Wonder what the source(s) would have been, although there are
probably a lot of potential sources for mercury and just about anything else, from that site.

Just another one of the hazards that these heroes have been exposed to....

[url]dailynews.yahoo.com/h/ap/20020104/ts/attacks_mercury_1.html[/url]


Mercury Found in WTC Site Workers
Photos


By JUDIE GLAVE, Associated Press Writer

NEW YORK (AP) - Four Port Authority police officers working at ground zero have been reassigned after tests showed elevated levels of mercury in their blood, officials said Friday.

All four were in good health and had no symptoms of mercury poisoning, said Port Authority of New York and New Jersey spokesman Allen Morrison. High levels of mercury can damage the brain, kidneys and lungs.

The source of the mercury was not known.

``We can't be certain whether working at ground zero caused the elevation in those four cases, but we didn't want to take a chance,'' Morrison said.

An increased level of heavy metals, including mercury, was also found in preliminary tests done at a building across from the World Trade Center site where the Legal Aid Society was housed before the Sept. 11 attack, spokeswoman Pat Bath said. More tests are being done.

Environmental Protection Agency (news - web sites) regional spokeswoman Bonnie Bellow said any elevated levels of mercury in the blood of workers at ground zero should be taken seriously, and she urged work crews to continue wearing respirators.

But so far, she said, there is no definitive evidence the mercury came from ground zero.

Early air and water samples taken at the site failed to turn up any detectable levels of mercury, and officials were unable to find any large source of mercury in or around the twin towers, she said.

``So the critical question,'' Bellow said, ``is what would the source be?''

Morrison said the Port Authority began testing ground zero workers in November because of the possibility of toxins at the site. Out of 58 tests conducted, 49 results came back and four were elevated, Morrison said.

Health officials told the agency that an acceptable mercury level is 0 to 13 micrograms per liter of blood. Two of the four officers had 14 micrograms per liter, one had 18 and another 24, Morrison said.

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Hmm...

I guess the cop/fire bashers will say "that's what they get paid to do"....


BTW:  
(some background on mercury)

Mercury metal is a silver-gray liquid. When exposed to the air or if spilled, mercury metal vapor gets into the air where it can be breathed into the lungs. The warmer the temperature, the more quickly the mercury gets into the air. Mercury can also be absorbed through the skin but is not harmful if swallowed. If spilled mercury is not cleaned up completely, it easily gets spread around. Mercury can be spread around work, car, and home from shoes, clothing, hair and other objects with tiny drops of mercury metal on them.
Some of the places mercury metal is found are:


thermometers, thermostats, barometers, electrical switches,
dental fillings and medical equipment,
some light bulbs, including fluorescent, high intensity, mercury vapor, high-pressure sodium, and metal halide,
some clock pendulums,
some athletic shoes, toys, and cards that light up or make noise.
mercury metal is sold in botanicas for use in folk medicine, sometimes under the Spanish name "azogue".
Methylmercury may be taken into the body by eating certain saltwater and freshwater fish, especially larger fish at the top of the food chain, such as shark, swordfish, large mouth bass, and chain pickerel.

Inorganic mercury compounds are found in old alkaline and some button batteries. They are also found in some over-the-counter drugs such as thimerosol tincture, merthiolate tincture, some types of mercurochrome, some ointments and nasal sprays, and some herbal medicines. Inorganic mercury compounds may be harmful if breathed or swallowed.

Phenylmercury is used to control the growth of fungus in some interior latex paints manufactured before 1991, some exterior and oil base paints, some caulks, some eye-area cosmetics, toiletries, and other products. When these products are used, mercury metal vapor gets into the air and can be breathed. Phenylmercury can also pass through the skin and is toxic this way or if swallowed.

Guess this takes away my planned assurance that all were well as they drove Fords.

not all they were/are exposed to i'm sure!

I bet that proper respirators are now stocked by LE/Fire departments country wide or at least in NYC. How many people had proper equipment on the first day?