金属汞是一种古老毒物,但只是在本世纪五十年代后期,随着各种新技术手段的出现与应用,特别是严重汞污染造成的“水俣病”的冲击,汞的毒性研究才受到普遍重视并获得巨大进展。动物实验和临床观察均证实汞是十分剧烈的肾毒因子,急性大量暴露于金属汞或二价汞无机盐类可造成明显肾脏损伤,出现少尿、蛋白尿、血尿以至急性肾功衰竭等表现。但在慢性汞暴露时,尽管大部分汞蓄积于肾脏,毒性作用却主要表现为中枢神经系统障碍,提示肾脏对汞可能具有独特而有力的防护机 Mercury metal is an ancient poison, but only after the emergence and application of various new technological means in the late 1950s, especially the impact of “Minamata disease” caused by severe mercury pollution, was the study of mercury toxicity We generally value and make great progress. Animal experiments and clinical observations confirm that mercury is a very toxic nephrotoxic factor. Acute massive exposure to metallic mercury or inorganic salts of divalent mercury can cause significant renal damage, oliguria, proteinuria, hematuria and even acute renal failure . However, at the time of chronic mercury exposure, although most of the mercury accumulates in the kidneys, the toxic effects are mainly manifested as central nervous system disorders, suggesting that the kidneys may have unique and powerful guards against mercury