title: Chemical demethylation of methylmercury by selenoamino acids.
abstract: A new chemical demethylation pathway for methylmercury under physiologically and environmentally relevant conditions is reported. The pathway involves the reaction between methylmercury and a selenoamino acid (L-selenocysteine, L-selenoglutathione, D,L-selenopenicillamine, or L-selenomethionine) via the formation of bis(methylmercuric)selenide and dimethylmercury as intermediates. The final degradation product is HgSe(s).
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, and Department of Environment and Geography, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
authors.forename: Mohammad A K
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: Feiyue
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D005978:Glutathione / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008767:Methylmercury Compounds / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000633:toxicity; D016566:Organoselenium Compounds / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D017279:Selenocysteine / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D012645:Selenomethionine / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D008767:Methylmercury Compounds; D016566:Organoselenium Compounds; D017279:Selenocysteine; C017710:selenodiglutathione; D012645:Selenomethionine; C073972:dimethyl mercury; D005978:Glutathione