Toxic Effects of Mercury Poisening Essay example - 1251 Words

Humans and animals have been exposed to one or all forms of mercury, but the toxic effects can vary depending on the person or the animal. The toxic effects can also vary on the amount of exposure, what type of chemical form the mercury is in, and where the exposure is. Humans and animals weight different amounts and are different in height. The smaller the mammal the more the symptoms of mercury poison will be seen, and the toxic effects. Other factors involved are family genes, diet, lifestyle, and how healthy mammals are before the exposure will determine whether they will get mercury poisoning. Any oral digestion of mercury fillings from dental work, or oral thermometers that are filled with mercury will not be a significant amount†¦show more content†¦(www.atsdr.cdc.gov/phs/phs.asp?id=112tid=24). Once mercury vapor particles are in the blood stream it can bind to the hemoglobin sight, where blood get its oxygen and deprive the rest of the body of from it. It also can take oxygen in the bloodstream to form divalent mercury (Hgll), which is when it can lose electrons, and bind to any group of proteins in the body or albumin. It also can bind to sights on the surface of the T cell and sulfhydrl groups, which can severely affect the immune system. The main organs elemental mercury centers are central, peripheral nervous system, kidneys, and the brain. The kidneys end up getting an extremely high concentration of elemental mercury this ends up causing blood in your urine, proteinuria, acute renal failure, and damage to the tubules. Unfortunately, due to mercury abilit y for being lipophilic, it can easily pass the blood brain barrier and settle in the brain tissue for long periods of time (www.hpa.org.uk/webc/HPAwebFile/HPAweb). This will have several effects ranging from damaging brain cells to blocking neurotransmitters. Mercury vapor can also effects chemicals in the brain, such as serotonin, tyrosine, and can deplete glutathione. Due to the half life of elemental mercury being exposure to it takes over two months to fully dissipate through the body, and has the ability to go into