Metallic mercury in the arterial blood of normal and acatalasemic mice exposed to metallic mercury vapor.

Concentration of metallic mercury in the arterial blood was higher in acatalasemic mice after exposure to 3.45 mg/m3 for 10 minutes in comparison with normal mice, whereas concentration of mercuric ion was lower in acatalasemic mice than in normal mice. Thus, the ratio of metallic mercury to total mercury in the arterial blood of acatalasemic mice was 5.86 +/- 3.61%, which was statistically significantly higher than the value (1.36 +/- 0.65%) of corresponding normal mice. The mercury concentration and distribution in the brain and liver of acatalasemic mice were higher than those in normal mice. Data indicate that the concentration of metallic mercury in the arterial blood of acatalasemic mice was higher than that of normal mice and that metallic mercury soluble in lipids is likely transferred to the brain and liver from the blood. Conclusively, metallic mercury in the arterial blood is the biologically active form for transferring mercury from blood to organs.