Topic summary
Methylmercury
3D model (JSmol)
PubChemCID
CompTox Dashboard(EPA)
- Key: MJOUBOKSWBMNGQ-UHFFFAOYSA-N
- C[Hg+]
Related compounds
Dimethylmercury
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
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Methylmercury is an organometalliccation with the formula [CH3Hg]. It is the simplest organomercury compound. Methylmercury is extremely toxic, and its derivatives are the major source of organic mercury for humans. It is a bioaccumulative environmental toxicant with a 50-day elimination half-life in human blood. Methylmercury salts along with dimethylmercury are the causative agents of the infamous Minamata disease.
Methylmercury is designated as a "priority hazardous substance" according to the Directive on Environmental Quality Standards (Directive 2013/39/EU).
The process which creates methylmercury is called mercury methylation.