Contents of Mercury, Methylmercury, and Selenium in Deep-Sea Fishes

Cho, Y.S.; Hwang, S.I.; Shin, S.W.; Kim, H.J.; Lee, J.Y.; Song, J.W.; Kim, J.E.; Lee, B.H.; Mo, A.R.; Park, M.K.

Contents of Mercury, Methylmercury, and Selenium in Deep-Sea Fishes

2023

This study aimed to determine mercury (Hg), methylmercury (MeHg), and selenium (Se) levels in deep-sea fishes distributed in Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. Concentrations of Hg, MeHg, and Se were measured by using a mercury analyzer and Inductively Coupled Plasma – Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). The average content (mg/ kg) in the seafood samples was as follows: Hg, 0.7647 (0.0182–5.3620), MeHg, 0.0764 (0.0096–0.8750), and Se, 0.4728 (0.1075–3.5100). All the levels of MeHg were below the recommended standards of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety i.e., <1.0 mg/kg. Recent studies have shown that Se prevents Hg toxicity. The average daily intake in humans was 3.3 µg/kg, which was lower than the recommended amount (50–200 µg/person/day). The weekly intake of Hg and MeHg was calculated to be 6.07% and 1.90%, respectively, of the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI). This study showed that the weekly intake of Hg and MeHg from abyssal fish was less than the PTWI recommended by the Joint FAO/WHO expert committee on food additives. Therefore, the levels reported in this study are presumed to be adequately safe.

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