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In the present study, we explored the transformation of MeHg to (MeHg)<jats:sub>2<\/jats:sub>S in the gut and the subsequent fate of (MeHg)<jats:sub>2<\/jats:sub>S <jats:italic>in vitro<\/jats:italic> and <jats:italic>in vivo<\/jats:italic>. An <jats:italic>ex vivo<\/jats:italic> experiment suggested the possibility of the extracellular transformation of MeHg to (MeHg)<jats:sub>2<\/jats:sub>S in the distal colon, and accordingly, the MeHg sulfur adduct was detected in the intestinal contents and feces of mice administered MeHg, suggesting that (MeHg)<jats:sub>2<\/jats:sub>S is formed through reactions between MeHg and RSS in the gut. In a cell-free system, we found that (MeHg)<jats:sub>2<\/jats:sub>S undergoes degradation in a time-dependent manner, resulting in the formation of mercury sulfide and dimethylmercury (DMeHg), as determined by X-ray diffraction and gas chromatography\/mass spectrometry, respectively. We also identified DMeHg in the expiration after the intraperitoneal administration of (MeHg)<jats:sub>2<\/jats:sub>S to mice. Thus, our present study identified a new fate of MeHg through (MeHg)<jats:sub>2<\/jats:sub>S as an intermediate, which leads to conversion of volatile DMeHg in the body.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-021-96579-y","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,9,23]],"date-time":"2021-09-23T14:32:14Z","timestamp":1632407534000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/springer_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":5,"title":["The fate of methylmercury through the formation of bismethylmercury sulfide as an intermediate in mice"],"prefix":"10.1038","volume":"11","author":[{"given":"Yumi","family":"Abiko","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yusuke","family":"Katayama","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Wenyang","family":"Zhao","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sawako","family":"Horai","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Kenji","family":"Sakurai","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yoshito","family":"Kumagai","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"297","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,9,2]]},"reference":[{"key":"96579_CR1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"365","DOI":"10.1039\/BK9781847551771-00365","volume":"7","author":"H Hintelmann","year":"2010","unstructured":"Hintelmann, H. 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