Methylmercury

MeHg
MM
Monomethyl mercury
MM -Cl ( chloride)
MM -OH ( hydroxide)

22967-92-6
1184-57-2 ( hydroxide)
115-09-3 (chloride )

215.62 g · mol -1
232.6 g · mol -1 ( hydroxide)
251.09 g · mol -1 ( chloride)

Fixed

Risk

No MAK, since carcinogenic

29.915 mg · kg -1 ( LD50, Rat, oral, methyl mercury chloride)
57.6 mg · kg -1 ( LD50, Mouse, oral, methyl mercury chloride)
80 mg · m -3/ 4 h ( LCt50, mouse, inh. )

Template: Infobox chemical / molecular formula search available

Methylmercury (abbr. MM from engl. Methyl Mercury ) is an organometallic compound of mercury and a methyl group. It is as simple positively charged ion before ( CH3Hg ) and can connect with negatively charged ions such as hydroxide or chloride ion received. It is formed in nature by biomethylation, is toxic and accumulates in the food chain. Poisoning by methyl mercury manifests itself for example in the Minamata disease.

Methylmercury is characterized by a high affinity for sulfur, especially sulfhydryl groups from as they occur, for example, cysteine at amino acid. With these it is able to establish covalent bonds.

Methylmercury chloride is soluble in fat and skin so smooth and can enter the body. In fish is methylmercury - the high affinity to sulfur - as Cysteinkomplex ago.

Safety

Organic mercury compounds are highly toxic and classified as dangerous for the environment. You have the water hazard class 3 and are therefore considered extremely hazardous for water. You have a toxic effect on the central and peripheral nervous system and in higher doses also damage the liver and kidneys, and heart muscles. They continue to interfere with the immune response of the body. When working absolutely special coated protective gloves should be worn, as eg nitrile gloves are not sufficient protection.

Proof

So far Methylmercury is very expensive to prove, however, is among other things a new (2005) methods of Professor Heumann of the University of Mainz, the content in meat and fish quickly, reasonably priced and also very safe to be determined. The suspected shark meat ( dogfish ) contains a great deal of this poison, could be confirmed in some cases: where so high methyl mercury levels were found in extremely loaded sharks that by eating only five grams of these fish already the maximum tolerable / maximum recommended daily dose for the would reach people.

Global Programme of the United Nations

The United Nations in its United Nations Environmental Program Governing Council of mercury since 2001 on the list of regulated substances in the global environment pollution. 2013, the Minamata Convention to curb mercury emissions was signed.

Methylmercury

Safety

Proof

Global Programme of the United Nations

Further Reading