• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제45권6호
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• pp.344-352
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• 2012

Mercury is a toxic and non-essential metal in the human body. Mercury is ubiquitously distributed in the environment, present in natural products, and exists extensively in items encountered in daily life. There are three forms of mercury, i.e., elemental (or metallic) mercury, inorganic mercury compounds, and organic mercury compounds. This review examines the toxicity of elemental mercury and inorganic mercury compounds. Inorganic mercury compounds are water soluble with a bioavailability of 7% to 15% after ingestion; they are also irritants and cause gastrointestinal symptoms. Upon entering the body, inorganic mercury compounds are accumulated mainly in the kidneys and produce kidney damage. In contrast, human exposure to elemental mercury is mainly by inhalation, followed by rapid absorption and distribution in all major organs. Elemental mercury from ingestion is poorly absorbed with a bioavailability of less than 0.01%. The primary target organs of elemental mercury are the brain and kidney. Elemental mercury is lipid soluble and can cross the blood-brain barrier, while inorganic mercury compounds are not lipid soluble, rendering them unable to cross the blood-brain barrier. Elemental mercury may also enter the brain from the nasal cavity through the olfactory pathway. The blood mercury is a useful biomarker after short-term and high-level exposure, whereas the urine mercury is the ideal biomarker for long-term exposure to both elemental and inorganic mercury, and also as a good indicator of body burden. This review discusses the common sources of mercury exposure, skin lightening products containing mercury and mercury release from dental amalgam filling, two issues that happen in daily life, bear significant public health importance, and yet undergo extensive debate on their safety.

• 한국대기환경학회지
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• 제30권3호
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• pp.261-269
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• 2014

This study focused on the performance of the newly developed hybrid filter system to capture fine particulate matter and mercury compounds in a coal-fired power plant. The hybrid filter system combining bag-filter and electrostatic precipitator had been developed to remove fine particulate matter. However, it would have a good performance to control mercury compounds as well. In Hybrid filter capture system, the total removal efficiency of total mercury compounds consisting of particulate mercury ($Hg_p$), oxidized mercury ($Hg^{2+}$), and elemental mercury ($Hg^0$) was 66.2%. The speciation of mercury compounds at inlet and outlet of Hybrid filter capture system were 1.3% and 0% of $Hg_p$, 85.2% and 68.1% of $Hg^0$, and 13.5% and 31.9% of $Hg^{2+}$, respectively. In hybrid filter capture system injected with 100% of flue-gas, the removal efficiency of total mercury was calculated to increase to 93.5%.

• Toxicological Research
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• 제19권2호
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• pp.153-159
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• 2003

Localization of mercury compounds was investigated in selective regions of the male reproductive tract using autometallography. The results demonstrated that mercury was observed in Sertoli and Leydig cells in testis, but not in the epithelial cells of rete testis and germ cells. In the efferent ductule, mercury compounds were observed in the cytoplasmic compartments of epithelial cells in the proximal and common regions, while they were observed in the supranuclear cytoplasmic compartments in the conus region. In the epididymis, the compounds were observed in the cytoplasmic compariments of narrow and basal cells, but not in the principal cells of the initial segment. In contrast, the compounds were evenly detected in the cytoplasmic compartments of principal cells in the caput. In the corpus and caudal epididymis, the compounds were observed in the basal region of principal cells. The data shows that mercury is differentially accumulated in the male reproductive tract in a region-specific manner.

• 한국대기환경학회지
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• 제33권3호
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• pp.241-250
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• 2017

Recently, there has been growing interest in the emission characteristics and behavior of anthropogenic mercury compounds from emission sources. It is required to establish a standard for reliable mercury measurement method. Therefore, this study has evaluated the applicability of the new measurement method; Continuous Emission Monitoring (US EPA 30A, CEM). In addition, the reliability evaluation was conducted through Ontario Hydro Method (ASTM D6784, OHM) and Sorbent trap method (US EPA Method 30B). As a monitoring result for three months via CEM from cement kiln, the maximum mercury compounds concentration was about $600{\mu}g/Sm^3$. This is because of the various of raw materials and fuel, and the absence of mercury-control device. The mercury compounds concentrations of OHM, Sorbent trap and CEM were 13.64 $(3.33{\sim}32.41){\mu}g/Sm^3$, $13.94(5.97{\sim}23.44){\mu}g/Sm^3$ and $14.68(6.19{\sim}26.75){\mu}g/Sm^3$, respectively. The relative standard deviations (% RSD) of the three methods were 5.1~40.9%. The result of this study suggest that it is possible to apply the CEM in the cement kiln when, QA/QC such as calibration is verified.

• 분석과학
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• 제13권1호
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• pp.81-88
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• 2000

물 중의 미량 수은 화합물을 분리분석하기 위해 초고분자량 폴리에텔렌 막 필터를 이용한 신속 농축방법을 개발하였다. 디티존이 침윤된 폴리에텔렌 막 필터에 시료를 통과시켜 시료 중의 수은을 디티존 착물로서 추출하고, 초음파를 이용해 메탄을 용매상에 회수함으로써 간단하게 농축하였다. 회수된 수은 디티존 착물은 $C_{18}$ 분리관을 이용하여 액체크로마토그래피에 의해 분리하였다. 0.05 M 아세테이트 완충용액(pH 4)과 THF/메탄올(3:5:2)의 혼합액을 이동상으로 사용하여 무기수은과 메틸-, 에틸-, 페닐- 등의 유기수은이 완전 분리되었다. 분리된 수은 착물은 475 nm의 파장에서 검출하였다. 이 방법을 폐수시료에 응용한 결과 ng/mL이하 수준의 검출한계로서 수은 화합물의 분리분석이 가능함을 확인하였다.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• 제28권2호
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• pp.105-115
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• 2011

