Registration Dossier
Registration Dossier
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EC number: 231-106-7 | CAS number: 7439-97-6
Endpoint summary
Administrative data
Link to relevant study record(s)
Description of key information
Key value for chemical safety assessment
Additional information
Inhalation is the primary route of entry into the body for elemental mercury (approx . 80%), while oral exposure is the primary route for inorganic mercury salts (in the range 10–30%). Dermal penetration is usually not a significant route of exposure to metallic or inorganic mercury.
Metallic mercury is distributed throughout the body following inhalation exposure. It can readily cross the blood-brain and placental barriers because of its high lipophilicity. After oxidation to mercuric mercury, it accumulates primarily in the kidneys. Inorganic divalent mercury compounds similarly reach all organs; however, the extent of accumulation in the brain and fetus is lower than for metallic mercury because of the lower lipophilicity.
Within the body, mercury is transformed/oxidised by first order kinetics to the mercuric ion in red blood cells, lungs and possibly also in the liver. This passes the blood-brain barrier, the placenta and lipid cell membranes only very slowly. Within the tissues, ionic mercury may become trapped thus increasing the half-life in different organs. The kidneys are the organs storing most of the body burden (around 50 - 90 days) with a half-life of approximately 60 days. Absorbed divalent cation from exposure to mercuric mercury compounds can, in turn, be reduced to the metallic or monovalent form and released as exhaled elemental mercury vapour. Elimination of metallic mercury occurs through urine, feces, and expired air, while inorganic mercury is excreted in urine and feces. Feces are a major elimination route for inorganic mercury compounds, but high acute doses increase the percentage of excretion via urine. Inorganic mercury compounds can be excreted in breast milk.
In consideration of this extensive database and knowledge about oral and inhalation absorption, it appears unlikely that any new experimental data related to toxicokinetics need to be generated.
Information on Registered Substances comes from registration dossiers which have been assigned a registration number. The assignment of a registration number does however not guarantee that the information in the dossier is correct or that the dossier is compliant with Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 (the REACH Regulation). This information has not been reviewed or verified by the Agency or any other authority. The content is subject to change without prior notice.
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