Tissue distribution of inhaled mercury vapor in acatalasemic mice.

Substantial differences were observed in the pattern of tissue deposition in normal versus acatalasemic mice after inhalation of radioactive mercury vapor. Liver deposition was approximately double and lung deposition approximately one-half the corresponding deposition in normal animals. These results lend further support to the idea that the hydrogen-peroxide catalase peroxidative pathway plays a role in the metabolism of inhaled mercury vapor.