Effects of diet on mercury metabolism and excretion in mice given methylmercury: role of gut flora
Mice fed either (1) a pelleted rodent diet, (2) evaporated milk, or (3) a synthetic diet (high protein, low fat) exhibited different rates of whole body mercury elimination and fecal mercury excretion after exposure (per os) to methylmercuric chloride. The percentage of the total mercury body burden present as mercuric mercury was highest (35.3%) in mice fed the synthetic diet (which had the highest rate of mercury elimination) and lowest (6.6%) in the animals having the lowest mercury elimination rate (milk-fed mice). Mice fed the synthetic diet had lower mercury concentrations and had a higher proportion of mercuric mercury in their tissues than the mice from the other dietary groups. Treatment of the mice with antibiotics throughout the experimental period to suppress the gut flora reduced fecal mercury excretion and the dietary differences in whole body retention of mercury. Tissue mercury concentrations and proportion of organic mercury in feces, fecal contents, liver, and kidneys were increased by antibiotic treatment of mice fed the pelleted or synthetic diets. These results are consistent with the theory that demethylation of methylmercury by intestinal microflora is a major factor determining the excretion rate of mercury.
- Research Organization:
- British Industrial Biological Research Association, Carshalton, England
- OSTI ID:
- 5661650
- Journal Information:
- Arch. Environ. Health; (United States), Vol. 39:6
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
MERCURY
EXCRETION
TISSUE DISTRIBUTION
METHYLMERCURY
METABOLISM
BODY BURDEN
DIET
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FECES
INGESTION
KIDNEYS
LARGE INTESTINE
LIVER
MICE
RESPONSE MODIFYING FACTORS
RETENTION
ANIMALS
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BIOLOGICAL WASTES
BODY
CLEARANCE
DATA
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
DISTRIBUTION
ELEMENTS
GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT
GLANDS
INFORMATION
INTAKE
INTESTINES
MAMMALS
MATERIALS
MERCURY COMPOUNDS
METALS
NUMERICAL DATA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC MERCURY COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
RODENTS
VERTEBRATES
WASTES
560305* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology- Vertebrates- (-1987)