Risk and Regulation: Methylmercury Exposure and Fish Consumption

Vanderbilt Undergraduate Research Journal ◽

10.15695/vurj.v6i0.2880 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 6 ◽

Author(s):

Jonathan M Gendzier

Keyword(s):

Environmental Protection Agency ◽

Fish Consumption ◽

Government Regulation ◽

Mercury Emissions ◽

Methylmercury Exposure ◽

Exposure Levels ◽

Aquatic Food ◽

Reference Doses ◽

Fish And Shellfish ◽

Global Cycle

Exposure to organic mercury (methylmercury) occurs almost universally due to ingestion via contaminated fish and shellfish tissue. Ultimate sources of mercury consist of air release by domestic industrial combustion, mining, and international mercury emissions transported via a global cycle. Deposition of mercury from air to surface waters results in methylation to organic methylmercury and bioaccumulation in the aquatic food web. Health effects from methylmercury exposure consist mainly of neurological and neurodevelopmental effects, with fetuses particularly sensitive. Thus regulation of methylmercury exposure has concentrated on acceptable exposure levels and reference doses aimed toward protecting developing fetuses. The risk of methylmercury exposure in humans is regulated largely by the federal government, especially by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The EPA imposes limits on mercury emissions and seeks to research methylmercury levels in fish and humans. The EPA sets a reference dose for methylmercury exposure. The FDA conducts uses date on methylmercury levels in fish to advise consumers on how to make informed decisions regarding fish consumption. There are numerous shortcoming to government regulation of this issue. Further scientific research, improved implementation of available data and scientific conclusions, and improved public communication of risk would all lead to more effective treatment of the risk of methylmercury exposure via ingestion of fish and shellfish. This could include more effective monitoring systems of human and fish methylmercury levels, research into the process of bioaccumulation, and implementation of stricter fish labeling standards, as well as research into higher-risk subpopulations allowing for targeted standards and recommendations.

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Health Impacts and Biomarkers of Prenatal Exposure to Methylmercury: Lessons from Minamata, Japan

Toxics ◽

10.3390/toxics6030045 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 6 (3) ◽

pp. 45 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

Mineshi Sakamoto ◽

Nozomi Tatsuta ◽

Kimiko Izumo ◽

Phuong Phan ◽

Loi Vu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Exposure Assessment ◽

Elemental Mercury ◽

Trophic Levels ◽

Chemical Forms ◽

Minamata Disease ◽

Methylmercury Exposure ◽

High Mercury ◽

Sea Mammals ◽

Aquatic Food ◽

Fish And Shellfish

The main chemical forms of mercury are elemental mercury, inorganic divalent mercury, and methylmercury, which are metabolized in different ways and have differing toxic effects in humans. Among the various chemical forms of mercury, methylmercury is known to be particularly neurotoxic, and was identified as the cause of Minamata disease. It bioaccumulates in fish and shellfish via aquatic food webs, and fish and sea mammals at high trophic levels exhibit high mercury concentrations. Most human methylmercury exposure occurs through seafood consumption. Methylmercury easily penetrates the blood-brain barrier and so can affect the nervous system. Fetuses are known to be at particularly high risk of methylmercury exposure. In this review, we summarize the health effects and exposure assessment of methylmercury as follows: (1) methylmercury toxicity, (2) history and background of Minamata disease, (3) methylmercury pollution in the Minamata area according to analyses of preserved umbilical cords, (4) changes in the sex ratio in Minamata area, (5) neuropathology in fetuses, (6) kinetics of methylmercury in fetuses, (7) exposure assessment in fetuses.

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Association of Urinary and Plasma Levels of Trimethylamine N-Oxide (TMAO) with Foods

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu13051426 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (5) ◽

pp. 1426

Author(s):

Mauro Lombardo ◽

Giovanni Aulisa ◽

Daniele Marcon ◽

Gianluca Rizzo ◽

Maria Grazia Tarsisano ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gut Microbiota ◽

Fish Consumption ◽

Plasma Levels ◽

Cooking Methods ◽

Saltwater Fish ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Mediator Role ◽

Fish And Shellfish ◽

The Relationship

Introduction: Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) may play a key mediator role in the relationship between the diet, gut microbiota and cardiovascular diseases, particularly in people with kidney failure. The aim of this review is to evaluate which foods have a greater influence on blood or urinary trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) levels. Methods: 391 language articles were screened, and 27 were analysed and summarized for this review, using the keywords “TMAO” AND “egg” OR “meat” OR “fish” OR “dairy” OR “vegetables” OR “fruit” OR “food” in December 2020. Results: A strong correlation between TMAO and fish consumption, mainly saltwater fish and shellfish, but not freshwater fish, has been demonstrated. Associations of the consumption of eggs, dairy and meat with TMAO are less clear and may depend on other factors such as microbiota or cooking methods. Plant-based foods do not seem to influence TMAO but have been less investigated. Discussion: Consumption of saltwater fish, dark meat fish and shellfish seems to be associated with an increase in urine or plasma TMAO values. Further studies are needed to understand the relationship between increased risk of cardiovascular disease and plasma levels of TMAO due to fish consumption. Interventions coupled with long-term dietary patterns targeting the gut microbiota seem promising.

