Dermal, 3-127 mercury

Deaths from consumption of methylmercury-contaminated foods are well documented in outbreaks in Japan and Iraq, and lethal doses of 10-60 mg Hg/kg have been estimated from tissue concentrations (Bakir et al. 1973 Tsubaki and Takahashi 1986). Fatalities were attributed to central nervous system toxicity (Bakir et al. 1973 Tamashiro et al. 1984). Pneumonia and nonischemic heart disease were prominent secondary causes of death in the Japan epidemic (Tamashiro et al. 1984). Case reports of deaths associated solely with dermal mercury exposure to inorganic mercury are limited to a woman who died after inserting a mercuric chloride tablet into her vagina (Millar 1916) and a man who died after a 2-month treatment with a topical medicine containing mercurous chloride (Kang-Yum and Oransky... 

See also Copper Mercury Silver Toxicity Testing, Dermal Toxicity Testing, Inhalation. 

The primary routes of entry are ocular and dermal contact, inhalation, and ingestion. Calomel is found in environmental and occupational settings, such as in mercury mining operations, battery plants, paints and dyes, photography, perfumes and cosmetics, and chemical laboratories. It is poisonous by ingestion through food and intraperitoneal routes. Calomel is moderately toxic by skin contact. When heated to decompose, it emits very toxic fumes of Cl and Hg. 

Humans may be exposed to organic forms of mercury by either inhalation, oral, or dermal routes. 

Ingested or dermally applied elemental mercury is essentially not absorbed (an exception involved infants who absorbed mercury from disinfected... 

Dimethylmercury is more toxic than the monomethyl form. In a well publicized case, it was associated with the fatality of a research chemist. The researcher was exposed by dermal absorption after spilling a small amount of the compound on her latex gloves. Dimethylmercury was found to penetrate disposable latex and polyvinyl chloride gloves in 15 s or less. Where possible, the use of inorganic mercury salts is recommended as a substitute in laboratory... 

Ingestion of phenylmercuric acetate over a prolonged period may cause skin disorders (urticaria and stomatitis), salivation, diarrhea, anemia, leukopenia, and hepatic and renal damage. Prolonged dermal exposure to phenylmercuric acetate may cause mercurialism. 

The literature on the health effects of mercury is extensive. However, the human and animal data are generally limited to inhalation exposure to metallic mercury vapors and oral exposure to inorganic and organic mercury compounds. There is limited dermal exposure information on adverse effects from ointments and creams that contain inorganic mercury compounds. 

Acrodynia is an idiosyncratic hypersensitivity response from exposure to mercury and is characterized by certain cardiovascular, dermal, and neurological effects, among others. In the section on health effects by route of exposure, the relevant symptoms are discussed under the appropriate headings without reference to the syndrome. This occurs, in part, because there is some overlap between symptoms characteristic of acrodynia and those seen in persons who are not hypersensitive and, in part, because not every report of a study in which the symptoms were observed states whether the authors considered the affected person to have suffered from acrodynia. 

Metallic Mercury. Inhalation exposure of individuals to elemental mercury vapors for acute and intermediate durations has resulted in erythematous and pruritic skin rashes (Aronow et al. 1990 Bluhm et al. 1992a Foulds et al. 1987 Karpathios et al. 1991 Schwartz et al. 1992 Sexton et al. 1976). Other dermal reactions to mercury exposure include heavy perspiration (Aronow et al. 1990 Fagala and Wigg 1992 Karpathios et al. 1991 Sexton et al. 1976) and reddened and/or peeling skin on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet (Aronow et al. 1990 Fagala and Wigg 1992 Karpathios et al. 1991). 

Organic Mercury. No studies were located regarding dermal effects in humans or animals after inhalation exposure to organic mercury. 

Organic Mercury. Only a few studies were identified regarding dermal effects of organic mercury, however, the case history concerning dimethylmercury exposure is a very important alert to the hazards of this organomercurial. 

Blayney et al. (1997) originally reported the fatal case of a dimethylmercury exposure after a dermal exposure to an extremely small amount of material. The case history was subsequently detailed by Nierenberg et al. (1998). The exposure occurred to a 48-year-old female chemistry professor who was admitted to the hospital 5 months (154 days) after, as best as can be determined, she inadvertently spilled several drops (estimated at 0.4-0.5 mL about 1,500 mg) of dimethylmercury from the tip of her pipette onto the back of her disposable latex gloves. The spill was cleaned and the gloves disposed of. Hair analysis on a long strand of hair revealed that after a brief lag time, mercury content rose rapidly to... 

The only information located regarding dermal effects in animals after oral exposure to organic mercury comes from a study in which rats were exposed to methylmercuric chloride in the diet for 2 years (Verschuuren et al. 1976). No treatment-related lesions were observed upon histopathological examination of the skin of rats exposed to 0.1 mg Hg/kg/day. 

Occupational exposure to both inorganic and organic mercury compounds may result in dermal as well as inhalation exposure to these chemicals. The results reported in Section 2.2.1 regarding the effects associated with occupational exposure to mercury-containing chemicals will not be repeated here. The studies discussed below concern reports in which dermal exposure was expected to be the primary route of exposure. 

No studies were located regarding cardiovascular effects in animals after dermal exposure to inorganic mercury. 

Organic Mercury. Case report studies suggest that dermal exposure to methylmercury or phenylmercury in humans can cause rashes and blisters on the skin (Hunter et al. 1940 Morris 1960). A 33-year-old male worker exposed to methylmercury nitrate dust for 2 years developed bums and blisters on his forearm (Hunter et al. 1940). These effects healed within 9 days. Sensitivity to phenylmercuric salts is shown by individuals who developed itchy, pruritic, papular eruptions or rashes on their skin following acute dermal exposure (Morris 1960). A 54-year-old woman with a family history of atopy was found to display erythema (at 30 minutes postexposure) and urticaria (at 60 minutes) when treated topically with a 0.01% solution of phenylmercuric acetate (Torresani et al. 1993). This positive reaction was associated with aggravation of facial edema and an attack of bronchospasm. The woman, who was a farmer, was believed to have been previously exposed to phenylmercuric acetate during contact with pesticides and herbicides used on farm crops. 

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