Abstract
The δ-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) dehydratase activity in erythrocytes, the cholinesterase (ChE) activity in serum, the urinary output of ALA, coproporphyrin, protein, and mercury, and the level of reduced glutathione (GSH) in erythrocytes were determined in mercury workers. A significant correlation (P < 0.01) was found between the urinary level of mercury and the values for the decreased activities of ALA dehydratase and ChE, and for the urinary level of coproporphyrin, though their values were not so prominent as in lead poisoning. It was concluded that the response of the biological system in vivo to the metals differs greatly from that in vitro, and that the maximum permissible urinary concentration of mercury would be 200μ g/gm creatinine.