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Blood is primarily used to identify a high level of methyl mercury. People who eat these fish may be exposed to this form of mercury. Bacteria with elevated levels of methyl mercury are often found in large, older, predator fish such as sharks and king mackerel.
Methyl mercury and other organic mercury compounds are products of reactions between mercury and carbon-based organic compounds. Urine samples are usually used to detect this form of mercury. Inorganic mercury salts, which are produced by the reaction of non-carbon based compounds with mercury, are normally in a form of powder or crystal and sometimes used in topical preparations such as skin-lightening or antiseptic creams. Urine samples are typically tested to detect this form of mercury.
Metallic or elemental mercury is a liquid often used in dental fillings, some thermometers, and batteries. Mercury is an element that can be toxic in various forms, which are tested in different samples: It is important to know that you must use the range supplied by the laboratory that performed your test to evaluate whether your results are “within normal limits.”įor more information, please read the article Reference Ranges and What They Mean. This is a reason why so few reference ranges are provided on this site. While accuracy of laboratory testing has significantly evolved over the past few decades, some lab-to-lab variability can occur due to differences in testing equipment, chemical reagents, and techniques. Values that are outside expected ranges can provide clues to help identify possible conditions or diseases.
By comparing your test results with reference values, you and your healthcare provider can see if any of your test results fall outside the range of expected values. They are sometimes called “normal” values. Reference ranges are the values expected for a healthy person. Their meaning comes from comparison to reference ranges. Laboratory test results are not meaningful by themselves. If you do not have your lab report, consult your healthcare provider or the laboratory that performed the test(s) to obtain the reference range. They are typically found to the right of your results. The reference ranges for your tests can be found on your laboratory report.