Toxicological Hazards of Mercurial Paints

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Abstract
The toxicological hazards of ingestion of mercury by absorption through the skin from mercurial ointments and through the lungs from mercury laden air are reviewed. Mice living for 6 months in cages painted with antifungal mercurial paints show no significant Hg levels in the kidneys, liver, lung or spleen. From this it is inferred that no toxic hazard to humans working in rooms treated with these mercurial paints should result. Using the literature figure of 100 μg. Hg/c.m. of air as the upper safe limit for continuous exposure of man for 8 hours per day and assuming that 25 per cent of the inhaled mercury is absorbed it has been deduced that the maximum safe continuous peroral intake of mercury is 1·3 μg./kg./day. This figure should assist in deciding the maximum permissible amount of mercury salts in food and drinking water. Guinea pigs have been given 150 times this dose daily for 6 months and found to remain in perfect health. The hazard arising from the possibility of contamination of foodstuffs by flaking of an antifungal mercurial paint is thought to be negligible.