VACCINE

Environmental Toxicology • June 2003
Environmental exposure to mercury
and its toxicopathologic implications for public health
Author information
Tchounwou PB1, Ayensu WK, Ninashvili N, Sutton D.
Cellomics and Toxicogenomics Research Laboratory
NIH Center for Environmental Health, School of Science and Technology
Jackson State University, 1400 Lynch Street, Box 18540
Jackson, Mississippi 39217, USA. paul.b.tchounwou@jsums.edu
Abstract
Mercury is a toxic and hazardous metal that occurs naturally in the earth’s crust. Natural
phenomena such as erosion and volcanic eruptions, and anthropogenic activities like metal
smelting and industrial production and use may lead to substantial contamination of the
environment with mercury. Through consumption of mercury in food, the populations of
many areas, particularly in the developing world, have been confronted with catastrophic
outbreaks of mercury-induced diseases and mortality. Countries such as Japan, Iraq, Ghana,
the Seychelles, and the Faroe Islands have faced such epidemics, which have unraveled the
insidious and debilitating nature of mercury poisoning. Its creeping neurotoxicity is highly
devastating, particularly in the central and peripheral nervous systems of children. Central
nervous system defects and erethism as well as arrythmias, cardiomyopathies, and kidney
damage have been associated with mercury exposure. Necrotizing bronchitis and pneumonitis
arising from inhalation of mercury vapor can result in respiratory failure. Mercury is
also considered a potent immunostimulant and -suppressant, depending on exposure dose
and individual susceptibility, producing a number of pathologic sequelae including lymphoproliferation,
hypergammaglobulinemia, and total systemic hyper- and hyporeactivities.
In this review we discuss the sources of mercury and the potential for human exposure; its
biogeochemical cycling in the environment; its systemic, immunotoxic, genotoxic/carcinogenic,
and teratogenic health effects; and the dietary influences on its toxicity; as well as the
important considerations in risk assessment and management of mercury poisoning.
“Its creeping neurotoxicity
is highly devastating, particularly
in the central and peripheral nervous
systems of children.”
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12740802