Mercury content in rat teeth after administration of organic and inorganic mercury. The effects of interrupted exposure and of selenite.

Abstract

Rat molars are indicators of exposure concentration and target organ content in chronic mercury vapor exposure. We wished to study the accumulation and persistence of organic and inorganic mercury in rat teeth and the effect of selenium on mercury retention. Male Wistar rats received either inorganic or organic mercury (with or without addition of selenite), selenite only, or no mercury or selenite (controls) in the drinking water for 4 weeks. Group A was killed after exposure. Group B was killed 20 weeks later. The mercury content was measured by cold-vapor atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The mercury content in the molars in group B was 66% and 77% less than in group A after inorganic and organic exposure, respectively. In the incisors the corresponding reductions were 90% and 97%. Selenite had limited effect on mercury retention in group A and none in group B. We suggest that rat molars and, by inference, human deciduous teeth may serve as indicators of organic and inorganic mercury exposure.