2021 EPA released the Systematic Review Protocol for the Inorganic Mercury Salts IRIS Assessment (Preliminary Assessment Materials) for a 30-day public review and comment period.

Status

The IRIS Program will use the methods for conducting the systematic review as described in the protocol to develop the draft assessment.

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Download(s)

This download(s) is distributed solely for the purpose of pre-dissemination peer review under applicable information quality guidelines. It has not been formally disseminated by EPA. It does not represent and should not be construed to represent any Agency determination or policy.

If you have a disability and the format of any material on our web pages interferes with your ability to access the information, please reach out to us using the Contact Us about IRIS form for assistance. To enable us to respond in a manner most helpful to you, please indicate the nature of the accessibility problem, the web address of the requested material, your preferred format in which you want to receive the material (electronic format (ASCII, etc.), standard print, large print, etc.), and your contact information.


Document Related Link(s)


HERO Project


Federal Register Notices


Docket

Comments on the assessment may be submitted and reviewed using the Docket ID EPA-HQ-ORD-2019-0504

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Quick Check

Quick check is a visual indication of the current step that this IRIS assessment has started or is in.