methyl mercury (MeHg, HgCH3)

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Introduction

Methylmercury is a highly toxic substance in humans & in animals. It is neurotoxic, particularly in developing organisms. The placenta is not a barrier to the transfer of methylmercury from the mother to the developing fetus.[1]

Epidemiology

  • found in contaminated fish
    • king mackerel
    • shark
    • swordfish
    • albacore tuma
    • tilefish (Gulf of Mexico)
  • found in contaminated grain
  • present in dental amalgams?
  • used as a fungicide, disinfectant, & in industrial processes

Pharmacokinetics

Adverse effects

Laboratory

More general terms

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 US Environmental Protection Agency Integrated Risk Management System http://www.epa.gov/iris/subst/0073.htm
  2. The Risk Assessment Information System Toxicity Profiles: Toxicity Summary for METHYL MERCURY http://risk.lsd.ornl.gov/tox/profiles/methyl_mercury_c_V1.shtml
  3. 3.0 3.1 Diner BM and Brenner BE eMedicine: Toxicity, Mercury http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/819872-overview
  4. Physician's First Watch, June 11 2014 David G. Fairchild, MD, MPH, Editor-in-Chief Massachusetts Medical Society http://www.jwatch.org

Database