Medicine mercury

Two radioactive isotopes of mercury are used in medicine mercury-197 and mercury-203. Both isotopes are used to study the brain and the kidneys. The isotopes are injected into the body where they travel to the brain and the kidneys. Inside these two organs, the isotopes give off radiation that is detected by instruments held above the body. The pattern of radiation provides information about how well the brain and kidneys are functioning. 

ATSDR. 1992. Case studies in environmental medicine -mercury toxicity. US Department of Health and Human Services Public Health Service. 

Mercury compounds (for example mercury(II) chloride) are used in medicine because of their antiseptic character. The artificial red mercury(Il) sulphide is the artist s vermilion . Mercury(II) sulphate is a catalyst in the manufacture of ethanal from ethyne ... 

Hydantoin itself can be detected ia small concentrations ia the presence of other NH-containing compounds by paper chromatography followed by detection with a mercury acetate—diphenylcarba2one spray reagent. A variety of analytical reactions has been developed for 5,5-disubstituted hydantoias, due to their medicinal iaterest. These reactions are best exemplified by reference to the assays used for 5,5-diphenylhydantoiQ (73—78), most of which are based on their cycHc ureide stmcture. Identity tests iaclude the foUowiag (/) the Zwikker reaction, consisting of the formation of a colored complex on treatment with cobalt(II) salts ia the presence of an amine (2) formation of colored copper complexes and (3) precipitation on addition of silver(I) species, due to formation of iasoluble salts at N. ... 

Mercuric chloride is widely used for the preparation of red and yellow mercuric oxide, ammoniated mercury/7(9/USP, mercuric iodide, and as an intermediate in organic synthesis. It has been used as a component of agricultural fungicides. It is used in conjunction with sodium chloride in photography (qv) and in batteries (qv), and has some medicinal uses as an antiseptic. 

Yellow mercuric oxide may be obtained by precipitation from solutions of practically any water-soluble mercuric salt through the addition of alkah. The most economical are mercuric chloride or nitrate. Although yellow HgO has some medicinal value in ointments and other such preparations, the primary use is as a raw material for other mercury compounds, eg, Millon s ha.se[12529-66-7], Hg2NOH, which is formed by the reaction of aqueous ammonia and yellow mercuric oxide. 

The toxic effects of mercury and mercury compounds as well as their medicinal properties have been known for many centuries. In the first century AD, Pliny indicated the use of mercuric sulfide (cinnabar or vermilion) in medicine and in cosmetics. This compound was probably known to the Greeks in the time of Aristotle (13). 

Some elements found in body tissues have no apparent physiological role, but have not been shown to be toxic. Examples are mbidium, strontium, titanium, niobium, germanium, and lanthanum. Other elements are toxic when found in greater than trace amounts, and sometimes in trace amounts. These latter elements include arsenic, mercury, lead, cadmium, silver, zirconium, beryUium, and thallium. Numerous other elements are used in medicine in nonnutrient roles. These include lithium, bismuth, antimony, bromine, platinum, and gold (Eig. 1). The interactions of mineral nutrients with... 

Wobeser, G., Nielsen, N.O., and Schliefer, B. (1976). Mercury and mink 1 Experimental meth-ylmercury intoxication. Canadian Journal of Comparative Medicine 40, 34 5. 

Mercury and silver have long been known to have antibacterial properties and preparations of these metals were among the earliest used antiseptics, but have been replaced by less toxic compounds. Other metals such as zinc, copper, aluminium and tin have weak antibacterial properties but are used in medicine for other functions, e.g. aluminium acetate and zinc sulphate are employed as astringents. 

The stable form of arsenic is the gray or metallic form, although other forms are known. Cooling the vapor rapidly produces yellow arsenic, and an orthorhombic form is obtained if the vapor is condensed in the presence of mercury. Arsenic compounds are used in insecticides, herbicides, medicines, and pigments, and arsenic is used in alloys with copper and lead. A small amount of arsenic increases the surface tension of lead, which allows droplets of molten lead to assume a spherical shape, and this fact is utilized in the production of lead shot. 

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