Uptake of mercury was severely inhibited by sodium chloride, sodium sulfate, and mono- and dibasic potassium phosphate. Hg in the environment is deposited and revolatilized many times, with a residence time in the atmosphere of at least a few days. In the volatile phase it can be transported hundreds of kilometers. As the tissue concentration approaches steady-state, net accumulation rate is slowed either by a reduction in uptake rate, possibly due to inhibition of membrane transport, or by an increase in depuration rate, possibly because of a saturation of storage sites, or both. Acidification of a body of water might also increase mercury residues in fish even if no new input of mercury occurs, possibly because lower pH increases ventilation rate and membrane permeability, accelerates the rates of methylation and uptake, affects partitioning between sediment and water, or reduces growth or reproduction of fish.
Solid mercury is tin-white.
Bioconcentration factors of 63,000 for freshwater and 10,000 for salt water fishes. BCFs of 100,000 for invertebrates. Important commercial ore is cinnabar, but also found in limestone, calcareous shales, sandstone, serpentine, chert andesite and others.