In the last century mercury levels in the global environment have tripled as a result of increased pollution from industrial, occupational, medicinal and domestic uses [1]. Glutathione is known to be the main agent responsible for the excretion of mercury (we refer to [38], [36] and [34]). It has also been shown that mercury inhibits glutathione synthetase (an enzyme acting in the synthesizatio...

Mechanisms by which the dithiol chelating agent 2, 3-dimercaptopropane-1-sulfonate (DMPS) significantly alters the renal tubular transport, accumulation, and toxicity of inorganic mercury were studied in isolated perfused pars recta (S2) segments of proximal tubules of rabbits. Addition of 200 microM DMPS to the bath provided complete protection from the toxic effects of 20 microM inorganic mer...

Separation of the urinary excretory products of the organomercurial diuretic, meralluride (Mercuhydrin) has been possible using adsorption chromatography. Practically all of the mercury is excreted in a form closely resembling the administered meralluride. Most of the excretion occurs within the first 6 hours in both cardiac patients and normal subjects. The amount of mercury excreted as degrad...

The preparation of antimyosin conjugated with mercury and fluorescein is described. The mercury was introduced to permit visualization of the antibody in the electron microscope. An organic mercurial, tetraacetoxymercuriarsanilic acid, was prepared and coupled to the antibody through the diazonium salt. The fluorescein was coupled through the isocyanate by a modification of the procedure descri...

Mercury is recognized as an environmental contaminant and its organic compounds, especially methylmercury, are known to be capable of damaging the central nervous system. Since the tragedy of Minamata Bay in Japan [1] most concern has centred on the presence of mercury in fish since seafood is a major source of this element. Consequently, the last 25 years have seen many analytical surveys of l...

A simple and rapid ultrasound assisted extraction (UAE) protocol with dilute solutions of tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) for the speciation of mercury in fish and plant tissues was developed as an alternative to conventional methods which require intensive treatments. The main operational parameters, such as extractant concentration (TMAH), sonication time and amount of sample, were optim...

Elemental mercury accounts for 10-50% of the dissolved mercury in lakes but plays a vital role in the cycling of this element in lacustrine environments. The view is advanced that a large fraction of the Hg(0) is generated by photochemical reactions in the surface waters. Possible mechanisms for the Hg(0) production are discussed including homogeneous photolysis of dissolved Hg species and phot...

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 ...

         According to the World Health Organization (WHO), mercury is among one of ten substances that represent a significant health problem. Contamination environment with and its compounds possible through natural artificial ways from ill-conceived or deliberate actions. These include human consumption mercury-contaminated seafood fumes released during...

Chlor-alkali plants are known to be an important source of Hg emissions to the atmosphere and related contamination of soils in their vicinity. In the present study, the results of Hg speciation and mobility of Hg in soils affected by Hg emissions from three chlor-alkali plants are compared. Solid phase mercury speciation analyses was carried out using a mercury-thermo-desorption technique with...