Mercury and its compounds have a wide spectrum of toxicities depending upon the chemical forms and modes of exposure. Among the various chemical forms, mercury vapor and methylmercury are well known and established as neurotoxic agents. Since the disasters in Minamata and Iraq, in which fetuses were more susceptible than adults to methylmercury exposure, much attention has been focused on prena...

Introduction The continuous emission monitoring of the different compounds which are emitted by industrial facilities is an important topic to approve the compliance to different regulations like WID. However, there are several compounds which cannot be measured in real time. Specific dioxins/furans (PCCD/PCDF) and other POPs (Persistent Organic Pollutants) cannot be measured by online monitors...

The hair samples of Ferdinand II of Aragon (1467-1496), King of Naples, whose mummy is preserved in the Basilica of San Domenico Maggiore in Naples, showed a high content of mercury, with a value of 827ppm. Furthermore, examination using a stereomicroscope and a scanning electron microscope (SEM) of head and pubic hairs of Ferdinand II, revealed a lice infestation. The reasons for the massive p...

Cadmium and mercury have a risk of disturbing the balance in ecosystem. Cd(II) is accumulated in soil and living system organism, it is easily absorbed by plants, through their root system and by leave [1]. Acid reaction of soil increases its mobility and availability. It remains in tissues for a relatively long time and is accumulated in vital organs especially in kidney and liver [2]. Contami...

Mercuric reductase, MerA, is a key enzyme in bacterial mercury resistance. This homodimeric enzyme captures and reduces toxic Hg2+ to Hg0, which is relatively unreactive and can exit the cell passively. Prior to reduction, the Hg2+ is transferred from a pair of cysteines (C558' and C559' using Tn501 numbering) at the C-terminus of one monomer to another pair of cysteines (C136 and C141) in the ...

A technique for determination of mercury is described; it is based on electrolytic reduction of Hg(II) ion on a graphite cathode, the trapping of mercury vapor and its volatilization into a quartz tube aligned in the optical path of an atomic absorption spectrometer. The electrochemical cell consisted of a graphite cathode and an anode operating with constant direct current for the production o...

INTRODUCTION A great deal of data regarding the toxicology of mercury has been recently reported. Although the most common human exposures to mercury are currently mercury vapour from amalgam tooth fillings, methylmercury from seafood and ethylmercury as a preservative in vaccines, in the past mercury compounds have been used in the treatment of syphilis. CASE PRESENTATION Mercury intoxicatio...

The widespread use of mercurial diuretics has stimulated greater interest in the metabolism of organic mercurials in man. Recently proposed regimens (1) involving frequent, even daily, administration of mercurials, have focused particular attention on the 24 hour excretion of these compounds in relation to the cumulative toxicity of any mercury which may be retained. Moreover, little is known o...

BACKGROUND Mercury and mercury compounds (inorganic and organic) can cause acute or chronic poisoning. Acute poisonings, especially with inorganic salts, are widely described, but only sparse data are available on intoxication from oral elemental mercury. We report a case of elemental mercury ingestion followed by pulmonary aspiration of the elemental mercury. CASE REPORT A 49-year-old woman ...