Biosynthesis of methylmercury compounds by the intestinal flora of the rat

Journal Article · Sat Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1977 · Arch. Environ. Health; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1080/00039896.1977.10667248· OSTI ID:7291169

Rowland, I; Davies, M; Grasso, P

The contents of the rat cecum and, to a lesser extent, those of the small intestine, synthesized methylmercury from mercuric chloride labeled with Hg 203 in vitro under aerobic or anaerobic conditions. The rate of formation was approximately 18 ng/g cecal contents/20 hr. The synthesis of methylmercury was inhibited by antibiotics and by filtration of the cecal contents through membrane filters, indicating that the bacterial flora of the gut participates in the reaction. Pure cultures of bacteria, isolated from the intestinal tract of the rat, could methylate mercuric chloride. It was estimated that the total amount of methylmercury synthesized from ingested inorganic mercury in man is approximately 400 ng/day.

• Research Organization: British Industrial Biological Research Associate, Carshalton, Eng.
• OSTI ID: 7291169
• Journal Information: Arch. Environ. Health; (United States), Journal Name: Arch. Environ. Health; (United States) Vol. 32:1; ISSN AEHLA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550201* -- Biochemistry-- Tracer Techniques
550701 -- Microbiology-- 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.
AEROBIC CONDITIONS
ANAEROBIC CONDITIONS
ANIMALS
ANTIBIOTICS
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BIOSYNTHESIS
BODY
CELL CULTURES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHLORIDES
CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
DRUGS
ELEMENTS
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
FILTERS
FILTRATION
GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
HEAVY NUCLEI
IN VITRO
INHIBITION
INTESTINES
ISOTOPES
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
LARGE INTESTINE
MAMMALS
MAN
MERCURY
MERCURY 203
MERCURY CHLORIDES
MERCURY COMPOUNDS
MERCURY HALIDES
MERCURY ISOTOPES
METALS
METHYLATION
METHYLMERCURY
MICROORGANISMS
NUCLEI
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC MERCURY COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
PRIMATES
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOISOTOPES
RATS
RODENTS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SMALL INTESTINE
SYNTHESIS
VERTEBRATES