Volatilization of mercury has been observed from various biological media (tissue homogenates, infusion broth, plasma, urine) containing mercuric chloride. That micro-organisms were responsible was indicated by the finding that the rates of volatilization were highly variable, that a latent period often preceded volatilization, that toluene inhibited the process, and that the capacity to volati...

In this study we evaluated a method for the characterization of complexes, formed in different relative ratios of mercury(II) to dicysteinyl tetrapeptide, by electrospray ionization orbitrap mass spectrometry. This strategy is based on previous successful characterization of mercury-dicysteinyl complexes involving tripeptides by utilizing mass spectrometry among other techniques. Mercury(II) ch...

A laboratory reactor system was developed to examine the role of light and aerosol composition in the reduction of oxidized mercury (Hg(ii)) in laboratory-generated aerosols. Aerosolized sodium chloride, doped with mercury chloride, was exposed to light in a fixed-bed flow-through reactor. Three spectral ranges (UV, visible and a simulated solar spectrum) were examined, along with dark experime...

The biotransformation efficiency of alkylmercurial compounds was studied in rat liver, kidneys, blood, and brain after 2-week administration of methylmercuric chloride (MeHg) and ethylmercuric chloride (EtHg) at doses of 0.25 or 2.5 mg Hg/kg, alone or in combination with sodium selenite (Se) at a level of 0.5 mg Se/kg. Simultaneously, the level of metallothioneinlike proteins (MTP) and endogeno...

Mercury has a long history as an antimicrobial agent effective against eukaryotic and prokaryotic organisms. Despite its prolonged use, the basis for mercury toxicity in prokaryotes is not well understood. Archaea, like bacteria, are prokaryotes but they use a simplified version of the eukaryotic transcription apparatus. This study examined the mechanism of mercury toxicity to the archaeal prok...

The effect of bitter kola on the hepatotoxicity following mercury poisoning (mercuric chloride solution of 10ppm) was investigated in rats for a duration of six weeks. Thirty (30) acclimatized Wistar rats were divided into five groups(n=6).Group I served as control and were fed on normal rat chow and clean water ad libitum, group II received normal chow and mercury contaminated water (10ppm), g...

Repeated doses of sodium selenite (Se) were administered to rats receiving repeated (IV or PO) doses of 0.25 or 2.5 mg Hg/kg methylmercuric chloride (Me2(203)Hg). Se (0.5 mg/kg) was observed to alter the distribution of Me203Hg among tissues as well as among subcellular fractions of kidneys and liver. An excess of selenium resulted in a twofold decrease in the mercury content of kidneys and a s...

The severity of renal injury induced by several graded doses of mercuric chloride and the disposition of mercury were evaluated and compared in control, uninephrectomized (50% NPX), and 75% nephrectomized (75% NPX) rats in an attempt to determine the effect of increased reductions of renal mass on the nephropathy induced by inorganic mercury. Consistent with previously published findings, proxi...

Four case reports are presented of patients who ate the meat of a hog inadvertently fed seed treated with fungicides containing ethyl mercury chloride. The clinical, electrophysiological, and toxicological, and in two of the patients the pathological data, showed that this organic mercury compound has a very high toxicity not only for the brain, but also for the spinal motoneurones, peripheral ...