MERCURY AND SELENIUM DISTRIBUTION IN HUMAN KIDNEY CORTEX

Concentration of mercury and selenium were analyzed in tissue fraction s of human kidney cortex samples from seven autopsy cases. Total mercu ry content ranged between 0.3-9.0 nmol Hg/g wet wt. Between 27-61% of the total mercury was found in the 105,000g supernatant of the tissue homogenate from six cases. In kidney cortex from the seventh case, a d eceased dentist with the highest concentration of mercury, only 3% of the total mercury was found in the 105,000g supernatant and about 88% in a SDS-insoluble fraction. In this fraction the molar ratio between mercury and selenium was close to 1:1. This study supports results fro m previous animal studies and indicates that mercury in human kidney c ortex could be deposited in forms with different solubility. It could be of importance to speciate different forms of mercury in tissues acc ording to solubility and association to selenium when interpretations of mercury concentrations are made.