Mercury exposures to smelting workers of artisanal mercury mines in Wuchuan, Guizhou, China were evaluated by urine and hair mercury survey. The mean urinary mercury (U-Hg), hair total mercury (T-Hg), and hair methyl mercury (Me-Hg) for smelting workers was 1060 microg/g creatinine (microg/g Cr), 69.3 and 2.32 microg/g, respectively. The results were significantly higher than that of control gr...

Studies were conducted to define the specific changes in the urinary porphyrin excretion pattern (porphyrin profile) and the time course of those changes in rats exposed to mercury as methyl mercury hydroxide (MMH) at 5 or 10 ppm in the drinking water for up to 30 weeks. The urinary porphyrin profile elicited by MMH is uniquely characterized by highly elevated levels of 4- and 5-carboxyl porphy...

Rabbits were exposed to elemental mercury (Hg degrees) vapor, methyl mercury (MeHg) and HgCl2 respectively, and the relationship of mercury concentration in brain to that in blood or cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was investigated after the termination of exposure. At one day post-exposure, the ratio of mercury concentration in brain (microgram Hg/g) to that in blood (microgram Hg/g) was approximate...

For years, the American Heart Association has recommended eating an average of two to three fishmeals each week to help reduce cholesterol, high blood pressure, and hardening of arteries. Research shows that consuming fish increases high quality protein with fewer calories, and it is rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acid helps to reduce the risk of coronary artery disease, helps in th...

Mercury at low concentrations represents a major hazard to microorganisms. Inorganic mercury has been reported to produce harmful e€ects at 5 lg/l in a culture medium. Organomercury compounds can exert the same e€ect at concentrations 10 times lower than this. The organic forms of mercury are generally more toxic to aquatic organisms and birds than the inorganic forms. Aquatic plants are a€ecte...