Uptake and distribution of mercury in rats after repeated administration of mercuric chloride

This investigation was under taken to evaluate the effect of repeated exposure of mercuric chloride (MC) on food consumption, body weight gain and tissue distribution of mercury in rats. After two weeks of acclimation, male and female rats (45-50 days old) were orally gavaged with 0.00, 2.0, 4.0 6.0, 8.0 or 10.0 mg/kg/day of MC for 14 consecutive days. The mortality and food consumption were recorded daily. The body weight gains were recorded on day 0, 4, 7, 10, and at day of termination. At the end of the experiment, all surviving rats were euthanized and tissue samples from their brains, gonads, hearts, kidneys, livers, lungs, pancreases and spleens were collected and analyzed for mercury content. Exposure of male and female rats to 4.0 mg/kg/day of MC showed a significant reduction in body weight gain and food consumption when compared to their controls. However, at 2.0 mg/kg/day dose group showed no change of body gain and food consumption. The mercury contents in brains, gonads, hearts, and spleens of male and female rats at 0.0 and 2.0 mg/kg/day were undetectable. Both male and female rats accumulated significantly more mercury in the kidneys than the other organs. Mercury content in the kidneys of females was 39.9 and 40.9 microg/g at 2.0 and 4.0 mg/kg/day, respectively and of males was 34.9 and 41.0 microg/g at 2.0 and 4.0 mg/kg/day, respectively. However, mercury content in the kidneys and livers of males and females did not show any significant difference. Mercury content in the kidneys of both of sexes was significantly higher than the other organs.