Retention of Organomercury Compounds on Dressed Grain after Washing

Abstract

FARMERS and seed merchants may occasionally have a surplus of grain dressed with organomercury fungicide when sowing is completed. Lindström¹ has reported that more than 50 per cent of a dry formulation (containing ethylmercury chloride) was washed off grain dressed in the laboratory after shaking for 10 min with water, thus showing that washing could reduce the potential hazard of such grain if used as part of a ration to feed livestock. In contrast, less than 5 per cent of a wet dressing (methyl-mercury dicyandiamide formulation) was removed. Consequently, the amount of fungicide retained after washing wheat and barley, dressed commercially, has been investigated: it was found to be considerable.