Mercuric chloride (CED0002881)

Mercuric chloride (Cl2Hg) is a solid at room temperature with an average molecular weight of 271.50 g/mol. Mercuric chloride belongs to the transition metal chlorides, a subclass of transition metal salts within the inorganic compounds. This exogenous compound is used as an industrial catalyst (PMC9072647). It is used in plastics such as High-Density Polyethylene, Low-Density Polyethylene, Polypropylene, Polystyrene, Expanded polystyrene, Polyvinyl Chloride, Polyethylene Terephthalate, Polyamide, Polyurethane, Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, and Polycarbonate, and it is present in High impact polystyrene. Recorded sources include electrical and electronic equipment (such as amplifiers, antennas, auxiliary devices, coils, and communication cables or conductors), household cleaning and consumer products (including ash trays, bleaching agents, cigar cigarettes, non electric simulated smoking devices, and other smoking requisites), food, food processing and cookware (including fermentation processes for beer and the preparation of malt, vinegar, wine or sparkling wine, and wort), building and construction (floors, roofs, tents or canopies), and household items such as coins. Regarding health effects, mercuric chloride is associated with cancer (PMC8838446) and is a treatment for malaria (PMC3475227). It interacts with 62 recorded protein targets. Mercury inhibits the protein tyrosine-protein kinase Lck (LCK), causing immune system depression and decreased T-cell signalling. It inhibits alkaline phosphatase, tissue-nonspecific isozyme (ALPL) and protein kinase C (including alpha, beta, delta, and epsilon types), which alters the blood-brain barrier and impairs brain microvascular function and formation. Mercury inhibits aquaporins, such as Aquaporin-1 (AQP1) and Lens fiber major intrinsic protein (MIP), resulting in cell death and injury by halting water flow across the cell membrane. Additionally, it binds to tubulin (including TUBA1B, TUBA4A, TUBB, and TUBB2A), causing mitotic inhibition and preventing microtubule assembly. Other targets include Cytochrome P450 1A2, 2B6, 2C19, and 2C9.