Mercury Exposure and Heart Diseases

Abstract

Environmental contamination has exposed humans to various metal agents, including mercury. It has been determined that mercury is not only harmful to the health of vulnerable populations such as pregnant women and children, but is also toxic to ordinary adults in various ways. For many years, mercury was used in a wide variety of human activities. Nowadays, the exposure to this metal from both natural and artificial sources is significantly increasing. Recent studies suggest that chronic exposure, even to low concentration levels of mercury, can cause cardiovascular, reproductive, and developmental toxicity, neurotoxicity, nephrotoxicity, immunotoxicity, and carcinogenicity. Possible biological effects of mercury, including the relationship between mercury toxicity and diseases of the cardiovascular system, such as hypertension, coronary heart disease, and myocardial infarction, are being studied. As heart rhythm and function are under autonomic nervous system control, it has been hypothesized that the neurotoxic effects of mercury might also impact cardiac autonomic function. Mercury exposure could have a long-lasting effect on cardiac parasympathetic activity and some evidence has shown that mercury exposure might affect heart rate variability, particularly early exposures in children. The mechanism by which mercury produces toxic effects on the cardiovascular system is not fully elucidated, but this mechanism is believed to involve an increase in oxidative stress. The exposure to mercury increases the production of free radicals, potentially because of the role of mercury in the Fenton reaction and a reduction in the activity of antioxidant enzymes, such as glutathione peroxidase. In this review we report an overview on the toxicity of mercury and focus our attention on the toxic effects on the cardiovascular system.

Blood mercury concentrations are associated with decline in liver function in an elderly population: a panel study

“…A recent review suggested that mercury cause neurologic disorders [9], cardiovascular disease [10], and asthma in children [11]. In addition to evidence of mercury effects on various organs, some animal studies have suggested that acute mercury exposure can damage the liver [12, 13].…”

Soil Chemical Pollution and Aggressive Pathologies

“…-An epidemic of neurological disorders (uncontrollable tremor, difficulties in verbal discourse, loss of motor control, sensory disturbances, blindness, mental retardation, coma and even death) -An entire generation of newborns with different pathologies (Hg is teratogenic) and a low IQ Other effects include: gastric, liver, kidney and heart diseases in adults and children [10][11][12][13][14].…”

Distribution of Mercury in Flint Creek Watershed: Implications for Mercury Bioaccumulation

“…According to Giuseppe et. al., 2017 [7], the bioavailability and toxic effects of mercury and its compounds in both fish and human is shown below: Fig. 1.…”

“…A: Oxidation in air and enzymatically in red blood cells and tissues; B: Biomethylation by sulfate-reducing bacteria. (Giuseppe, et. al., 2017) MeHg is a potent neurotoxin that affects the central nervous system causing neurological damage, mental retardation, blindness, deafness, kidney malfunction, and in some cases, death [10].…”

“…A study by U.S. researcher Peter Frederick suggests methylmercury may increase male homosexuality or non-sexual psychological disorder in birds. Methylation of Hg is of concern because MeHg is absorbed easily into the food chain [7]. MeHg readily crosses biological membranes and can accumulate to harmful concentrations in the exposed organism and biomagnify up the food chain [10].…”