The effects of long-term daily intake of mercury on its urinary and fecal excretion, whole-body retention, and blood concentration in male rats were observed. The animals were exposed to mercuric, chloride labeled with 203Hg via drinking water for 8 weeks (5, 50 and 500 microM Hg). 203Hg in urine, feces and blood was quantified. The blood mercury concentration did not keep a linear relationship with the increasing dose. The percentage of the total amount of mercury intake which is excreted by the fecal route in rats exposed to 500 microM Hg was significantly lower than in those exposed to 5 and 50 microM. The daily dose percentage of mercury excreted in urine increased with dose size. The results show that the absorption fraction of mercury through the gastrointestinal tract (30-40%) was higher than values previously reported.