Methylmercury determination in fish and seafood products and estimated daily intake for the Spanish population |
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Authors: | I Sahuquillo M J Lagarda M D Silvestre R Farré |
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Affiliation: | a Nutrition and Food Chemistry and Vicente Andres Estelles, 46100 Spainb Food Science, Cardenal Herrera University, Moncada, Spain |
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Abstract: | The mercury content of 25 samples of fish and seafood products most frequently consumed in Spain was determined. A simple method comprising cold vapour and atomic absorption spectrometry was used to determine separately inorganic and organic mercury. In all samples inorganic mercury content was below 50 µg kg-1. There was wide variability, among not only the mercury levels of different fish species, but also for different samples of the same species — with the methylmercury content ranging from below 54 to 662 µg kg-1. The highest mean methylmercury content was found in fresh tuna. Based on an average total fish consumption of 363 g/person week-1, the methylmercury intake was estimated to be 46.2 µg/person week-1. Therefore, the mercury intake of Spanish people with a body weight ≤ 60 kg is lower than the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) of 1.6 µg kg-1 body weight, but exceeds the US National Research Council (NRC) limit of 0.7 µg kg-1 body weight week-1 based on a benchmark dose. |
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Keywords: | Methylmercury determination mercury determination seafood contamination fish contamination methylmercury intake |
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