A New Era: The Elimination of Mercury Sphygmomanometers

Mercury is a naturally occurring heavy metal that is linked to numerous health effects in wildlife and humans. At ambient temperature and pressure, mercury is a silvery-white liquid, though it can readily vaporize and may stay in the atmosphere for up to a year. When released to the air, mercury is moved by global transport processes and deposited globally. Mercury ultimately accumulates in lake bottom sediments, where it is transformed into a more toxic form, methyl mercury, which builds up in fish tissue.