Molecular toxicological mechanisms and Health Risks of Mercury: Environmental Exposure, Biological Effects and Control Strategies

Abstract

Mercury (Hg), a global heavy metal pollutant, poses a serious threat to ecosystems and human health due to its persistence, bioaccumulation and high toxicity. This paper systematically reviews the environmental distribution, exposure routes, molecular toxicological mechanisms and health risks of mercury. Mercury forms a complex network of pollution through atmospheric transport, water circulation and soil accumulation, with the food chain being the main route of human exposure. Molecular mechanism studies have shown that mercury binds to selenocysteine residues in the thioredoxin system (Trx/TrxR) and disrupts the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP), resulting in insufficient NADPH production, reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and mitochondrial damage. At the same time, mercury interferes with glutamate homeostasis, triggering neuronal excitotoxicity and exacerbating neurodegenerative disorders. Epidemiological evidence shows that mercury exposure is closely associated with elevated levels of autoantibodies in the brain of autistic individuals, abnormal social behavior in offspring, and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, and the resulting mutations can persist across generations. Current mercury pollution control technologies can effectively reduce pollution, but they have limitations such as secondary pollution and long cycles. In the future, the focus should be on developing efficient and environmentally friendly control strategies and strictly implementing the Minamata Convention to control emissions from the source. This paper provides a scientific basis and theoretical support for the global governance of mercury pollution and the protection of human health.