The effect of potassium dichromate and mercuric chloride on urinary excretion and organ and subcellular distribution of [203Hg]mercuric chloride in rats.

The mechanism by which subthreshold/non-effective doses or concentrations of potassium dichromate (K2Cr2O7) potentiate the effect of moderately effective dose/concentrations of mercuric chloride (HgCl2) on renal organic ion transport is not understood. To investigate this effect, the rate of excretion of mercury from the intact animal and the renal and hepatic accumulation and subcellular distribution of mercury within kidney cortex following pretreatment or in vitro exposure to K2Cr2O7 were undertaken. Coincidental administration of K2Cr2O7 had no significant effect in altering the rate of excretion of labeled mercury. Organ distribution showed time dependence; however, the presence of K2Cr2O7 did not increase renal mercury concentrations. In fact, significantly less mercury was found at 4 h in the kidneys of rats receiving both metal salts. Subcellular distribution of labeled mercury (203Hg) was also not significantly altered by the presence of K2Cr2O7, although the distribution patterns for in vitro exposure and pretreated tissues were different. These studies show that K2Cr2O7 does not produce alterations in urinary elimination, organ distribution or subcellular distribution of mercury.