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common_sensei t1_irx027x wrote

The biochemical explanation is that mercury messes with the 3D shape of your proteins (section 4.1.1). It does this mostly by disrupting the disulfide bridges, which are very important to the final shape of many proteins.

Proteins are involved in pretty much every process in your body, and their 3D shape is very important to their mode of action. The brain is particularly vulnerable because it uses a lot of energy (i.e. lots of reactions going on) and has a limited capacity for repair.

Edit for a bit more detail: One set of proteins that are particularly badly affected are the selenoproteins that help fight oxidative damage. The brain is prone to oxidative damage because of its high energy needs. Mercury binds to the selenocysteine in the selenoenzyme, basically deactivating it.

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[deleted] t1_irx9ihx wrote

Specifically the sulfhydryl bonds of delta and notch proteins which are used to differentiate stem cells in the nervous system.

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BluetoothXIII t1_iry2ygc wrote

I didn't know the mechanism only that organic Mercury molecules could pass the blood brain barrier easier.

Metallic Mercury is the least dangerous one Mercury salts are deadly Organic Mercury is the worst of them As a generalisation for oral consumption mechanism

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[deleted] t1_is06q1h wrote

Monomethylmercury is pretty bad, but dimethylmercury or diethylmercury, or anything in between will destroy a nervous system in 6 months with as little as 1mg coming into contact with the skin. I believe EDTA if used as a chelating agent for 2 weeks post exposure is known to decrease the trauma by a large amount.

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ImAScientistToo t1_irvjc7x wrote

Mercury toxicity usually comes from inhalation of the vapors but in some cases can be absorbed in the skin or ingested. One of the properties of mercy is that it interacts with other many elements many of which are needed for normal body functions and many of these functions are in the brain. When mercury binds with these elements they it changes the way they function so our body no longer functions like it should. Symptoms include vision changes, pins and needles feelings, decreased coordination, and sometimes death. The symptoms can range in severity from very mild to death depending on the amount and length of exposure.

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[deleted] t1_is08dvu wrote

Um, no it doesn't come from inhaling the vapors, it comes from exposure to mercury ions or mercury organic complexes such as methylmercury dimethyl mercury or any other monovalent or divalent form of mercury. It bioaccumulates via being exposed to large amounts of heat in coal fired plants, floating through the air and depositing in lakes and streams in its ionic or organo-equivalent form, where it is processed into methylmercury, which makes it lipophilic/hydrophobic, then up the food chain it goes. I live in Ne England and we get a shit ton of mercury in our lakes due to Ohio and Indiana coal fired power plants that send it via airmail.

Mercury is rather hard to ionize vs most solid metals as being liquid allows any oxidized atoms electron deficit to be spread out amongst the other atoms in the drop.

This is what my PhD I worked with told me. He had a PhD in Biochem, not inorgo chem, so he might have been wrong.

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AnXioneth t1_irvj3jc wrote

What does mercury do in the blood?

Inorganic mercury can damage kidneys and cause blood loss. Organic mercury can damage your central nervous system (brain and spinal cord). Large amounts of mercury or long-term exposure can lead to death if not treated.

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BluetoothXIII t1_irvku9k wrote

the term "mad as a hatter" comes to mind, hat makers used mercury salts in their work.

metallic mercury isn´t that toxic in the sense of poison or venom it is mostly harmfull because it is in the way. you could drink mercury without adverse effects if you don´t inhale. it was used against constipation.

if you inhale Mercury it stays in the lung and blocks area that normally used for gas exchange.

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Professional_Try_384 OP t1_irwaxvj wrote

So does that mean that it’s fine if it’s in like a tube with a cork?

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BluetoothXIII t1_irwgxj7 wrote

If it is air tight it shouldn't be a problem, the high vapor pressure makes that difficult if the temperature changes. You should look up proper storage procedure. I was told dangerous substances are only dangerous if they are where the shouldn't be. Poison that looks like candy is totally save if placed in a locked poison shelf. Dangerous if left in the candy shelf.

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[deleted] t1_irx9mfz wrote

The mercury reduced the sulfhydryl bonds in the sheep's wool, making felt.

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Professional_Try_384 OP t1_ism6boy wrote

So does that mean it can be in that with no effect on people around it?

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[deleted] t1_isolo2u wrote

The mercury acts as a catalyst, so it isn't consumed per se, so that afterwards, all of it can be removed from the felt. I am sure if you were to take a victorian era piece of felt you would find some mercury in it. But in terms of the victorians, their wallpaper was much more dangerous. It was a bright green color loved by the middle class. The problem was it was made with Chromium VI, which when exposed to moisture, would end up in the victorians.

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Zavaldski t1_ity5piz wrote

The green color was from arsenic, not hexavalent chromium.

Even more toxic.

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