Effect of Selenite on the Toxicity of Dietary Methyl Mercury and Mercuric Chloride in the Rat

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Abstract
Diets containing methyl mercury and mercuric chloride were fed to rats with and without sodium selenite supplements. Effects of selenite-mercury interactions for both forms of mercury include enhancement of the growth rate over that observed on diets with comparable levels of mercury without selenite, altered tissue mercury levels, and altered percentage distribution of mercury among several tissues. In addition, selenite protected against mortality and neurotoxicity due to dietary methyl mercury. Possible mechanisms for the mercury-selenium interactions are discussed.