Perinatal multiple exposure to neurotoxic (lead, methylmercury,
ethylmercury, and aluminum) substances and neurodevelopment at six and 24 months of age.
[30] noted that toxicity profiles from
ethylmercury (etHg) and methylmercury (meHg) are different with different exposure and toxicity but exposure to both may enhance neurotoxic effects.
Rocha, "Toxicity of
ethylmercury (and Thimerosal): a comparison with methylmercury," Journal of Applied Toxicology, vol.
Mercury exists in various forms: inorganic (ionic and metallic), to which humans are exposed to as an occupational hazard, and organic (
ethylmercury, methylmercury, and phenylmercury, mainly).
Elemental and organic methyl/
ethylmercury can pass undisturbed through the blood-brain barrier and the placenta while inorganic mercury can cause kidney toxicity.
Exposure to organic forms of mercury, such as
ethylmercury or methylmercury, can cause neurotoxic effects in developing mammals.
I particularly took interest in his remarks about thimerosal (
ethylmercury) in vaccines as a preservative.
The vaccines contained 25 mcg of thimerosal, which is 50 percent
ethylmercury, per dose.
Isejima, "Neurodevelopment of Amazonian infants: antenatal and postnatal exposure to methyl- and
ethylmercury," Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, vol.
"It is 49.6 mercury by weight and is metabolized into
ethylmercury and thiosalicylate" (Price et al., 2010, p.