MERCURY UPTAKE BY ACATALASEMIA MICE AND THEIR ERYTHROCYTES, LUNG AND LIVER HOMOGENATES

Erythrocytes, lung and liver homogenates prepared from actalasemia mice showed a decrease in their in vitro ability to take up mercury from air saturated with mercury vapor when compared with those of normal mice. Acatalasemia mice had decreased levels of mercury in the lung and blood, and increased levels in the liver following exposure in vivo to metallic mercury vapor (10 mg/m3) for 30 min. Pretreatment of normal and acatalasemia mice with aminotriazole resulted in decreases in the mercury content of lung and blood, and an increase in the liver content, in comparison with non-treated mice. © 1978 Springer-Verlag.