ORGAN DISTRIBUTION OF MERCURY VAPOR INHALED BY ACATALASEMIA AND HYPOCATALASEMIA MICE

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Acatalasemia and hypocatalasemia mice had decreased levels of mer-cury in the lung and blood and increased levels in the liver following exposure in vivo to metallic mercury vapor (1.4 mg/m3 for 2 hours). The decreased uptake of mercury was roughly proportional to the decrease in catalase activity in these organs. Acatalasemia mice injected with ethyl alcohol showed a decrease in the mercury content of the lung and blood and an increase in the liver content in com-parison with non-treated acatalasemia mice. The inhibitory effect of ethyl alcohol on the uptake of mercury was considered to derive from the peroxidase action of catalase with ethyl alcohol as substrate.