Acute toxicity mercury

Thus, there is not a great deal of difference between the three classes in acute toxicity all are highly toxic. However, methyl mercury is more persistent than the other two types, and so has the greater potential to cause chronic toxicity. The latter point is important when considering the possibility of sublethal effects. 

McCrary JE, Heagler MG. 1997. The use of a simultaneous multiple species acute toxicity test to compare the relative sensitivities of aquatic organisms to mercury. J Environ Sci Health Part A Environ Sci Eng Toxic Hazardous Substance Control 32 73-81. 

In addition to the chemicals included on the other lists, the CDC also included heavy metals such as arsenic, lead, and mercury volatile solvents such as benzene, chloroform, and bromoform decomposition products such as dioxins and furans polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) flammable industrial gases and liquids such as gasoline and propane explosives and oxidizers and all persistent and nonpersistent pesticides. Agents included in this volume are limited to those that are most likely to pose an acute toxicity hazard. 

Olson, K.R. and R.C. Harrel. 1973. Effect of salinity on acute toxicity of mercury, copper, and chromium for Rangia cuneata (Pelecypoda, Mactridae). Contrib. Mar. Sci. 17 9-13. 

Glickstein, N. 1978. Acute toxicity of mercury and selenium to Crassostrea gigas embryos and Cancer magister larvae. Mar. Biol. 49 113-117. 

Lalande, M. and B. Pinel-Alloul. 1986. Acute toxicity of cadmium, copper, mercury and zinc to Tropocycylops prasinus mexicanus (cyclopoida, copepoda) from the Quebec lakes. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 5 95-102. 

Ahsanullah, M. 1982. Acute toxicity of chromium, mercury, molybdenum and nickel to the amphipod Allorchestes compressa. Austral. Jour. Mar. Freshwater Res. 33 465-474. 

Johnson, M.W. and Gentile, J.H. Acute toxicity of cadmium, copper, and mercury to larval American lobster Homarus americanus. Bull. Environ. Contam. Toxicol, 22(l/2) 258-264, 1979. 

B.L. Preston, T.W. Snell, R. Kneisel (1999). UV-B exposure increases acute toxicity of pentachlorophenol and mercury to the rotifer Brachionus calyciflorus. Environ. Pol-lut., 106,23-31. 

The most obvious impact of sediment-associated pollutants on aquatic biota is direct acute toxicity and there is considerable literature on both laboratory and field effects of toxic substances on marine and freshwater invertebrates (Baker, 1980 Reynoldson, 1987). For example, Warwick (1980) and Wiederholm (1984) observed deformities in chironomid larvae mouthparts at polluted sites of lakes in Canada and Sweden Milbrink (1983) has shown setal deformities in oligochaetes exposed to high sediment mercury levels. Indirect effects resulting from sediment contamination oftenly include changes in benthic invertebrate community structure. For example, Lock et al. (1981) evidenced increased growth of bacterial flora and algal cells on oiled substrates and a consequent stimulation of macroinvertebrates. Chapman et al. (1982) have shown effects of life history alterations (e.g., impairment of reproduction and age selective toxicity) which have been linked to sediment contaminants. ... 

The lethal dose of organomercury compounds is in the range 10- 60 mg/kg body weight although acute toxicity is much less common than chronic damage due to long-term contamination by relatively small amounts of these materials. Organic mercury compounds... 

Mercury poisoning may be acute or chronic and is related to exposure to elemental mercury vapour, inorganic salts or organic forms such as methyl-mercury. Metallic mercury is relatively non-toxic if ingested, hut mercury vapour can give rise to acute toxicity. The symptoms are respiratory distress and a metallic taste in the mouth. 

Acutely toxic amounts of metals and their compounds are usually taken in through the mouth or lungs. In addition to the dose, the method of uptake determines the intensity as well as the duration of toxic effects, and can lead to very different symptoms (see the above-mentioned example of ingested metallic mercury and inhaled mercury vapor). 

The ecotoxicological importance of thallium is derived from its high acute toxicity on living organisms, comparable to that of lead and mercury. Risk assessment is only possible in limited areas of thallium pollution. Global data are missing. 

---