Toxicological Effects of Methylmercury -- Copyright -- PREFACE -- Contents -- EXECUTIVE SUMMARY -- THE CHARGE TO THE COMMITTEE -- THE COMMITTEE'S APPROACH TO ITS CHARGE -- THE COMMITTEE'S EVALUATION -- Health Effects of Methylmercury -- Determination of the Critical Study for the RfD -- Estimation of Dose and Biological Variability -- Modeling the Dose-Response Relationships -- Public-Health Implications -- RESEARCH NEEDS -- RECOMMENDATIONS -- 1 INTRODUCTION -- SOURCES OF HG -- FATE AND TRANSPORT -- HEALTH EFFECTS -- EXPOSURE EVENTS AND STUDIES -- SUMMARY OF RISK ASSESSMENTS FOR MEHG -- SCIENTIFIC CONTROVERSIES AND SOURCES OF UNCERTAINTY -- ORGANIZATION OF THE REPORT -- REFERENCES -- 2 CHEMISTRY, EXPOSURE, TOXICOKINETICS, AND TOXICODYNAMICS -- PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES -- METHODS OF CHEMICAL ANALYSIS -- EXPOSURES TO MEHG IN THE U.S. POPULATION -- TOXICOKINETICS -- Absorption and Distribution -- Methylmercury -- Dimethylmercury -- Elemental Mercury -- Inorganic Mercury -- Biotransformation -- Excretion -- MOBILIZATION OF BODY HG -- CHEMICAL FORMS OF HG IN TOXICITY -- TOXIC EFFECTS AND TARGET ORGANS -- BIOCHEMICAL MECHANISMS OF TOXICITY -- SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS -- RECOMMENDATIONS -- REFERENCES -- 3 BIOLOGICAL VARIABILITY -- AGE-RELATED SUSCEPTIBILITY -- GENDER DIFFERENCES -- GENETICS -- MECHANISMS OF NUTRITIONAL INFLUENCE ON MEHG HEALTH EFFECTS -- Dietary Interactions and Confounding -- Selenium -- Garlic -- Omega-3 Fatty Acids -- Protein -- Alcohol -- Other Foods That Might Influence Hg Uptake -- Vitamin E -- Nutrient Enhancement of Toxicity -- Beneficial Effects of Fish Consumption -- TOXICOKINETIC VARIABILITY -- CONCLUSIONS -- RECOMMENDATIONS -- REFERENCES -- 4 DOSE ESTIMATION -- DIETARY ASSESSMENT -- BIOMARKERS OF EXPOSURE -- Methylmercury in Blood -- Methylmercury in Hair -- Comparison of Biomarkers of Exposure.

ANALYTICAL ERROR IN BIOMARKER MEASUREMENTS -- EXPOSURE AND DOSE ASSESSMENT IN THE SEYCHELLES, FAROE ISLANDS, AND NEW ZEALAND STUDIES -- SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS -- RECOMMENDATIONS -- REFERENCES -- 5 HEALTH EFFECTS OF METHYLMERCURY -- CARCINOGENICITY -- Human Studies -- Animal Studies -- GENOTOXICITY -- Human Studies -- Animal Studies -- In Vitro Studies -- IMMUNOTOXICITY -- Human Studies -- Animal Studies -- Effects on the Adult Immune System -- Effects on the Developing Immune System -- In Vitro Studies -- Autoimmune Response -- Human Studies -- Animal Studies -- REPRODUCTIVE EFFECTS -- Human Studies -- Animal Studies -- RENAL TOXICITY -- Human Studies -- Animal Studies -- CARDIOVASCULAR EFFECTS -- Human Studies -- Animal Studies -- HEMATOLOGICAL EFFECTS -- DEVELOPING CENTRAL-NERVOUS-SYSTEM TOXICITY -- Human Studies -- High-Dose Poisonings -- Poisoning Episode in Japan -- Poisoning Episode in Iraq -- Chronic Low-Dose-Exposure Epidemiological Studies -- Status on Neurological Examination -- Age at Achievement of Developmental Milestones -- Infant and Preschool Development -- Childhood Development -- Sensory, Neurophysiological, and Other End Points in Children -- Animal Studies -- Developmental Effects in Animals -- Fetal Minamata Disease -- Neurobehavioral Effects -- ADULT CENTRAL-NERVOUS-SYSTEM TOXICITY -- Adult Human Neurological, Neurophysiological, and Sensory Function -- Neurotoxic Effects in Adult Animals -- CONCLUSIONS -- RECOMMENDATIONS -- REFERENCES -- 6 COMPARISON OF STUDIES FOR USE IN RISK ASSESSMENT -- ASSESSMENT OF PRENATAL HG EXPOSURE: CORD BLOOD VERSUS MATERNAL HAIR AND TIMING OF EXPOSURE -- DIFFERENCES IN THE NEUROBEHAVIORAL END POINTS ASSESSED AND THE CHILDREN'S AGES AT ASSESSMENT -- STABLE VERSUS EPISODIC PATTERN OF EXPOSURE -- STUDY DIFFERENCES IN CONTROL FOR CONFOUNDERS -- POPULATION DIFFERENCES IN VULNERABILITY.

RANDOM VARIATION IN THE DETECTABILITY OF EFFECTS AT LOW EXPOSURES -- CONCLUSIONS -- RECOMMENDATIONS -- REFERENCES -- 7 DOSE-RESPONSE ASSESSMENT -- RISK ASSESSMENT FOR NONCANCER END POINTS -- BENCHMARK-DOSE CALCULATIONS FOR CONTINUOUS OUTCOMES -- SOME SPECIFIC CONSIDERATIONS FOR MEHG -- COMPARING BENCHMARK DOSES -- CHOOSING A CRITICAL DOSE FOR A POINT OF DEPARTURE -- AN INTEGRATIVE ANALYSIS -- MODEL CHOICE ISSUES -- SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS -- RECOMMENDATIONS -- REFERENCES -- 8 RISK CHARACTERIZATION AND PUBLIC HEALTH IMPLICATIONS -- THE CURRENT EPA REFERENCE DOSE -- EVALUATING THE RFD-END POINTS OF MEHG TOXICITY -- Carcinogenicity -- Immunotoxicity -- Reproductive Effects -- Renal Toxicity -- Cardiovascular Effects -- Central-Nervous-System Toxicity -- SELECTION OF THE END POINT FOR THE RFD -- EXAMINATION OF THE CRITICAL STUDIES FOR THE RFD -- BMD CONSIDERATIONS: SELECTING A POINT OF DEPARTURE -- SELECTION OF THE CRITICAL STUDY AND POINT OF DEPARTURE FOR THE REVISED RFD -- SOURCES OF UNCERTAINTY: CONSIDERATION FOR UNCERTAINTY FACTORS -- IMPLICATIONS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH AND RISK MANAGEMENT -- COMMITTEE FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS -- REFERENCES -- APPENDIX TO CHAPTER 7 -- REFERENCES -- GLOSSARY.