Bibliographic Citation
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| Title | Effects of diet on mercury metabolism and excretion in mice given methylmercury: role of gut flora |
| Creator/Author | Rowland, I.R. ; Robinson, R.D. ; Doherty, R.A. |
| OSTI Identifier | OSTI ID: 5661650 |
| Other Number(s) | Journal ID: CODEN: AEHLA |
| Resource Type | Journal Article |
| Resource Relation | Journal Name: Arch. Environ. Health; (United States); Journal Volume: 39:6 |
| Research Org | British Industrial Biological Research Association, Carshalton, England |
| Subject | 63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.; 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 |
| Description/Abstract | 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. |
| Country of Publication | United States |
| Language | English |
| Format | Medium: X; Size: Pages: 401-408 |
| System Entry Date | 2009 Dec 16 |
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