Mercury is a toxic, persistent pollutant that bioaccumulates and biomagnifies through food webs. People are exposed to methyhnercruy mainly through their diet, especially through the consumption of freshwater and marine fish and of other animals that consume fish (e.g., marine mammals). All humans are exposed to low levels of mercury. Dietary patterns can increase exposure to a fish-eating population where the fish and seafood are contaminated with mercury. The primary toxicity targets of mercury and mercury compounds are the nervous system, kidneys, and cardiovascular system. It is generally accepted that developing organ systems are most sensitive to the toxic effects of mercury. The fetal-brain mercury levels appear to be significantly higher than the maternal-blood mercury levels, and the developing central nervous system of the fetus is currently regarded as the main system of concern as it demonstrates the greatest sensitivity. The subpopulation that may be at greater risk for mercury toxicity are those exposed to higher levels of methylmercury due to carnivorous fish, including sharks.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• 제23권1호
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• pp.33-39
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• 2008

The genotoxicity of mercury compounds have been investigated with a variety of genetic endpoints in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. The mercury ions are positively charged and easily form complexes with DNA by binding with negatively charged centers to cause mutagenesis. Further, the mercury ions can react with sulfhydryl (-SH) groups of proteins associated with DNA replication and alter genetic information. Another mechanism by which mercury damages DNA molecule is via its probable involvement of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and induces DNA strand breaks. In order to investigate whether the ROS production was induced by mercury, we performed ROS assay. As the result, the ROS production was significantly increased when it grows dose-dependently and time-dependently. We compared mercury alone-treated group and mercury co-treated with Vitamin C or glutathione group. As the result, the ROS production induced by mercury was decreased by Vitamin C and glutathione. Co-treated with Vitamin C and glutathione group was the most effective to lowering ROS production induced by mercury.

• 대한화학회지
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• 제41권8호
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• pp.392-398
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• 1997

무기수은과 유기수은을 분리하여 각각을 정량하는 방법을 연구하였다. 고분자량 알킬의 4차아민의 염, Aliquat 336의 $CHCl_3$ 용액을 이용하여 수용액 중에 함유된 무기수은이온, $Hg^{2+}$을 티오시안 착이온으로서, 그리고 유기수은 화합물, $CH_3HgCl$ 및 $C_2H_3O_2$ $HgC_6H_5$ 등을 동시에 추출농축한 다음 무기수은은 3 M $HClO_4 $ 용액으로 선택적인 역추출을 하여 CVAAS로 정량하고, 유기수은은 추출액의 $CHCl_3$ 을 증발 제거한 후 그 찌끼를 4% $KMnO_4 $-1M $H_2$$S0_4 $ 용액으로 분해하여 무기수은 이온으로 만들어서 역시 CVAAS로 정량하였다. 시료용액 50 mL 중에 함유된 Hg로서 1 ${\mu}g$의 무기수은과 유기수은 혼합용액(0.02 ${\mu}gHg/mL$)을 분석한 결과 절대오차 ${\pm}6%$ 이내의 결과를 얻었다.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제47권2호
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• pp.74-83
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• 2014

Mercury exists naturally and as a man-made contaminant. The release of processed mercury can lead to a progressive increase in the amount of atmospheric mercury, which enters the atmospheric-soil-water distribution cycles where it can remain in circulation for years. Mercury poisoning is the result of exposure to mercury or mercury compounds resulting in various toxic effects depend on its chemical form and route of exposure. The major route of human exposure to methylmercury (MeHg) is largely through eating contaminated fish, seafood, and wildlife which have been exposed to mercury through ingestion of contaminated lower organisms. MeHg toxicity is associated with nervous system damage in adults and impaired neurological development in infants and children. Ingested mercury may undergo bioaccumulation leading to progressive increases in body burdens. This review addresses the systemic pathophysiology of individual organ systems associated with mercury poisoning. Mercury has profound cellular, cardiovascular, hematological, pulmonary, renal, immunological, neurological, endocrine, reproductive, and embryonic toxicological effects.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제19권3호
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• pp.335-340
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• 2006

A large number of toxicological substances and pharmacological and physical agents can cause reproductive intervention at the cellular and molecular level. The present study was designed to assess the effect of mercury ($HgCl_2$) at 50 to $550{\mu}M$ concentration ranges, in vitro, on the sperm membrane and DNA integrity, viability, and acrosomal status of normal bull spermatozoa. The samples were processed for sperm analyses using semen-diluting fluid (PBS, pH 7.2). We recorded a sharp increase in the lipid peroxidation/LPO rate; the highest was at $550{\mu}M$ mercury concentration, indicating a deleterious effect of mercury on the sperm membrane intactness. There was also a strong negative correlation between LPO rate and % viable spermatozoa (R = 0.987, p<0.001). Data obtained from a comet assay technique revealed that mercury is capable of inducing DNA breaks in the sperm nuclei. Interestingly, 92% of DNA breaks were double-stranded. The correlation between LPO rate and % DNA breaks was 0.984. Performing the gelatin test indicates that mercury is able to alter the integrity of acrosomal membranes showing an abnormal acrosome reaction. In this regard, a strong link was found between LPO rate and % halos (R = 0.990, p<0.001). Collectively, mercury proved to be a potent oxidant in the category of environmental factors affecting bull spermatozoa. Hence, considering the wide spread use of mercury and its compounds, these metals should be regarded with more concern.