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Selenium-Mercury Interaction during Intestinal Absorption of ⁷⁵Se Compounds in Chicks^1,2,

Department of Nutrition, University of Helsinki, 00710 Helsinki, Finland

The effects of inorganic (HgCl₂) and organic (CH₃HgCl) mercury on the intestinal absorption of Se compounds [Na₂⁷⁵SeO₃, Na₂⁷⁵SeO₄, L-[⁷⁵Se]methionine ([⁷⁵Se]Met)] were determined in 3-wk-old White Leghorn cockerels by the in vivo ligated duodenal loop procedure. The intraduodenal dose contained 0.05 µCi ⁷⁵Se, 0.01 mM Se, 150 mM NaCl and 0–1.0 mM Hg. In the presence of 1 mM inorganic Hg in the intraduodenal dose, the absorption of the inorganic ⁷⁵Se compounds was only about 65% of that in the control group, whereas only a slight inhibitory effect on [⁷⁵Se]Met absorption was observed. Methylmercury had no effect on [⁷⁵Se]selenite absorption. Precipitation of the ⁷⁵Se-selenite in the intestinal lumen partly explained the direct interaction between inorganic Hg and Se compounds. Absorption of [⁷⁵Se]Met and [⁷⁵Se]selenite was also determined in chicks fed after hatching a purified diet supplemented with varying amounts of Hg (0–500 mg/kg) and Se (0–4 mg/kg). Dietary Hg significantly reduced the transfer of [⁷⁵Se]selenite to body by enhancing the accumulation of the isotope in the intestinal tissue. Dietary Hg did not affect the absorption of [⁷⁵Se]Met, but altered the whole-body distribution of this Se compound. Because interaction between Se and Hg was observed mainly between the inorganic compounds and with use of a manyfold excess of Hg over Se, the data suggest that intestinal interaction between these metals is not of great nutritional importance.

KEY WORDS: • selenium • mercury • intestinal absorption • interaction • chicks

¹ This study was supported by a grant from the National Research Council for Agriculture and Forestry, Finland.

² Presented in part at the Thirteenth International Congress of Nutrition, Brighton, United Kingdom, 18–23 August 1985.

³ Present address: Suomen Sokeri Oy, Espoo, Finland.

Manuscript received 3 September 1986. Revision accepted 10 April 1987.