Inhalation uptake of low level elemental mercury vapor and its tissue distribution in rats.

Abstract

Elemental mercury vapor is the major component of mercury found in the atmosphere. Furthermore, if usage of coal is increased to meet the energy demand, then atmospheric levels of mercury are expected to rise. Current atmospheric concentrations of mercury vapor over select urban areas of the United States range from 0.5 to 50 ng m/sup -3/ with a mean of 7 ng m/sup -3/. Mercury concentration in brain tissue following inhalation of elemental mercury is significantly higher than those from intravenous injection or oral administration of either organic or ionic mercurials. Although elemental mercury is rapidly oxidized in the blood to the less diffusable mercuric ion, the transient occurrence of elemental mercury in the blood stream and the increased levels detected in the central nervous system are likely a result of its rapid diffusion into target tissues. This study reports the inhalation uptake and consequent tissue distribution of radioactive elemental mercury vapor in rats over a concentration range of 15 to 916 ng m/sup -3/, with particular emphasis on measurement below 50 ng m/sup -3/, in an effort to determine if the tissue distribution of mercury after a low level exposure is similar to those reported using higher concentrations.