Mercury’s Mysterious Journey: Unveiling Its Secret Hideout in Mammalian Brains

Scientists uncovered mercury in mongoose brains, indicating a broader environmental threat and raising concerns about human exposure to mercury.

Exposure to mercury (Hg) is extremely neurotoxic in most chemical forms. Even scientists who study mercury compounds are at risk due to potential exposure to Hg. Renowned physicist Michael Faraday suffered from Hg poisoning due to prolonged exposure to Hg vapors, leading him to halt his research at the age of 49 due to deteriorating health. Another example is lab chemist Karen Wetterhahn who was killed by dimethylmercury poisoning after a few drops escaped from a pipette and landed on one of her latex-gloved hands.

Mercury in Marine and Terrestrial Life
Numerous studies have focused on the exposure and effects of Hg, particularly in marine and sea creatures. It is well-known that people should limit the consumption of certain fish, like tuna, due to mercury presence. However, the question arises: can mercury ions reach the brains of terrestrial animals? Dr. Yulia Pushkar, a professor of Physics and Astronomy at Purdue University’s College of Science was initially skeptical. She has maintained a brain imaging program since 2008 at Purdue University. Her group, with expertise in sample preparation, measurements, and data analysis, is sought after by researchers in the US and worldwide, including these from Japan and more recently Australia.