Methyl Mercury

[daleboyce@charter.net]

I confess I haven't been following this thread.  So if I'm being redundant

please don't waste your time telling me.



Here is a good site for toxicity info:



http://risk.lsd.ornl.gov/tox/profiles/methyl_mercury_f_V1.shtml



Methyl mercury is synthesized from inorganic mercury by microbes in nature.



http://www.nutrition.org/cgi/content/abstract/133/5/1539S



It is important because it is efficiently adsorbed through inhalation,

ingestion, and skin contact, and therefore provides a mechanism for

concentration in the food chain. This happens whether human caused

contamination is a factor or not.  Industrial contamination is associated

with the known events where severe health effects were observed, but is not

a requirement for mercury to appear in the food chain. Old bodies of water

may have lower levels of methyl mercury than newer man made reservoirs.

More available natural inorganic mercury???



Although  the monovalent HgCH3 can be synthesized, methyl mercury is also

used as a synonym for dimethyl mercury which is the more common valence

state.  Methyl mercury can also be used to lump other compounds into a group

of readily absorbed compounds such as HgClCH3. They are all bad actors.



After hearing a radio blurb worrying about the possible use of osmium

tetroxide as a terrorist weapon. I did a little search on the toxicities of

methyl mercury, osmium tetroxide, and some other bad actors that are much

more available and readily synthesized (I won't mention specifics).  Not too

surprisingly I find that I lump them in with dirty bombs as working really

hard to make something that isn't easy for very little added effect.



Dale



daleboyce@charter.net





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