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22698 Mercury, 24 Hour, Urine (HGU)

Mercury, 24 Hour, Urine (HGU)
Test Code: MERCUSO
Synonyms/Keywords

Hg (Mercury), Mercury (Hg)

Mercury, Urine 24 Hour (HGU)

U MERCUSO

Useful For
​Detecting mercury toxicity in 24-hour urine specimens
Specimen Requirements
Specimen Type Preferred Container/Tube Acceptable Container/Tube Specimen Volume Specimen Minimum Volume
(allows for 1 repeat)		 Pediatric Minimum Volume
(no repeat)
​Urine Clean, plastic urine container with no metal cap or glued insert​ ​ 10 mL​ 2 mL​ ​
Collection Processing Instructions
1. Collect urine for 24 hours.
2. Refrigerate specimen within 4 hours of completion of 24-hour collection.
3. Submit sample in a plastic, 10-mL urine tube or a clean, plastic aliquot container with no metal cap or glued insert.
 
Additional Information:
24-Hour volume is required.
High concentrations of gadolinium and iodine are known to interfere with most metals tests. If either gadolinium- or iodine-containing contrast media has been administered, a specimen should not be collected for 96 hours.​
Specimen Stability Information
Specimen Type Temperature Time
Urine​ ​ Refrigerated (preferred)​ 7 days​
Frozen ​ 7 days​
Rejection Criteria

​All specimens will be evaluated at Mayo Clinic Laboratories​ for test suitability. 

Interference

​To avoid contamination by dust, specimen should be collected away from the site of suspected exposure.

Performing Laboratory Information
Performing Location Day(s) Test Performed Report Available
 Methodology/Instrumentation
Mayo Clinic Laboratories​
 Monday through Friday​
1 to 3 day​s
Triple Quadrupole Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS/MS)
Reference Lab
Mayo Clinic Laboratories
Test Information

The correlation between the levels of mercury (Hg) excretion in the urine and the clinical symptoms is considered poor.

Previous thought indicated urine as a more appropriate marker of inorganic mercury because organic mercury represented only a small fraction of urinary mercury. Based on possible demethylation of methylmercury within the body, urine may represent a mixture of dietary methylmercury and inorganic mercury. Seafood consumption can contribute to urinary mercury levels (up to 30%), which is consistent with the suggestion that due to demethylation processes in the human body, a certain proportion of urinary mercury can originate from dietary consumption of fish/seafood.​

Reference Range Information

​0-17 years: Not established.
>= 18 years: <2 mcg/24 hour
Toxic concentration: >50 mcg/24 hour

The concentration at which toxicity is expressed is widely variable between patients. 50 mcg/24 hour is the lowest concentration at which toxicity is usually apparent.

Interpretation
​Daily urine excretion of mercury above 50 mcg/day indicates significant exposure (per World Health Organization standard).
Outreach CPTs
CPT Modifier
(if needed)		 Quantity Description Comments
​83825 ​ ​ ​ ​
Synonyms/Keywords

Hg (Mercury), Mercury (Hg)

Mercury, Urine 24 Hour (HGU)

U MERCUSO

Ordering Applications
Ordering Application Description
​Cerner ​Mercury, Urine 24 Hour (HGU)
If the ordering application you are looking for is not listed, contact your local laboratory for assistance.
Specimen Requirements
Specimen Type Preferred Container/Tube Acceptable Container/Tube Specimen Volume Specimen Minimum Volume
(allows for 1 repeat)		 Pediatric Minimum Volume
(no repeat)
​Urine Clean, plastic urine container with no metal cap or glued insert​ ​ 10 mL​ 2 mL​ ​
Collection Processing
1. Collect urine for 24 hours.
2. Refrigerate specimen within 4 hours of completion of 24-hour collection.
3. Submit sample in a plastic, 10-mL urine tube or a clean, plastic aliquot container with no metal cap or glued insert.
 
Additional Information:
24-Hour volume is required.
High concentrations of gadolinium and iodine are known to interfere with most metals tests. If either gadolinium- or iodine-containing contrast media has been administered, a specimen should not be collected for 96 hours.​
Specimen Stability Information
Specimen Type Temperature Time
Urine​ ​ Refrigerated (preferred)​ 7 days​
Frozen ​ 7 days​
Rejection Criteria

​All specimens will be evaluated at Mayo Clinic Laboratories​ for test suitability. 

Interference

​To avoid contamination by dust, specimen should be collected away from the site of suspected exposure.

Useful For
​Detecting mercury toxicity in 24-hour urine specimens
Reference Range Information

​0-17 years: Not established.
>= 18 years: <2 mcg/24 hour
Toxic concentration: >50 mcg/24 hour

The concentration at which toxicity is expressed is widely variable between patients. 50 mcg/24 hour is the lowest concentration at which toxicity is usually apparent.

Interpretation
​Daily urine excretion of mercury above 50 mcg/day indicates significant exposure (per World Health Organization standard).
For more information visit:
Performing Laboratory Information
Performing Location Day(s) Test Performed Report Available
 Methodology/Instrumentation
Mayo Clinic Laboratories​
 Monday through Friday​
1 to 3 day​s
Triple Quadrupole Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS/MS)
Reference Lab
Mayo Clinic Laboratories
For billing questions, see Contacts
Outreach CPTs
CPT Modifier
(if needed)		 Quantity Description Comments
​83825 ​ ​ ​ ​
For most current information refer to the Marshfield Laboratory online reference manual.