Mercury and selenium content and chemical form in human and animal tissue.
The content, chemical form, and distribution of mercury and selenium were determined for selected samples of human and animal tissue by gas chromatography. Methylmercury averaged 38.7% of the total mercury content in homogenized human brain. For human heart, spleen, liver, kidney and placenta, methylmercury comprised 40.2%, 57.0%, 39.6%, 6.0% and 57.1% respectively, of the total mercury content. Similar results were obtained for the heart and liver of a whitetail deer. Methylmercury represented 9.1%, 62.9% and 24.1% of the total mercury content in seal liver, seal meat and deer meat, respectively. For all samples, a significant portion of the total selenium content, averaging 27%, was present as selenate (Se VI). Tissue selenium content did not correlate with the corresponding mercury content. In brain, heart and placenta, and in seal liver and meat, 53% to 80% of the total mercury content was water-extractable. For human kidney, liver and spleen, and deer meat, only 15% to 45% of the total mercury was extractable. On a percentage basis, inorganic mercury was more extractable than methylmercury, except for human kidney and liver, and deer meat. For all samples, except kidney, liver and deer meat, 55% to 76% of the total selenium content was water-extractable, Se VI being more extractable on a percentage basis than selenite (Se IV) and selenide (Se-II).
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D010872:Caniformia / Q000378:metabolism*; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D002621:Chemistry; D003670:Deer / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis*; D009206:Myocardium / Q000032:analysis; D011506:Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D046048:Seals, Earless / Q000378:metabolism*; D012643:Selenium / Q000032:analysis*; D014018:Tissue Distribution
D011506:Proteins; D008628:Mercury; D012643:Selenium