Uptake of mercury by the hair of methylmercury-treated newborn mice

Journal Article · Sun Apr 01 04:00:00 EDT 1990 · Environmental Research; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/S0013-9351(05)80087-8· OSTI ID:6319764

Shi, Chenyang; Lane, A T; Clarkson, T W ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Rochester, NY (USA)

Human hair has unique advantages in monitoring environmental exposures to methyl-mercury. Using newborn Balb/c mice as a model system, the incorporation of methylmercury into the hair was studied and compared with methylmercury distributions in other tissues. Newborn mice were given intraperitoneal injections of {sup 203}Hg-labeled methylmercury at designated times according to hair growth stages of the mouse. Animals were sacrificed 2 days after dosing. Distribution of mercury in pelt and other tissues was measured. The level of mercury in pelt was found to correlate with hair growth. The amount of mercury in pelt peaked when hair growth was most rapid and the total amount of mercury in pelt was significantly higher than that in other tissues, constituting 40% of the whole body burden. However, when the hair ceased growing, the amount of mercury in pelt dramatically dropped to 4% of whole body burden and mercury concentrations in other tissues except brain were elevated. Autoradiographic studies with tritium-labeled methylmercury demonstrated that methylmercury concentrated in hair follicles in the skin. Within hair follicles and hairs, methylmercury accumulated in regions that are rich in high-sulfur proteins. The uptake of inorganic mercury (administered as HgCl{sub 2}) by pelt was also compared with that of methylmercury. The amount of inorganic mercury found in pelt was less than one-half that of methylmercury in animals with growing hair. Cessation of hair growth did not decrease the inorganic mercury level in pelt to the same extent as in the case of methylmercury.

• OSTI ID: 6319764
• Journal Information: Environmental Research; (USA), Journal Name: Environmental Research; (USA) Vol. 51:2; ISSN ENVRA; ISSN 0013-9351
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560300* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANIMALS
AUTORADIOGRAPHY
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BIOLOGICAL LOCALIZATION
BODY
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
DISTRIBUTION
ELEMENTS
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
HAIR
HEAVY NUCLEI
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INJECTION
INTAKE
INTRAPERITONEAL INJECTION
ISOTOPES
MAMMALS
MERCURY
MERCURY 203
MERCURY COMPOUNDS
MERCURY ISOTOPES
METALS
METHYLMERCURY
MICE
NEONATES
NUCLEI
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC MERCURY COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
RADIOISOTOPES
RODENTS
SKIN
TISSUE DISTRIBUTION
TRITIUM COMPOUNDS
VERTEBRATES