Problems of Forensic Sciences 2007 Vol. 70 (LXX) 236-244
A CHEMICO-TOXICOLOGICAL EXPERT REPORT CONCERNING METALLIC MERCURY
Józefa Krystyna SADLIK
Institute of Forensic Research, Krakow, Poland
Streszczenie
Mercury, acknowledged as one of the most toxic heavy metals, occurs in the form of inorganic and organic compounds and also in metallic form, and can be absorbed into the organism via all routes accessible to poisons. The toxicity of mercury, symptoms and effects of its action, depend above all on its form, routes of introduction into the organism, dose and duration of exposure. In spite of its high toxicity, acute (especially fatal) cases of poisonings by mercury are rare. In the last ten years over 70 cases with requests to test for mercury have been submitted to the Institute of Forensic Research. The greatest number of cases were connected with suspicion of exposure to mercury vapours at work or at home, intravenous injection or oral consumption of metallic mercury. Several cases each were linked to deliberate addition of metallic mercury to food, contamination of the environment and also straightforward identification of a substance. Cases of intravenous injection of metallic mercury are especially noteworthy. Injected metallic mercury penetrates into internal organs, most frequently into the lungs and heart, where it stays for many years and gradually becomes oxidised, mainly to highly toxic ionic mercury (Hg2+), constituting constant source of exposure. 10–40 mg ionic mercury per kg body mass can be taken as the fatal dose. Concentrations of mercury in blood and urine revealed after injection can be high – sometimes close to concentrations ascertained in acute cases and even fatal poisonings by mercury compounds. In the literature, several dozen cases of intravenous or subcutaneous injection of metallic mercury have been described. In cases of intentional addition of metallic mercury to food (soups, margarine, beer), its transformation into ionic form has also been observed.
Słowa kluczowe
Metallic mercury; Vapours; Injection; Food; Concentrations.