Mercury and methylmercury contamination in Mytilus galloprovincialis from Taranto Gulf (Ionian Sea, Southern Italy): risk evaluation for consumers.
Total mercury (THg) and methylmercury (Me-Hg) concentrations were determined in mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) from 10 stations located in the Mar Piccolo of Taranto (Ionian Sea, Taranto Gulf) an important semi-enclosed basin in Italy, devoted to mussel culture activities. The obtained results show that THg and Me-Hg concentrations ranged from 0.236 to 0.559 μg g(-1) d.w. and from 0.066 to 0.155 μg g(-1) d.w., respectively. Consequently, the Me-Hg/THg ratios ranged from 17% to 49%. The dietary intake of THg and Me-Hg were studied among children and adults from Taranto (Southern Italy). The estimated weekly intake for THg and Me-Hg was below the Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake (PTWI) established by European Food Safety Autority (EFSA) for all sampled mussels, though their consumption provides a THg intake in children near the PTWI.
Di Leo
A
A
CNR-Institute for Coastal Marine Environment, Taranto Section, Taranto, Italy. dileo@iamc.cnr.it
Cardellicchio
N
N
Giandomenico
S
S
Spada
L
L
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D004435:Eating; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005506:Food Contamination; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D008767:Methylmercury Compounds / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D049878:Mytilus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D017747:Seafood / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis
D008767:Methylmercury Compounds; D008628:Mercury