methylmercury

American  

[meth-uhl-mur-kyuh-ree] / ˌmɛθ əlˈmɜr kjə ri /

noun

Chemistry.

1. any of several extremely toxic organometallic compounds, Hg(CH3 ) 2 , formed from metallic mercury by the action of microorganisms and capable of entering the food chain: used as seed disinfectants.

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Etymology

Origin of methylmercury

First recorded in 1915–20; methyl + mercury

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

methylmercury

In 1971, he moved to Minamata, Japan, a coastal city where methylmercury discharged by a chemical company was polluting the water and causing horrendous genetic damage.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026

Exposure studies usually test for methylmercury, a powerful neurotoxin formed when bacteria, in this case in rivers, metabolize inorganic mercury.

From Seattle Times ● Apr. 4, 2024

Mercury entering marine ecosystems is converted into methylmercury, the most dangerous form of the chemical.

From BBC ● Feb. 21, 2024

The first widescale assessment of methylmercury in adult amphibians in the U.S. to date shows that, in amphibians, this toxic compound is common, widespread and, at least for some, can reach very high levels.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 30, 2023

Of the 13 metals and two classes of chemicals tested, three contaminants surpassed federal and local standards at varying levels of fish consumption: mercury, or methylmercury; polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs; and dioxins/furans.

From Salon ● Nov. 23, 2022

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