Brain and tissue levels of mercury after chronic methylmercury exposure in the monkey

Abstract

Estimated half‐lives of mercury following methylmercury exposure in humans are 52–93 d for whole body and 49–164 d for blood. In its most recent 1980 review, the World Health Organization concluded that there was no evidence to suggest that brain half‐life differed from whole‐body half‐life. In the present study, female monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) were dosed for at least 1.7 yr with 10, 25, or 50 μg/kg·d of mercury as methylmercuric chloride. Dosing was discontinued, and blood half‐life was determined to be about 14 d. Approximately 230 d after cessation of dosing, monkeys were sacrificed and organ and regional brain total mercury levels determined. One monkey that died while still being dosed had brain mercury levels three times higher than levels in blood. Theoretical calculations were performed assuming steady‐state brain : blood ratios of 3, 5, or 10. Brain mercury levels were at least three orders of magnitude higher than those predicted by assuming the half‐life in brain to be the same as that in blood. Estimated half‐lives in brain were between 56 (brain : blood ratio of 3) and 38 (brain : blood ratio of 10) d. In addition, there was a dose‐dependent difference in half‐lives for some brain regions. These data clearly indicate that brain half‐life is considerably longer than blood half‐life in the monkey under conditions of chronic dosing.