Distribution Pattern of <SUP>203</SUP>Hg-labelled Mercuric Compounds.

Abstract

Solutions of 203Hg-labelled phenyl mercuric acetate (PMA), phenyl mercuric chloride (PMC), ethyl mercuric chloride (EMC) and mercuric chloride (MC) were given to a number of rats by single peroral administration, and the distribution patterns (TABLE I∼IV) were observed at several time interval after injection, measuring the γ-radioactivities of 9 kinds of internal organs, blood, residual part, urine and feces with Packard Armac scintillation counter. Every compound distributed evenly to all organs initially and disappearance from stomach was 2-3 days after administration, and on the clearance from intestine, MC was most rapid, aryl compounds almost disappeared at 3-4 days after administration, while about 2.5% of alkyl compound remained even about 7 days after administration. Accumulation of radioactivity in brain after the injection of EMC was higher than the injection of other compounds upto 7 days after administration. Concerning the concentration of 203Hg in blood, PMA, PMC and MC showed the peak at 6 hours after administration, but EMC presented a very high peak (60%) at 9 hours later. The value of concentration occured by MC was very low (Fig 1). The change of concentration in liver was similar to that in blood (Fig 2). PMA, -perhaps PMC also, -showed the peak of accumulation of 203Hg in kidney at 3 days after administration, that of EMC was 4 days later, and MC was not accumulated practically (Fig 3). As far as from the limited data of these experiments, it was observed that still 1% of fed mercury remained in kidney upto 89, 77 and about 110 days after a single administration of PMA, PMC and EMC respectively.