Methylmercury breakdown.

In the 23 September 2009 issue of the Journal of the American Chemical Society, Jeremy Smith and colleagues reveal their discovery of the detailed mechanism of a specific enzyme found in bacteria, called MerB, that breaks down methylmercury. The team constructed a computational model of the enzyme's active site and used density functional theory calculations to simulate the demethylation reaction. They found the enzyme binds to methylmercury and rearranges electrons in the compound, priming it for breakdown. The researchers hope their findings will one day be applied to ecosystem-wide remediation efforts. In 2008, 27 states issued statewide advisories for mercury in freshwater bodies.