HMT Mercury Test kit

Mercury or "quicksilver," is a shiny liquid metal that is a widespread environmental contaminant. The levels of mercury in our bodies today are much higher because of its greater use in recent times. Mercury is employed daily by medical and dental practices in thermometers, drugs and amalgam for fillings. It is also present in fungicides and pesticides and in some cosmetics. Mercury from industrial waste has contaminated our fresh- and salt-waters and to the plants and fish therein.

An average body contains about 10-15 mg. of mercury. This comes daily from our food, air, and water. Mercury is not well absorbed through the intestinal tract, only about 5-10 percent. Inhaled mercury fumes go into the blood, since it is soluble and passes through the lungs. Some mercury is retained in body tissues, mainly in the kidneys. The kidneys store about 50 percent of the body mercury. The blood, bones, liver, spleen, brain, and fat tissue also hold mercury. This potentially toxic metal does get into the brain and nerve tissue, so central nervous system symptoms may develop. Mercury can also get into a growing fetus and into breast milk. Mercury is eliminated daily through the urine and feces. Urine levels would show whether the body is actively working to eliminate it.


Mercury has the following effects (simplified) on the body:

• disruption of the nervous system:
• damage to brain functions - degradation of learning abilities, personality changes, tremors, vision changes, deafness, muscle incoordination and memory loss ;
• DNA and chromosonal damage - chromosonal damage is known to cause mongolism;
• allergic reactions resulting in skin rashes, tiredness and headaches;
• disrupting reproductive functions such as sperm damage, birth defects and miscarriages

Toxicity Limits

The average overall daily intake is between 30-50 mcg. Acceptable levels are between 0.02 - 0.03 ppm depending on what was analysed. Readings above 0.05 ppm should be cause for concern.

Mercury is a highly toxic heavy metal and concentration levels should be 0

Contents of HMT Mercury Test Kit

• 1 Colour strip on box of the kit
• 1 Large test tube
• 1 vial with clear cap - reagent 1
• 1 vial with blue cap - reagent 2
• 1 vial with reddish brown substance - reagent 3

Precautions and Storage

The HMT Mercury Test kit should be stored in a cool place - 12C to 20C.

Preparation of Test Solutions

1. Remove the the 3 small plastic ampoules from the large test tube
2. In the empty large test-tube, add 6 ml. of the solution to be tested
3. Add the colourless liquid from the blue cap vial (reagent 2) to the solution to be tested in the large test tube ("combined solutions"). Turn the test large test tube gently up and down a few times (at least 3) to make sure that the 2 liquids are well mixed together
4. Add the colourless liquid from the clear cap vial (reagent 1) to the reddish brown substance in the red cap vial (reagent 3). Close the cap of the red cap vial and shake until the reddish-brown substance has been mostly dissolved ("mixed solution"). This might take a little while
5. The solutions are now ready for testing

Conducting the test

1. Pour the "mixed solutions" (reagents 1 and 3) in the vial with the reddish brown substance into the large test-tube containing the "combined solutions" (reagent 2 and solution to be tested)
2. Allow combined solutions in the large test-tube to settle for 6 minutes - no shaking is required but you may have to tilt the test tube or "roll" it gently a few times to make sure the solutions are mixed well to obtain a true and accurate colour change
3. Compare the colour of the combined solutions in the large test-tube to the colour strip provided. In case of comparison difficulties, try holding the test-tube against the colour strip just above liquid level of large test-tube. Move along the colour strip until colour of solution matches with that of the colour strip
4. The number on the colour strip indicates the concentration of mercury ions present in the solution in ppm
5. If the concentration of the mercury ions is higher than 2 ppm the solution will change into a strong pink colour after a period of time
6. If the concentration is extremely low or no mercury ions are present, the colour of the solution will clear and become almost colourless after a period of time. However, when saliva is tested and there are strong digestive enzymes present, these digestive enzymes may affect the final colour. Instead of becoming colourless, the solution may turn into a different colour (such as green)

Test Interference: The test results can be affected by the presence of ions from gold, silver, palladium, rhodium, platinum, iridium, ruthenium ("noble metals") as well as tin.

Results colour reference (for example only - the numbers indicate parts per million.)