title: Contamination level of mercury in red meat products from cetaceans available from South Korea markets.
abstract: Levels of total mercury (T-Hg) were surveyed in red meat (n=73) and liver (n=3) from toothed whales, dolphins and porpoises (odontocetes) sold for human consumption in the coastal cities of South Korea. High concentrations of T-Hg were found in the liver products of finless porpoises (18.7 and 156 microg/wet g) and common dolphins (13.2 microg/wet g). The T-Hg concentrations in red meat products were highest in the false killer whale (9.66+/-12.3 microg/wet g, n=9), bottlenose dolphin (10.6+/-12.6 microg/wet g, n=3) and killer whale (13.3 microg/wet g, n=1), and lowest in Cuvier's beaked whale and the harbour porpoise (0.4-0.5 microg/wet g). Thus, most of the products that originated from odontocetes exceeded the safety limit of 0.5 microg/wet g for T-Hg set by the South Korean health authorities for the fishery industry. Pregnant women and other vulnerable sectors of the population living in South Korea should therefore limit their consumption of odontocete products.
authors: Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Health Sciences University of Hokkaido, 1757 Ishikari-Tobetsu, Hokkaido 061-0293, Japan. endotty@hoku-iryo-u.ac.jp
authors: Tetsuya
authors: T
authors: Endo
authors: Ma
authors: M
authors: Yong-Un
authors: C Scott
authors: CS
authors: Baker
authors: Naoko
authors: N
authors: Funahashi
authors: Shane
authors: S
authors: Lavery
authors: Merel L
authors: ML
authors: Dalebout
authors: Vimoksalehi
authors: V
authors: Lukoschek
authors: Koichi
authors: K
authors: Haraguchi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002591:Cetacea / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005506:Food Contamination; D007723:Korea; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis*; D017747:Seafood
chemical_list: D008628:Mercury