Abstract
Male mice (4 months old) were fed a 5% lard or fish oil diet supplemented with 0, 1, or 2 ppm methylmercury (MeHg) chloride for 4 months to investigate the interactive influence of dietary fat and low level MeHg exposure on antioxidative factors and mercury accumulation in the tissues of mice. Exposure to low levels of MeHg significantly decreased plasma ascorbic acid concentration, but not the influence of brain potential antioxidant (PAO) activity, regardless of dietary fat. Total mercury concentrations were significantly lower in the muscle and higher in the plasma of the fish oil diet group compared with those of the lard diet group. Brain mercury content was hardly influenced by dietary fat. These results indicate that dietary fat may influence the accumulation of mercury in muscle but it scarcely influences oxidative factors induced by low level MeHg exposure.
