Hemoperfusion with chelating microspheres as a new treatment for severe mercury poisoning

Monodisperse beads of 1.0 mm diameter composed of polymercaptal microspheres of 0.8 micron average diameter encapsulated with agarose were prepared. The polymercaptal microspheres have high affinity for organic and inorganic mercury compounds and do not bind to alkali and alkaline earth metalic compounds. The agarose-polymercaptal microsphere beads (APMMB) are blood compatible with high porosity. In vitro experiments with a column containing these beads illustrated their efficiency for the removal of mercury from the blood by means of hemoperfusion.