Madison Dastis

Mercury Contamination and Fish Consumption Advisory Analysis

Mercury is a heavy metal that can come into the environment via natural and unnatural sources

(1). In terms of natural sources, mercury can be found in most rock and soil, volcanic eruptions, and

forest fires (2). In terms of unnatural sources, mercury can be emitted into the environment via coal

burning, artisanal and small-scale gold mining, cement production, waste incineration, chlor-alkali

industry, metal production, and more (1). Benthic organisms can take up inorganic mercury from the

environment (2). This form can be converted to methyl mercury by bacteria in the organism (3). Humans

can then ingest the fish and absorb methyl mercury into their body (2). This is the primary means of

mercury intake for humans (1).

Factors that are thought to contribute to higher levels of mercury in some fish include:

bioaccumulation, age, chemical structure, habitat depth, and osmoregulation. For example, swordfish, a

top predator that appears to feed mostly on benthic organisms, has a higher concentration of mercury than

other fish at the top of the trophic level (5). This is known as bioaccumulation and is a very controversial

piece of evidence for higher levels of mercury (1). If this swordfish lives a long time, it will be exposed to

more mercury throughout its lifetime than a younger fish (5). Organic mercury is lipophilic and can

therefore accumulate in tissue; it does not leave the body right away like inorganic mercury (5). These

fish can also take in mercury through passive absorption (5). Since the concentration of methyl mercury

increases as depth increases due to low oxygen and reduced water circulation, benthic organisms contain

the highest amount of methyl mercury (5). Osmoregulation is the control of the levels of water and

mineral salts in the blood, and this can be highly affected by pollutants (1). Because salt water fish are

constantly drinking the water, they are more likely to be affected by pollutants such as mercury (1).

Depending on the form that is taken in by the body, mercury can have an array of effects. Unless

inorganic mercury is inhaled as a vapor, it is harmless (2). The form of mercury present in fish with more

serious side effects is methyl mercury (2). Methyl mercury is by far the most dangerous organic form,

because it is easily converted into this form by bacteria present in sediment and animals (2). Methyl

mercury can cause damage to the liver, kidneys and pancreas (2). It can cross the blood brain barrier and

destroy cells in the cerebellum and frontal cortex (2). Because methyl mercury can cross the placental
Madison Dastis
Mercury Contamination and Fish Consumption Advisory Analysis

barrier, it can cause babies to be born with physical and mental defects (2). Not only does the effect on

mercury depend on the chemical form, it also depends on the dosage (high verses low levels of exposure).

Minamata Bay is one of the prime examples of an area exposed to high concentrations of mercury. In

Minamata Bay, most of the fish died from exposure to mercury (2). It is important to note that people in

Minamata consume about 286-410g fish/day, which is much higher than the average American (1). It was

estimated that about 200-600 tons of methyl mercury was discharged into bay and humans were found to

have 200ppb of mercury in blood samples (1). Humans became gravely ill with symptoms such as

delirium, disturbed gait, and sometimes death (1). The average concentration of mercury in non-exposed

individuals is about 8ppb in blood, much lower than what was found in the people of Minamata (1). This

is an important distinction, because there have been several contradictory studies on individuals with

lower exposure to mercury through their diet. In 1989, scientists in Seychelles followed 779 children born

to mothers that consumed about 12 meals of fish a week (1). They performed several behavior, motor

skills, memory and thinking tests on these children and found no support for a neurodevelopmental risk

from prenatal methylmercury exposure resulting solely from ocean consumption (1). In 1998, scientists

in New Zealand followed 237 children, testing their performance and exposure to mercury (1). They did

not find an association between performance and mercury, until they removed an outlier with high

mercury exposure; 6 of 26 tests did link mercury levels to lower performance (1). These scientists could

not provide any conclusive evidence (1). Lastly, in 2003, scientists on Faeroes Islands studied 647

children that ate fish and occasionally feasted on whales. They found that the children had lower scores

in 8 of 16 tests of language, memory and attention and concluded that there was a link between mercury

exposure during pregnancy and neuropsychological deficits (1). Which study is correct? It is difficult to

make a concrete conclusion on the effects of mercury from consumption of fish based on these studies.

