3 ms·
Methyl Mercury is one of the most dangerous forms, because it is volatile and easily absorbed (while liquid metallic mercury is relatively benign). One possibil
by kurthr 4y ago
Methyl Mercury is one of the most dangerous forms, because it is volatile and easily absorbed (while liquid metallic mercury is relatively benign). One possibility for the fungus is phenol compounds. They are commonly used by plants to inhibit fungus so the ability to excrete/them would be generically useful to a fungus. Also, mercury phenols are notably quite stable.
- pfdietz 4y agoAnd dimethyl mercury is even worse. There's a famous case of a chemist at Dartmouth who died horribly from a single droplet that permeated through a nitrile glove.
- pfdietz 4y agoLink: https://www.science.org/content/article/mercury-poisoning-kills-lab-chemist https://www.science.org/content/article/mercury-poisoning-ki...