ORGAN DISTRIBUTION AND BIOLOGICAL HALF-TIME OF METHYLMERCURY IN 4 STRAINS OF MICE

  • 1 January 1982
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 52  (6) , 307-314
Abstract
The organ distribution and biological half-time of methylmercury were examined in male mice of 3 inbred strains, BALB/c, C3H/HeN and C57BL/6N, and a random-bred strain, CD-1 (ICR), at 6 wk after birth. Methylmercury chloride was administered i.p. at 1 mg/kg of body wt. At various time intervals after methylmercury administration 9-12 mice of each strain were killed and the total Hg concentrations in the blood, brain, liver and kidneys were determined with cold-vapor atomic absorption spectrophotometry. A significant strain difference was found in Hb concentrations in the organs, especially in the blood. BALB/c and C3H had twice as high blood Hg levels than C57BL and ICR. the brain/blood, liver/blood and kidney/blood ratios of Hb concentration appeared to be hereditarily stable characteristics. The biological half-time of Hg in the organs was longest in C57BL (except in the case of the kidneys) and shortest in ICR. Some biological features such as relative organ weight and body weight possibly affected the chemobiokinetics of methylmercury in mice.

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