Tchounwou Paul B, Ayensu Wellington K, Ninashvili Nanuli, Sutton Dwayne
Cellomics and Toxicogenomics Research Laboratory, NIH Center for Environmental Health, School of Science and Technology, Jackson State University, 1400 Lynch Street, Box 18540, Jackson, Mississippi 39217, USA.
Environ Toxicol. 2003 Jun;18(3):149-75. doi: 10.1002/tox.10116.
Mercury is a toxic and hazardous metal that occurs naturally in the earth's crust. Natural phenomena such as erosion and volcanic eruptions, and anthropogenic activities like metal smelting and industrial production and use may lead to substantial contamination of the environment with mercury. Through consumption of mercury in food, the populations of many areas, particularly in the developing world, have been confronted with catastrophic outbreaks of mercury-induced diseases and mortality. Countries such as Japan, Iraq, Ghana, the Seychelles, and the Faroe Islands have faced such epidemics, which have unraveled the insidious and debilitating nature of mercury poisoning. Its creeping neurotoxicity is highly devastating, particularly in the central and peripheral nervous systems of children. Central nervous system defects and erethism as well as arrythmias, cardiomyopathies, and kidney damage have been associated with mercury exposure. Necrotizing bronchitis and pneumonitis arising from inhalation of mercury vapor can result in respiratory failure. Mercury is also considered a potent immunostimulant and -suppressant, depending on exposure dose and individual susceptibility, producing a number of pathologic sequelae including lymphoproliferation, hypergammaglobulinemia, and total systemic hyper- and hyporeactivities. In this review we discuss the sources of mercury and the potential for human exposure; its biogeochemical cycling in the environment; its systemic, immunotoxic, genotoxic/carcinogenic, and teratogenic health effects; and the dietary influences on its toxicity; as well as the important considerations in risk assessment and management of mercury poisoning.
汞是一种有毒有害金属，自然存在于地壳中。侵蚀和火山爆发等自然现象，以及金属冶炼、工业生产与使用等人为活动，可能导致汞对环境造成严重污染。通过食用受汞污染的食物，许多地区的人群，尤其是发展中世界的人群，面临着汞中毒疾病灾难性爆发和死亡的情况。日本、伊拉克、加纳、塞舌尔和法罗群岛等国家都曾面临此类疫情，这些疫情揭示了汞中毒的隐匿性和危害性。其渐进性神经毒性极具破坏性，尤其是对儿童的中枢神经系统和外周神经系统。中枢神经系统缺陷、易兴奋症以及心律失常、心肌病和肾损伤都与汞暴露有关。吸入汞蒸气引起的坏死性支气管炎和肺炎可导致呼吸衰竭。根据接触剂量和个体易感性，汞还被认为是一种强效的免疫刺激剂和抑制剂，会产生一系列病理后遗症，包括淋巴细胞增殖、高球蛋白血症以及全身高反应性和低反应性。在本综述中，我们讨论了汞的来源以及人类接触汞的可能性；其在环境中的生物地球化学循环；其对全身、免疫、遗传毒性/致癌性和致畸性的健康影响；饮食对其毒性的影响；以及汞中毒风险评估和管理中的重要考虑因素。