The reference dose (Rfd), the estimated daily dose of a substance that can be consumed safely

over a lifetime for substances, is determined by the EPA (6). Mercurys Rfd is 0.1 micrograms per

kilogram of body weight per day (6). The FDA, on the other hand, said that an acceptable daily intake is

0.4 micrograms per kilogram of body weight (6). The FDA is also recommending that 2-3 servings of fish
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Mercury Contamination and Fish Consumption Advisory Analysis

a week or 8-12 ounces is best (6). In 2015, the average American ate 15.5 pounds of fish and shellfish;

4.75 ounces per week (6). This is much less than what the FDA is recommending. Fish contain essential

polyunsaturated fatty acids, including Omega-3 fatty acids, which have benefits such as development of

brain cells and reduction in heart disease (5). The American Medical Society says because of the wide

variations in the concentrations of mercury in fish and shellfish, it is possible to have the nutritional

benefits of moderate fish consumption and avoid fish high in mercury (6). Even so, the FDA and the

EPA claim that their guidelines provide the benefits of fish without the possibility of mercury toxicity (6).

It is difficult to determine whether the FDA made an informed decision about fish consumption.

In the article Mercury in Fish Not Dangerous, Study Shows, University of Rochester scientists are

following children born from mothers who at high amounts of mercury during pregnancy (7). However,

these are children and perhaps, these scientists have not yet seen the effects of mercury. Another problem

with this study is that the scientists are not monitoring their health, they are just measuring their cognitive

abilities (7). Impairment in cognitive abilities is a feature of mercury poisoning, but it is not the only one;

immunological effects could occur as well (5). On the other hand, the FDA might be taking it a step too

far, since Americans eat little fish as it is compared to other areas of the world. Perhaps, instead of

limiting all Americans, the FDA can put more effort into determining which areas have higher

concentrations of mercury and issuing safe eating guidelines for that particular area. I rarely consume

fish; probably only about 2 times a month. When I do eat fish, I usually eat salmon; salmon is on the list

that the FDA says is safe (6). Therefore, I will not be changing my diet.
Madison Dastis
Mercury Contamination and Fish Consumption Advisory Analysis

Resources:

1. Woodward, Denise. (2017). Ecotoxicology Lecture Notes Mercury, Our Stolen Future

Chapters 5-8, Taking Sides Discussion, POE Chapter 8. State College, PA.
2. Laws, Edward A. "Chapter 12: Metals." Aquatic Pollution: An Introductory Text.

Whitehouse Station: John Wiley & Sons, 1981. 369-97. Print.

3. Butler, Lindsey, Patricia Janulewicz, Jenny Carwile, Roberta White, Michael Winter, and

Ann Aschengrau. "Childhood and Adolescent Fish Consumption and Adult

Neuropsychological Performance: An Analysis from the Cape Cod Health Study."

Neurotoxicology and Teratology (2017): 1-11. Science Direct. Web. 16 Apr. 2017.

<http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S089203621730048X>.
4. National Wildlife Federation. "Mercury Pollution." National Wildlife Federation.

National Wildlife Federation, 2017. Web. 19 Apr. 2017.

5. Charles Odilichukwu R. Okpala, Giacomo Sardo, Sergio Vitale, Gioacchino, Bono &

Augustine Arukwe (2017): Hazardous properties and toxicological update of mercury:

From fish food to human health safety perspective, Critical Reviews in Food Science and

Nutrition, DOI:10.1080/10408398.2017.1291491.
6. "Hg and Fish." Mercury Answers. Edison Electric Institute, 2010. Web. 19 Apr. 2017.
7. Hoare, James. "News - Mercury in Fish Not Dangerous, Study Shows." News - Mercury

in Fish Not Dangerous, Study Shows | Heartland Institute. Heartland Institute, 1 Dec.

2005. Web. 20 Apr. 2017.