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Xerox University Microfilms 300 North Zeeb Road Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106 I I 77-24,683 PARSONS, James Eugene, 1939- MERCURY TRANSLOCATION AS MEDIATED BY METABIOSIS. The Ohio State University, Ph.D., 1977 Microbiology Xerox University Microfilms, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106 © 1977 JAMES EUGENE PARSONS ALL RIGHTS RESERVED MERCURY TRANSLOCATION AS MEDIATED BY METABIOSIS DISSERTATION Presented in Partial Fulfillm ent of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By James Eugene Parsons, B.S., M.S. ***** The Ohio State University 1977 Reading Committee: Approved By J .I. Frea R.M. P fister M.S. Rheins Adviser Department of Microbiology 11 '"Twinkle, twinkle, little bat? How I wonder what you're at? Up above the world you f ly , Like a teatray in the sky. Twinkle, twinkle To the Mad Hatter (90), who through his quixotic actions and incoherent poetry (see above) gave us an accurate portrayal of mercury poisoning. Had he desired, no doubt, he could have conjured up via phyllomancy of his beloved tea ( Thea sinensis) an early glimpse of a sleeping giant, viz. : environmental mercury pollution. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS In the autumn of 1972 Dr. Robert M. P fister accepted a unique challenge when he agreed to take a "non-traditional" student em­ barking on the road to opsimathy. The transition and educational process necessary to convert an "old timer" into a neanthropic scien tist progressed quite s a tis fa c to rily , and the thought processes required to transform such an individual into a person who "thinks young" has occurred gradually and progressively. In addition to your faith and friendship, Dr. Pfister, I thank you for your guidance, encouragement, support, and most of a l l , for the oppor­ tunity to expand my experiences in understanding the relationships that exist between microbial structure and function. Realizing that I am but one of the multitude of graduate students ministered to by the Department of Microbiology's Graduate Committee, I wish to thank its members for allowing me to create and pursue an individualized, unique doctoral program, i.e . in my opinion the perfect amalgam of administration, teaching and research. In addition, I wish to express my deep gratitude to the State of Ohio, The United States Government and to each individual iv taxpayer of this great country for providing such an educational opportunity. To my fellow graduate students, this advice — a fonte puro pura defluit aqua — drink freely of it. For their individual encouragement and inspiration as out­ standing teachers, I thank three (3) high school teachers: Ms. Nora Keville, Ms. Mary Belle Linnell, Mr. George G. Maxfield; three (3) university professors: Dr. James I. Frea, Dr. Wolfram Kretschmar, Dr. Melvin S. Rheins, and one (1) university adminis­ tra to r: Dr. Arliss L. Roaden. The patience and interest my family has demonstrated is appreciated. For accepting my routine neglect as a necessary sacrifice from which I hope all will eventually benefit, I am also grateful. To that cadre of friends that has made l i f e in Columbus an experience in living and not merely existing, a special thanks goes. And last, but certainly not least, to Patricia S. Camana who through her rendering of the Mad Hatter has v iv id ly demonstrated to us all just what the ancient Roman knew all along — aliena optimum frui insania. V VITA November 10, 1939 ............................................. Born - Lima, Ohio 1 9 6 1 ......................................................................B.S., The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 1963 ......................................................................M.S., The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 1964-196 5..............................................................Teaching Assistant, De­ partment of Microbiology, The University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska 1965-196 7 ..............................................................National Aeronautics and Space Administration Trainee, Department of Microbiology, The Univer­ s ity of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska 1967-196 8 ..............................................................Chief Bacteriologist, State of Nebraska, Depart­ ment of Health, Division of Laboratories, Lincoln, Nebraska 1968-197 1 ..............................................................Instructor of Medical Microbiology, Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 1972-1973 ............................................................. Teaching Associate, De­ partment of Microbiology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio vi 1973-197 4 ......................................................... Trainee in University Admin­ is tra tio n , Graduate School, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 1974-197 5 ......................................................... Teaching Associate, Depart­ ment of Microbiology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 1975-197 7 ......................................................... Director, George Wells Knight International House and Center, The Ohio State U niversity, Columbus, Ohio 1977 ................................................................. Administrative Assistant, Department of Microbiology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio PUBLICATIONS Schmitt, J .A ., R.A. Zabransky, A.S. Janidlo, and J.E. Parsons. 1962. Experimental maduromycosis in the laboratory mouse. Mycopath. Mycol. App. 18:164-168. Stamm, J.M ., W.E. Engelhard, and J.E. Parsons. 1969. Micro­ biological study of water-softener resins. Appl. Microbiol. 18:376-386. FIELDS OF STUDY Major Field: Microbial Cytology Studies in Electron Microscopy. Professor Robert M. P fister Studies in Morphology, Fine Structure and Cell Function. Professor Robert M. P fis te r Studies in Bacterial Physiology and Genetics. Professors James I . Frea and James C. Copeland Studies in Microbial Parasitism. Professor Melvin S. Rheins Studies in Clinical Parasitology. Professor Wolfram Kretschmar Studies in Clinical Virology. Professor Roberta J. White viii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.......................................................................................... iv VITA.............................................................................................. vi LIST OF TABLES..................................................................................... x iii LIST OF FIGURES...............................................................................................xiv INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................. 1 LITERATURE REVIEW ..................................... 7 Mercury and its compounds ................................................................. 7 Metallic mercury .......................................................................... 7 Inorganic mercury compounds ................................................. 9 Complex ions of mercury ....................................................... 9 Organic mercury compounds ................................................... 10 Agricultural use of mercury ............................................................. 11 Industrial use of mercury ................................................................. 12 Mercury in medicine ............................................................................ 13 Sources of mercury in the environment.......................................... 14 Mercury transformation in the biosphere ..................................... 19 Conversion between inorganic forms ...........................................