Mercury Blood Testing
The Mercury Blood Testing is a laboratory blood test that measures mercury, a toxic heavy metal measured to assess exposure (dietary fish, occupational, dental amalgam debate aside). Background: Mercury is an element that is found in air, water and soil. It has several forms. Metallic mercury is a s
Content last reviewed 2026-09-12 · Educational information — not medical advice
What is the Mercury Blood Testing?
The Mercury Blood Testing is a laboratory blood test that measures mercury, a toxic heavy metal measured to assess exposure (dietary fish, occupational, dental amalgam debate aside).
Background: Mercury is an element that is found in air, water and soil. It has several forms. Metallic mercury is a shiny, silver-white, odorless liquid. If heated, it is a colorless, odorless gas. It also combines with other elements to form powders or crystals. Mercury is in many products. Metallic mercury is used in glass thermometers, silver dental fillings, and button batteries. Mercury salts may be used in skin creams and ointments. It's also used in many industries. Mercury in the air settles into water. It can pass through the food chain and build up in fish, shellfish, and animals that eat fish. The nervous system is sensitive to all forms of mercury. Exposure to high levels can damage the brai…
How the Mercury Blood Testing works
Blood testing reflects recent/current exposure; 24-hour urine collection better reflects total body burden for several metals. Chelation-provoked testing is a specialized, controversial variant.
Typical turnaround: 1-3 business days
Typical partner pricing: $196
Order this test
Order Mercury Blood Testing
Get tested through a trusted lab partner and visit a convenient collection location near you.
Explore Testing OptionsMedical Tests may earn a commission when you order through partner links. Ordering direct-to-consumer tests does not replace care from a qualified healthcare provider.
Why healthcare providers order it
Known or suspected exposure (occupational, hobbies, old paint, contaminated water, imported goods), unexplained neurological or hematological symptoms, implant-wear monitoring, and regulated workplace surveillance.
Interpreting your results
Understanding heavy-metal results
- Blood vs urine answer different questions: blood ≈ recent exposure; urine ≈ cumulative excreted burden.
- Dietary artifacts are real: shellfish/seafood transiently raise arsenic and mercury readings — note recent meals to your provider.
- Lead has no established safe level in children; thresholds trigger mandatory public-health action.
- Elevated results prompt source identification and specialist (toxicology/occupational medicine) involvement.
What your mercury result means
If high: Elevated mercury warrants source identification and clinician-directed management; fish consumption in the prior days can transiently raise blood levels.
Reference intervals vary by laboratory, instrument, age, sex, and — for hormones — collection time. Always compare your value against the range printed on your own report, and review results with a qualified healthcare professional who knows your history. This guide is educational and does not diagnose.
Understanding your lab report
- Find the reference interval printed beside your value on the report — that pairing defines 'normal' for this lab run.
- Preparation affected this sample: Follow the lab's instructions. — mention deviations from instructions when reviewing results.
- Note the units. mmol/L vs mg/dL, ng/mL vs µg/L — numbers mean nothing across unit systems.
- Look at flags (H/L) but read the degree: barely-outside values behave differently than multiples of the limit.
- Trends outrank snapshots. A series of results tells your provider far more than any single draw.
Find Mercury Blood Testing by state
Frequently asked questions
What does the Mercury Blood Testing measure?
It measures mercury, a toxic heavy metal measured to assess exposure (dietary fish, occupational, dental amalgam debate aside).
What does a high mercury result mean?
Elevated mercury warrants source identification and clinician-directed management; fish consumption in the prior days can transiently raise blood levels.
Do I need to prepare for the Mercury Blood Testing?
Follow the lab's instructions. When in doubt, ask the drawing laboratory — preparation errors are a leading avoidable cause of unusable results.
How soon do Mercury Blood Testing results come back?
This test's typical turnaround is 1-3 business days, counted from the laboratory's receipt of your sample. Complex or send-out assays can take longer.
Can an abnormal Mercury Blood Testing result mean something serious?
Elevated metal levels reflect exposure; the next step is identifying and reducing the source, with specialist input for high values.
Sources & data provenance
- MedlinePlus — 'Mercury' (https://medlineplus.gov/mercury.html)
- Family-specific guidance compiled from standard clinical laboratory medicine references