Thimerosal was developed and registered under the trade name Merthiolate in 1929 by the Indianapolis-based pharmaceutical company, Eli Lilly, and marketed as an antibacterial and antifungal agent. It has been used as an additive to prevent bacterial contamination in vaccines and other compounds such as immune globulin preparations, skin test antigens, anti-venins, ophthalmic and nasal products, and tattoo inks.

The chemical formula for thimerosal is C₉H₉HgNaO₂S. In the body it is metabolized to ethylmercury (C₂H₅Hg⁺) and thiosalicylate. Thimerosal causes susceptible bacteria to autolyze (break down their own cells with self-produced enzymes) via an unknown mechanism.

Material Safety Data Sheet

See Full Material Safety Data Sheet

Synonyms: ethyl-2-mercaptobenzoato(2-)-O,S--mercurate sodium, mercury((o-carboxyphenyl)thio)ethyl sodium salt, mercurothiolate, merzonin sodium, SET, sodium ethylmercuric thiosalicylate, sodium merthiolate, thimerosalate, thiomersalate, merfamin, merthiolate, merthiolate sodium, merzonin, nosemack, merseptyl, 2-mercaptobenzoic acid mercury complex, elcide 75, thiomersal, ethylmercurithiosalicylic acid sodium salt, various other systematic and non-systematic names.

Usage

Drug, anti-infective, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, preservative.

Physical data

Appearance: white or slightly yellow powder

Molecular formula: C₉H₉HgNaO₂S
Molar Mass: 404.81 g/mol
CAS No: 54-64-8
EC No: 200-210-4
EC index number: 080-004-00-7
HS Code: 2930 90 70
Storage class (VCI): 6.1 B (Non-flammable toxic materials)
Packing-category: G
WGK: 3 (highly polluting substance)
R Phrase: R 26/27/28-33-50/53
S Phrase: S 13-28.1-36-45-60-61
pH value: ∼6.7 (10 g/l, H₂O, 20 °C)
Melting point: 232 - 233 °C (decomposition)
Bulk density: 500 kg/m³
Solubility in water: 1000 g/l (20 °C)

Stability

Stable. May degrade in sunlight. Incompatible with strong acids, strong bases, strong oxidizing agents, iodine, heavy metal salts.

Toxicology

Poison. Experimental neoplastigen and teratogen. Harmful by inhalation and ingestion. May cause reproductive damage. May be harmful through skin contact. Typical OEL 0.05 mg/m3.

Chemical Hazard Symbol: T+ = Very toxic Criteria: Inhalation, swallowing, or absorption through the skin in very small amounts can cause considerable damage to health, and may sometimes be lethal. In the event of exposure serious evidence of severe, possibly irreversible damage to health by single, repeated, or prolonged absorption. MSDS Hazard Symbol T+

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Screams heralded a nightmare
From Evening Standard (London), 8/9/04 by ALEXA BARACAIA

NEWS that the five-in-one jab will not use the mercury-based preservative thiomersal will be welcomed by Holly Durrant.

She believes it was thiomersal, given to her son Alexander in a separate jab against diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough (DTP), which triggered his autism.

Alex was three months old when, she says, he had "an incredibly bad reaction" hours after his first DTP jab. "He screamed non-stop throughout the vaccination and then, from being a baby who would sleep right through the night, he just would not settle. There was difficulty breastfeeding and he was very unhappy."

But her GP said all children react similarly, so she allowed two follow-up jabs.

A year later Alex was diagnosed with autism after Ms Durrant, 31, from Hertford, read about the link with DTP and insisted on seeing a specialist.

She says: "He used to spend up to three hours at a time spinning CDs or the wheels on his toy car round and round non-stop. When I picked him up, he would arch away and scream. He lost eye contact.

He wasn't walking or talking."

A single mother and a former teacher, Ms Durrant has had to give up work to care for Alex and says: "I would not wish this experience on my worst enemy."

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