title: Mercury and its relation with selenium in the liver of Dall's porpoises (Phocoenoides dalli) off the Sanriku coast of Japan.
abstract: Liver samples of 22 Dall's porpoises (Phocoenoides dalli) collected off the Sanriku coast of Japan were analyzed for investigation on bioaccumulation of total mercury (SigmaHg), organic mercury (OrgHg), inorganic mercury (InHg) and selenium (Se). In the liver, detoxification of Hg was evident by transformation of OrgHg. Se showed different Hg detoxification patterns in the liver with a threshold range of hepatic SigmaHg concentration of about 20-30 microg/g dry weight. The molar ratios of Se/InHg or Se/SigmaHg were obviously higher than 1 when hepatic SigmaHg levels were less than the range, while both ratios were close to 1 when SigmaHg levels were higher than the threshold, suggesting a mechanism by detoxification of OrgHg into less toxic mercuric selenide (HgSe) forms in the latter.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Ecological Environment and Resources of Inland Fisheries, Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Chinese Academy of Fishery Science, Qitang Road No. 1, Wuxi City, Jiangsu 214081, China. yangj@ori.u-tokyo.ac.jp
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kunito
authors.forename: Shinsuke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tanabe
authors.forename: Nobuyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Miyazaki
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D008658:Inactivation, Metabolic; D007564:Japan; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D009792:Oceans and Seas; D019576:Porpoises / Q000378:metabolism*; D012643:Selenium / Q000032:analysis* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics
chemical_list: D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D008628:Mercury; D012643:Selenium