Lead and mercury can both be chelated from the body by which agent?

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Prepare for the Toxicology E3R Exam with interactive quizzes. Test your knowledge with multiple choice questions, each complete with explanations to ensure understanding. Enhance your readiness and excel on your exam!

Multiple Choice

Lead and mercury can both be chelated from the body by which agent?

Explanation:
The important idea is how chelating agents bind metals. Dimercaprol has two sulfhydryl (–SH) groups that act as strong binding sites for soft metal ions like lead (Pb2+) and mercury (Hg2+). This allows it to form stable, water-soluble chelates that are excreted in the urine, effectively pulling these metals out of tissues. Because of this chemical structure, dimercaprol can chelate both lead and mercury, making it capable of addressing poisoning by either metal. Other agents listed are more selective: calcium disodium EDTA mainly targets lead (and some other divalent metals) but not mercury; deferoxamine binds iron; penicillamine chelates copper and some other metals but is not as effective for mercury or broad lead chelation.

The important idea is how chelating agents bind metals. Dimercaprol has two sulfhydryl (–SH) groups that act as strong binding sites for soft metal ions like lead (Pb2+) and mercury (Hg2+). This allows it to form stable, water-soluble chelates that are excreted in the urine, effectively pulling these metals out of tissues.

Because of this chemical structure, dimercaprol can chelate both lead and mercury, making it capable of addressing poisoning by either metal. Other agents listed are more selective: calcium disodium EDTA mainly targets lead (and some other divalent metals) but not mercury; deferoxamine binds iron; penicillamine chelates copper and some other metals but is not as effective for mercury or broad lead chelation.

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