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Methylmercury Exposure and Health Effects from Rice and Fish Consumption: A Review

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph7062666 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 7 (6) ◽

pp. 2666-2691 ◽

Cited By ~ 107

Author(s):

Ping Li ◽

Xinbin Feng ◽

Guangle Qiu

Keyword(s):

Health Effects ◽

Fish Consumption ◽

Methylmercury Exposure

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Fish consumption, contaminants and sudden unexpected death in epilepsy: many more benefits than risks

Brazilian Journal of Biology ◽

10.1590/s1519-69842010000300026 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 70 (3) ◽

pp. 665-670 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

FA. Scorza ◽

RM. Cysneiros ◽

RM. Arida ◽

VC. Terra ◽

HR. Machado ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Fatty Acids ◽

Fish Consumption ◽

Sudden Unexpected Death ◽

Omega 3 Fatty Acids ◽

Omega 3 ◽

Unexpected Death ◽

Positive Effects ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Fish And Shellfish

People with epilepsy have an increased risk of dying prematurely and the most common epilepsy-related category of death is sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP). SUDEP is mainly a problem for patients with chronic uncontrolled epilepsy. The ultimate goal of research in SUDEP is to develop new methods to prevent it and actions other than medical and surgical therapies that could be very useful. Nutritional aspects, i.e., omega-3 fatty acids deficiency, could have an interesting role in this scenario. Some animal and clinical studies have suggested that omega-3 fatty acids could be useful in the prevention and treatment of epilepsy and hence SUDEP. It has been ascertained that the only foods that provide large amounts of omega-3 are seafood (fish and shellfish); however, some fish are contaminated with methylmercury, which may counteract the positive effects of omega-3 fatty acids. Our update review summarises the knowledge of the role of fish consumption on epilepsy research.

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Gaseous mercury in coastal urban areas

Environmental Chemistry ◽

10.1071/en10088 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 7 (6) ◽

pp. 537 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Anne L. Soerensen ◽

Henrik Skov ◽

Matthew S. Johnson ◽

Marianne Glasius

Keyword(s):

Urban Areas ◽

Marine Boundary Layer ◽

Elemental Mercury ◽

Atmospheric Mercury ◽

Mercury Deposition ◽

Mercury Emissions ◽

Gaseous Elemental Mercury ◽

Gaseous Mercury ◽

Range Transport ◽

Aquatic Food

Environmental context Mercury is a neurotoxin that bioaccumulates in the aquatic food web. Atmospheric emissions from urban areas close to the coast could cause increased local mercury deposition to the ocean. Our study adds important new data to the current limited knowledge on atmospheric mercury emissions and dynamics in coastal urban areas. Abstract Approximately 50% of primary atmospheric mercury emissions are anthropogenic, resulting from e.g. emission hotspots in urban areas. Emissions from urban areas close to the coast are of interest because they could increase deposition loads to nearby coastal waters as well as contribute to long range transport of mercury. We present results from measurements of gaseous elemental mercury (GEM) and reactive gaseous mercury (RGM) in 15 coastal cities and their surrounding marine boundary layer (MBL). An increase of 15–90% in GEM concentration in coastal urban areas was observed compared with the remote MBL. Strong RGM enhancements were only found in two cities. In urban areas with statistically significant GEM/CO enhancement ratios, slopes between 0.0020 and 0.0087 ng m–3 ppb–1 were observed, which is consistent with other observations of anthropogenic enhancement. The emission ratios were used to estimate GEM emissions from the areas. A closer examination of data from Sydney (Australia), the coast of Chile, and Valparaiso region (Chile) in the southern hemisphere, is presented.

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Data relating to maternal fish consumption, methylmercury exposure, and early child neurodevelopment in the traditional living of Western Amazonians

Data in Brief ◽

10.1016/j.dib.2019.104153 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 25 ◽

pp. 104153

Author(s):

Rejane C. Marques ◽

José G. Dórea ◽

Monica P.L. Cunha ◽

Thayssa C.S. Bello ◽

José V.E. Bernardi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Fish Consumption ◽

Early Child ◽

Child Neurodevelopment ◽

Methylmercury Exposure

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Characterizing the Neurodevelopmental Pesticide Exposome in a Children’s Agricultural Cohort

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph17051479 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 17 (5) ◽

pp. 1479 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Breana Bennett ◽

Tomomi Workman ◽

Marissa N. Smith ◽

William C. Griffith ◽

Beti Thompson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Environmental Protection Agency ◽

