ABSTRACT
Mercury, a silver-white metal that is liquid at room temperature and highly volatile, can exist in three oxidation states: elemental mercury (Hg
), mercurous ion (Hg
), and mercuric ion (Hg
). It can be part of both inorganic and organic compounds (USEPA, 1980; Clarkson et al., 1984). All mercury compounds interfere with thiol metabolism, causing inhibition or inactivation of proteins containing thiol ligands and ultimately to mitotic disturbances (Das et al., 1982; Elhassani, 1983; Hook and Hewitt, 1986). The mercuric species is the most toxic inorganic chemical form, but all three forms of inorganic mercury may have a common molecular mechanism of damage in which Hg
is the toxic species (Clarkson and Marsh, 1982). Mercury poisoning and treatment is discussed in more detail in Chapter 4.
