Studies on the interaction and distribution of selenite, mercuric, methoxyethyl mercuric and methyl mercuric chloride in rats. I. Analysis of brain, liver, kidney and faeces.

The interaction of selenium with methyl mercury, methoxyethyl mercury and mercuric chloride was studied in a 37 days' experiment with rats. Liver, kidney, brain and faeces were analysed for mercury and seleneium at the end of the experimental period. Selenium supplementation increased the retention of mercury in liver, when mercuric chloride was given, in liver and brain when methyl mercury was given, and in all tissues examined when methoxyethyl mercury was given. The Hg/Se molar ratios in the tissues have been calculated and are found to vary considerably.