Pesticide Exposure ◽

Mixed Effects ◽

Washington State ◽

Protection Agency ◽

Household Dust ◽

Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry ◽

Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass ◽

Reference Doses ◽

Neurotoxic Pesticides

The exposome provides a conceptual model for identifying and characterizing lifetime environmental exposures and resultant health effects. In this study, we applied key exposome concepts to look specifically at the neurodevelopmental pesticide exposome, which focuses on exposures to pesticides that have the potential to cause an adverse neurodevelopmental impact. Using household dust samples from a children’s agricultural cohort located in the Yakima Valley of Washington state, we identified 87 individual pesticides using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. A total of 47 of these have evidence of neurotoxicity included in the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (re)registration materials. We used a mixed effects model to model trends in pesticide exposure. Over the two study years (2005 and 2011), we demonstrate a significant decrease in the neurodevelopmental pesticide exposome across the cohort, but particularly among farmworker households. Additional analysis with a non-parametric binomial analysis that weighted the levels of potentially neurotoxic pesticides detected in household dust by their reference doses revealed that the decrease in potentially neurotoxic pesticides was largely a result of decreases in some of the most potent neurotoxicants. Overall, this study provides evidence that the neurodevelopmental pesticide exposome framework is a useful tool in assessing the effectiveness of specific interventions in reducing exposure as well as setting priorities for future targeted actions.

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Water Quality Assessment of Cimanuk River in West Java Using Pollution Index

E3S Web of Conferences ◽

10.1051/e3sconf/20186804009 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 68 ◽

pp. 04009 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Ihya Sulthonuddin ◽

Djoko Mulyo Hartono ◽

Suyud Warno Utomo

Keyword(s):

Water Quality ◽

Environmental Protection Agency ◽

Government Regulation ◽

Pollution Index ◽

Quality Standard ◽

World Health ◽

West Java ◽

Index Method ◽

Water Quality Standard

Cimanuk river is one of the seven rivers in West Java. Cimanuk river pollution is indicated to have suffered as a result of the activity of domestic waste, industrial and agricultural uncontrolled in the riparian area of Cimanuk river. This research aims to analize water quality of Cimanuk river based on water quality standard on Government Regulation of Republic of Indonesia (IDN), Regulation of the Governor of West Java (WJ), World Health Organization (WHO), Enviromental Standard of United Kingdom (UK), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Enviromental Quality Standard (EQS), and Department of Environment (DOE). This research used pollution index method. The result is water quality of Cimanuk river not meet water quality standard where the TSS (94.85±84,60 mg/L), BOD (9.61±3.16 mg/L), COD (37.69±14.01 mg/L), DO (5.12±1.22 mg/L), NH3N (0.25±0.24 mg/L). Degradation of water quality of Cimanuk river from upstream to downstream marked by increased pollution index value annually. Pollution index of Cimanuk river ranging from 1.25 to 20.31. Water quality status of Cimanuk river has been from lightly polluted to heavilypolluted.

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Arsenic exposure and seafood intake in Korean adults

Human & Experimental Toxicology ◽

10.1177/0960327116665673 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 36 (5) ◽

pp. 451-460 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

H-S Bae ◽

I-G Kang ◽

S-G Lee ◽

S-Y Eom ◽

Y-D Kim ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Inductively Coupled Plasma ◽

Geometric Mean ◽

Arsenic Exposure ◽

Geographic Location ◽

Inductively Coupled ◽

Individual Interviews ◽

Korean Adults ◽

Plasma Mass Spectrometry ◽

Exposure Levels ◽

Fish And Shellfish

Arsenic (As) is widely distributed in the environment, and humans can be exposed to As from various sources such as air, water, soil, and food. This study was performed to evaluate the As exposure levels in Korean adults by measuring total As in urine and its relation with the consumption of seafood, a favorite food in Korea. A total of 2077 adults were the study subjects; they ranged in age from 19 to 83, and they were recruited by probability sampling stratified by area, sex, and age. None of the subjects had been exposed to As occupationally. We collected information about the demographic characteristics, lifestyles, and food consumption of study subjects using a questionnaire and followed urine sampling. Diet was assessed in individual interviews using the 24-h recall method. Total As in urine was analyzed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (PerkinElmer NEXION 300S; Concord, Ontario, Canada). The geometric mean concentration of total As in urine was observed to be 97.6 µg/L and was higher in males (103.9 µg/L) than in females (93.0 µg/L). Total As levels in urine were affected by sex, age, seafood intake, and geographic location. In this study, total As in urine was positively correlated with fish and shellfish consumption, and was mainly determined by As intake through fish and shellfish/grains/flavors. These findings suggest that seafood consumption might be a major contributor to urinary As levels in Korean adults.

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