Methoxyethylmercury chloride poisoning: clinical findings and in vitro experiments

A patient attempting suicide ingested 5682 mg methoxyethylmercury chloride, which corresponds to 4375 mg mercury. The bulk of the dose was eliminated by vomiting and gastric rinsing. About 706 to 977 mg mercury were absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract. Only 11.2 mg mercury could be removed by two activated charcoal hemoperfusions. Chelating agents were given for 12 weeks. The terminal elimination half-life calculated from blood and urine mercury levels was 23 and 25 d, respectively. No toxic effects on the kidneys and central nervous system were seen. The identification of methoxyethylmercury chloride in the gastric rinsing fluid was done by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The protein binding of methoxyethylmercury chloride was determined by ultrafiltration (93%). In the presence of dimercaprol sulfonate and penicillamine, protein binding was 83 and 88%, respectively. Activated charcoal and amberlite hemoperfusion revealed equal in vitro clearances for methoxyethylmercury chloride (62 mL/min at a flow rate of 80 mL/min).