• Question: Why is mercury poisonous?

    Asked by pleng2000 to Gopal, Hannah, Becky on 27 Jun 2013.
    • Photo: Rebecca Cook

      Rebecca Cook answered on 27 Jun 2013:


      Mercury and most of its compoundsa are toxic, it is nasty stuff.

      Mercury reacts with selenium in the body, and selenium is needs for a class enzymes to carry out their functions. One of their important functions is to prevent and reverse damage caused by molecules called reactive oxygen species (ROS). These ROS accumulate in tissues, especially the brain, when exposed to mercury and lead to tissue damage and brain dysfunction.

Comments