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Alkyl Mercury-Induced Toxicity: Multiple Mechanisms of Action

  • Chapter
Reviews of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology Volume 240

Part of the book series: Reviews of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology ((RECT,volume 240))

Abstract

There are a number of mechanisms by which alkylmercury compounds cause toxic action in the body. Collectively, published studies reveal that there are some similarities between the mechanisms of the toxic action of the mono-alkyl mercury compounds methylmercury (MeHg) and ethylmercury (EtHg). This paper represents a summary of some of the studies regarding these mechanisms of action in order to facilitate the understanding of the many varied effects of alkylmercurials in the human body. The similarities in mechanisms of toxicity for MeHg and EtHg are presented and compared. The difference in manifested toxicity of MeHg and EtHg are likely the result of the differences in exposure, metabolism, and elimination from the body, rather than differences in mechanisms of action between the two.

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The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.

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  1. Division of Toxicology and Human Health Sciences, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, 1600 Clifton Road (MS F-58), Atlanta, GA, 30333, USA

    John F. Risher & Pamela Tucker

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  1. John F. Risher
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  2. Pamela Tucker
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Correspondence to John F. Risher .

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  1. University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Pim de Voogt

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Risher, J.F., Tucker, P. (2016). Alkyl Mercury-Induced Toxicity: Multiple Mechanisms of Action. In: de Voogt, P. (eds) Reviews of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology Volume 240. Reviews of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, vol 240. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/398_2016_1

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