The Toxicology of Mercury and Its Chemical Compounds

• Published in: Critical reviews in toxicology Vol. 36; no. 8; pp. 609 - 662
• Main Authors: Clarkson, Thomas W., Magos, Laszlo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Colchester Informa UK Ltd 01.09.2006; Taylor & Francis; Informa Healthcare; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Animal tissues; Animals; Bioaccumulation; Biological and medical sciences; Chemical and industrial products toxicology. Toxic occupational diseases; Dental Amalgam; Ethylmercury; Health risks; Humans; Inorganic Mercury; Medical sciences; Mercury; Mercury - blood; Mercury - chemistry; Mercury - metabolism; Mercury Compounds - chemistry; Mercury Compounds - metabolism; Mercury Compounds - poisoning; Mercury Poisoning - diagnosis; Mercury Poisoning - etiology; Mercury Poisoning - prevention & control; Mercury Vapor; Metals and various inorganic compounds; Methylmercury; Models, Biological; No-Observed-Adverse-Effect Level; Phenylmercury; Preservatives; Preservatives, Pharmaceutical - chemistry; Public health; Thimerosal; Thimerosal - chemistry; Toxicology; Vapor; Ethylmercury; Inorganic Mercury; Toxicity; Dental Amalgam; Review; Mercury compound; Epidemiology; Case history; Methylmercury; Mercury Organic compounds; Mercury Vapor; Public health; Human; Thiomersal; Use; Mercury II; Thimerosal; Amalgams; Metabolism; Phenylmercury; Heavy metal; Toxicokinetics; Antiseptic; Pollution source; Environment; Tooth; Mercury
• ISSN: 1040-8444; 1547-6898
• DOI: 10.1080/10408440600845619

This review covers the toxicology of mercury and its compounds. Special attention is paid to those forms of mercury of current public health concern. Human exposure to the vapor of metallic mercury dates back to antiquity but continues today in occupational settings and from dental amalgam. Health risks from methylmercury in edible tissues of fish have been the subject of several large epidemiological investigations and continue to be the subject of intense debate. Ethylmercury in the form of a preservative, thimerosal, added to certain vaccines, is the most recent form of mercury that has become a public health concern. The review leads to general discussion of evolutionary aspects of mercury, protective and toxic mechanisms, and ends on a note that mercury is still an "element of mystery."