Interaction of ethanol and inorganic mercury: generation of mercury vapor in vivo.
Mercury exhalation increased after parenteral administration of ethanol to mice injected with a single dose of mercuric chloride (0.5 mg of Hg/Kg). Increased output of the metal was ethanol dose-dependent (blood EC50 = 215 mg/dl) and maximal rates (0.2% of the body burden per 30 min) were about 10-fold higher than controls. The chemical form of exhaled mercury was determined to be the elemental vapor (Hg degrees) indicating an ethanol-sensitive reduction pathway for ionic mercury (Hg++) in the body. Ethanol appeared to selectively affect mercury exhalation inasmuch as no large differences in whole-body mercury retention times or in the distribution of the metal in organs could be detected even after repeated daily doses of ethanol. The results show that at least a portion of the ionic mercury in the body can be mobilized via reduction and Hg++ in tissues is more labile than generally recognized.
D000818:Animals; D001822:Body Burden; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004347:Drug Interactions; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005740:Gases; D008628:Mercury / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000633:toxicity; D051379:Mice; D012119:Respiration / Q000187:drug effects
D005740:Gases; D000431:Ethanol; D008628:Mercury