Whole body retention and tissue distribution of (/sup 203/Hg)methylmercury in adult cats

Journal Article · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1975 · Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0041-008X(75)90070-8· OSTI ID:7265320

Hollins, J G; Willes, R F; Bryce, F R; Charbonneau, S M; Munro, I C

To assess the whole body retention and tissue distribution of methylmercury six adult female random-bred cats were given a single oral dose of 78 ..mu..g (55 ..mu..Ci) of (/sup 203/Hg)methylmercury chloride. /sup 203/Hg in the whole body of the cats and in feces and urine were monitored for 156 days. Samples of hair collected throughout the experiment were used to correct the whole body radioactivity measurements for the mercury contained in the hair and to adjust the whole body retention for the amount of mercury contained in the hair. Tissue distribution of /sup 203/Hg was measured 156 days postdosing. The ability of various tissues to concentrate methylmercury was expressed as a concentration factor (CF = (specific activity of a tissue at a time t)/(specific activity of the whole cat at time t)). The whole body half-period of methylmercury after a single oral dose of (/sup 203/Hg)methylmercury to cats was 117.7 +- (SE) 1.4 days including the hair and 76.2 +- 1.6 days excluding the hair. The half-period of appearance of methylmercury in hair, feces and urine were 69 +- 5, 68 +- 5, and 78 +- 4 days, respectively. The percentage of the total dose of methylmercury remaining in the cats after 156 days were 35.9 +- 3.3 percent. Hair showed the highest CF(30.2 +- 2.6) followed by liver (12.4 +- 1.0), gall-bladder (2.3 +- 0.5), and kidney (2.0 +- 0.1). Muscle, lymph nodes, hide, and adrenal gland had CF values of approximately 1. The CF for various brain areas ranged between 0.48 and 0.60.

• Research Organization: National Research Council, Ottawa
• OSTI ID: 7265320
• Journal Information: Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol.; (United States), Journal Name: Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol.; (United States) Vol. 33; ISSN TXAPA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

551001* -- Physiological Systems-- Tracer Techniques
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
ANIMALS
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CATS
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
DISTRIBUTION
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
HEAVY NUCLEI
INTAKE
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
ISOTOPES
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
MAMMALS
MERCURY 203
MERCURY ISOTOPES
METHYLMERCURY
NUCLEI
ORAL ADMINISTRATION
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC MERCURY COMPOUNDS
RADIOISOTOPES
RETENTION
SINGLE INTAKE
TISSUE DISTRIBUTION
TRACER TECHNIQUES
VERTEBRATES