title: Mercury contamination and exposure assessment of fishery products in Korea.
abstract: In this study, total (T-Hg) and methyl mercury (Me-Hg) contamination was investigated in fishery products including canned fish, fish sauces, dried bonito and frozen tuna sashimi, collected from retail markets in Korea, to assess dietary exposure. Direct mercury analyser and gas chromatography-electron captured detector were employed to measure T-Hg and Me-Hg, respectively. The highest T-Hg and Me-Hg contamination was present in tuna sashimi, followed by dried bonito, respectively. Canned tuna showed more frequent detection and higher content than other canned fishery products. The weekly exposure estimate indicates that exposure to mercury from fishery products is safe, showing 2.59% provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) for T-Hg, 1.82% PTWI for Me-Hg and 4.16% reference dose for Me-Hg. However, it should be addressed to monitor the mercury contamination in fish and fishery products regularly, to safeguard vulnerable population such as children, to limit intake of these food products.
authors.affiliation: a Seoul Government Research Institute of Public Health and Environment , Gwacheon , Gyunggi Province , Korea.
authors.forename: Hye-Ran
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Na-Young
authors.initials: NY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Lae-Hong
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: Ju-Sung
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Jung-Hun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003212:Condiments / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards; D004032:Diet / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000208:ethnology; D004034:Diet Surveys; D005062:European Union; D005396:Fish Products / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis* / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards; D005398:Fisheries; D005399:Fishes / Q000254:growth & development; D005506:Food Contamination; D005513:Food Inspection; D057141:Food, Preserved / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards; D005628:Frozen Foods / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006801:Humans; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity; D008767:Methylmercury Compounds / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D010140:Pacific Ocean; D056910:Republic of Korea; D017747:Seafood / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis* / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards; D012758:Shellfish / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards; D012908:Snails / Q000737:chemistry / Q000254:growth & development; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D008767:Methylmercury Compounds; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D008628:Mercury
keywords: PTWI; RfD; fishery products; mercury intake; methyl mercury; total mercury