Exhalation of metallic mercury from acatalasemic and normal mice intraperitoneally injected with mercuric ion ((203)HgCl(2)) and the mercury uptake by acatalasemic and normal mice exposed to metallic mercury vapor ((203)Hg(0)) were investigated. Exhalation of metallic mercury from acatalasemic mice injected with mercuric ion was higher than that from normal mice. The mercury uptake by normal mice exposed to metallic mercury was higher than that by acatalasemic mice. The liver and brain of acatalasemic mice were higher in the content than those of normal mice. On the other hand, mercury content in heart, lungs, blood and kidneys of acatalasemic mice was lower than in normal mice. The brain/blood concentration ratio of acatalasemic mice was higher than in normal mice. The distribution of mercury in the organs of acatalasemic mice injected with mercuric ion were similar to those of normal mice. Those results indicate that actalase has an important role in the uptake of metallic mercury, and the balance of reduction and oxidation systems influence the metabolism of mercury.
rebuction of mercuric ion
oxidation of metallic mercury
acatalasemia mice
catalase
exhalation of metallic mercury