SEEKALL: MERCURY, REV. Ahttp://seekall.wordpress.com/ Page 3 of 6
(A) MERCURY
12.4.1 INTRODUCTION
•
“Hg hasno known biological roleand, because of its diversity of usage, is an industrialhealth hazard. It
is abioaccumulativemetal that is fat soluble, and hasmany damaging effects on living organisms.”
12.4.3 SOURCES OF MERCURY POLLUTION
•
“The majority of Hg comes from anthropogenic sources. Mining, combustion of fossil fuels (Hg contentof coal is about 1 ppm), transporting Hg ores, processing pulp and paper, incineration, use of Hgcompounds as seed dressings in agriculture, and emissions from smelters are some examples. Inaddition, Hg waste is produced as a by-product of chlorine manufacturing plants and gold recoveryprocesses, and is found in used batteries and light bulbs.”
12.4.5.3 EFFECTS OF MERCURY ON ANIMALS
•
“Fish may accumulate Hg in excess of the 0.5 mg/g FDA guideline.”
•
“Because increased temperature enhances metabolic rate, more Hg is concentrated in the summer than in the winter. The toxicity of Hg and other heavy metals to fish also increases with an increase intemperature.”
•
“Wild birds concentrate the highest levels of Hg in the kidney and liver, with less in the muscle tissues.… Many species of birds declined,both in numbers and in breeding success…”
•
“…high accumulationin various organs, such as thebrain, is seenin sucklings when compared with
adult animals. For example, the absorption rate (as % of oral dose) of 203Hg in one week- old sucklingrats was 38.2%, whereas in 18-week-olds on either a milk diet or a standard diet, the rate was 6.7%and 1%, respectively. The neurotoxicity of MeHg varies greatly between animal species. For example,nonhuman primates and cats metabolize MeHg similarly to humans, but rats and mice rapidlymetabolize the compound to a less toxic inorganic form.”
12.4.5.4 EFFECTS OF MERCURY ON HUMAN HEALTH
•
“Coal-fired power plants are the largest source of anthropogenic Hg airborne emissions in the U.S.(40% of total emissions).”
•
“Thecritical organ concentration of MeHg may differ for different stages of the human life cycle. Thedeveloping fetalandnewborn brainmay be themost sensitive organ(i.e.,critical organ) in terms of
human MeHg toxicity. … It was concluded that MeHg hadcrossed the placentaand that thefetal brain
was much more sensitive than the adult brain. … In this outbreak, an infant’s blood Hg level was foundto be higher than the mother’s during the first few months of life, supporting the suggestion that the fetalbrain is the critical organ in the exposed pregnant female.”
•
“…Alkylorganic Hg is most likely toaccumulate in nervous tissue.”
•
“Pronounced brain damageoccurs in victims of Hg poisoning. The biological half-life of Hg is estimatedto be 70 days. Thecritical daily intakehas been estimated to be 300 mg Hg as MeHg for an average70-kg man.Chronic Hg poisoningmay result fromexposure to small amountsof Hgover long
periods… The victim experiences extreme salivation and thirst, nausea,severe gastrointestinalirritation, andabdominal pain. [colic, anyone?] Loss of fluids and electrolytes occurs.”
•
“It was reported that she was apparently transferring dimethylmercury in a fume hood when 0.1 to 0.5ml of the compound spilled on the disposable latex gloves she was wearing and permeated them,quickly seeping into her skin. She becameill a few months later anddiedof Hg poisoningless than a
year after the exposure.”
12.4.6 BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF MERCURY
•
“Mercury, like many other heavy metals, isextremely toxicbecause as an ion or in certain compounds itis soluble in water . For this reason it isreadily absorbed into the body, where it tends to combine with
andinhibit the functioning of various enzymes. The ultimate effects of Hg in the body are similar tothose of Pb and Cd:inhibition of enzyme activity and cell damage.”
•
“Inhibits the active transport mechanism,destroys mitochondrial apparatus, causes swelling of cells,leading tolysis, suggestedliver dysfunction,decreases DNAcontent in cells and adversely affects
chromosomes and mitosis, leading tomutagenesis…appears to becytotoxicas it alters the rates of
DNA, RNA, and collagen synthesis.”
Leave a Comment