Extracorporeal removal of mercury by hemoperfusion through agarose-polymercaptal microsphere beads.

Uniform agarose-polymercaptal microsphere beads (APMMB) of 1.0-mm diameter were prepared by encapsulating thousands of polymercaptal microspheres of 0.8-micron average diameter within an agarose matrix. Those beads show a high avidity and affinity for mercury and readily remove mercury compounds bound to serum proteins. In vivo detoxification trials in dosed rabbits and dogs showed the effectiveness of the APMMB for removal of mercury compounds by hemoperfusion. The rate for mercury removal is enhanced by addition of cysteine. The biocompatibility of the APMMB, measured by the depletion of the formed elements and various soluble components of the blood, is also demonstrated.