Hair Mercury Concentrations and Fish Consumption Patterns in Florida Residents

Bibliographic Data

ID15480674
AuthorsAdam M Schaefer (0000-0001-9604-3432, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, corresponding author), Adam Schaefer (Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution at Florida Atlantic University, 5600 U.S. 1 North, Fort Pierce, FL 34946, USA), Emily L Jensen (Colorado State University), Emily Jensen (Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University 1681 Campus, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA), Gregory D Bossart, Gregory Bossart (Georgia Aquarium, 225 Baker Street NW, Atlanta, GA 30313, USA), John S Reif (Colorado State University), John Reif (Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University 1681 Campus, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA)
Year2014
Volume11
Issue7
Pages6709-6726
Publication date2014-06-26
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1661-7827 • E-ISSN: 1660-4601
PublisherMultidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (PUBLISHER • CH)
DOI10.3390/ijerph110706709
PMID24972033
OpenAlexW2055368954
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited31

Mercury exposure through the consumption of fish and shellfish represents a significant public health concern in the United States. Recent research has demonstrated higher seafood consumption and subsequent increased risk of methylmercury exposure among subpopulations living in coastal areas. The identification of high concentrations of total mercury in blood and skin among resident Atlantic bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in the Indian River Lagoon (IRL), a coastal estuary in Florida, alerted us to a potential public health hazard in the contiguous human population. Therefore, we analyzed hair mercury concentrations of residents living along the IRL and ascertained their sources and patterns of seafood consumption. The total mean mercury concentration for 135 residents was 1.53 ± 1.89 μg/g. The concentration of hair mercury among males (2.02 ± 2.38 μg/g) was significantly higher than that for females (0.96 ± 0.74 μg/g) (p < 0.01). Log transformed hair mercury concentration was significantly associated with the frequency of total seafood consumption (p < 0.01). Individuals who reported consuming seafood once a day or more were 3.71 (95% CI 0.84-16.38) times more likely to have a total hair mercury concentration over 1.0 μg/g, which corresponds approximately to the U.S. EPA reference dose, compared to those who consumed seafood once a week or less. Hair mercury concentration was also significantly higher among individuals who obtained all or most of their seafood from local recreational sources (p < 0.01). The elevated human mercury concentrations mirror the elevated concentrations observed in resident dolphins in the same geographical region. The current study is one of the first to apply the concept of a sentinel animal to a contiguous human population

Animal science · Aquatic animal · Bioaccumulation · Biology · Biomonitoring · Environmental health · Estuary · Fish · Fish consumption · Fishery · Mercury (programming language · MERCURY EXPOSURE · Methylmercury · Population · Shellfish · Tasa · Chemistry · Marine animal studies overview · Medicine · Mercury impact and mitigation studies · Toxic Organic Pollutants Impact · Endocrinology · Environmental Chemistry · Toxicology

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