Sexual differences in the distribution and retention of organic and inorganic mercury in methyl mercury-treated rats

Conference · Wed Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1986 · Environ. Res.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5144043

Thomas, D J; Fisher, H L; Sumler, M R; Marcus, A H; Mushak, P; Hall, L L

At 56 days of age, male and female Long-Evans rats received 1 ..mu..mole of /sup 203/Hg-labeled mercuric chloride per kilogram sc and total, organic, and inorganic mercury contents and concentrations in tissues were determined for up to 98 days postdosing. When expressed on a concentration basis, the only significant sexual difference was in the higher average concentration of organic mercury in the kidneys of females. When expressed on a tissue content basis, significant male-female differences in the kinetics (sex x time interactions) of organic mercury retention were found in kidney, brain, skeletal muscle, pelt, and whole body. Significant sex x time interactions in the concentrations of organic mercury were found in kidney, skeletal muscle, and whole body. Kinetics of retention and concentration of inorganic Hg in the pelt differed significantly for males and females. Discordance of degree of statistical significance of differences in mercury contents and concentrations reflected in part differences in relative body composition of males and females. Differences in integrated exposure were estimated by the female-to-male ratio of areas under retention curves. Reconstruction of whole body organic and inorganic mercury burdens from constituent tissues indicated that integrated exposures of males and females to inorganic mercury were equal but females had a lower integrated exposure to organic mercury. Integrated exposure of liver to either form of mercury was about equal in males and females. However, the integrated exposure of the brain of females to inorganic mercury was 2.19 times that of males suggest'ing a sexual difference in accumulation or retention of inorganic mercury in the nervous system.

• Research Organization: Johns Hopkins Univ., Baltimore, MD
• OSTI ID: 5144043
• Journal Information: Environ. Res.; (United States), Journal Name: Environ. Res.; (United States) Vol. 41:1; ISSN ENVRA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550501 -- Metabolism-- Tracer Techniques
560305* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Vertebrates-- (-1987)
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANIMALS
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BODY
BODY BURDEN
BRAIN
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
DATA
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
DISTRIBUTION
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
HEAVY NUCLEI
INFORMATION
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
ISOTOPES
KIDNEYS
KINETICS
MAMMALS
MERCURY 203
MERCURY COMPOUNDS
MERCURY ISOTOPES
METHYLMERCURY
MUSCLES
NERVOUS SYSTEM
NUCLEI
NUMERICAL DATA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC MERCURY COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
RADIOISOTOPES
RATS
RETENTION
RODENTS
SENSITIVITY
SEX DEPENDENCE
TISSUE DISTRIBUTION
TRACER TECHNIQUES
VERTEBRATES