A relationship between vitamin B sub 12 , folate, ascorbic acid, and mercury metabolism

Thesis/Dissertation · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1988

OSTI ID:7244278

Zorn, N E

The effect of megadoses of vitamin B{sub 12}, folate, and vitamin C on the in vivo methylation of mercuric chloride was studied in guinea pigs. The incorporation of high levels of vitamin B{sub 12}, folate, and vitamin C resulted in a decrease in both inorganic mercury and methylmercury concentrations in all tissues except the lungs and heart compared to controls. However, percent methylmercury levels tended to increase with vitamin treatment. The addition of megadoses of vitamin B{sub 12} fed either singularly or in combination with the other vitamins resulted in increased methylmercury concentrations in the liver, spleen, and kidney tissues of the guinea pig. Moreover, percent methylmercury levels increased with B{sub 12} treatment in the liver, heart, and kidney. Incorporation of high levels of folate into the dietary regime also affected the mercury methylation process particularly in the liver, heart, kidney and hair tissues. However, this effect was observed most often in animals fed both B{sub 12} and folate. Vitamin C appears to play a synergistic role with vitamin B{sub 12} and/or folate in the methylation of mercury.

• Research Organization: Teledyne Brown Engineering, Huntsville, AL (USA)
• OSTI ID: 7244278
• 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.
AMINO ACIDS
ANIMALS
AROMATICS
ASCORBIC ACID
AZAARENES
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DISTRIBUTION
DRUGS
ELEMENTS
FOLIC ACID
GUINEA PIGS
HEMATINICS
HEMATOLOGIC AGENTS
HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
MAMMALS
MERCURY
MERCURY COMPOUNDS
METABOLISM
METALS
METHYLATION
METHYLMERCURY
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC MERCURY COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
PTERIDINES
RODENTS
SYNERGISM
TISSUE DISTRIBUTION
VERTEBRATES
VITAMIN B GROUP
VITAMIN B-12
VITAMINS