Endo T, Hotta Y, Haraguchi K, Sakata M
Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Health Sciences University of Hokkaido, 1757, Ishikari-Tobetsu, Hokkaido 061-0293, Japan.
Environ Sci Technol. 2003 Jun 15;37(12):2681-5. doi: 10.1021/es034055n.
Cetacean products sold for human consumption in Japan originate from a wide range of whale, dolphin, and porpoise species caught off several areas of the Japan coast, Antarctic and North Pacific Oceans. We surveyed the total mercury (T-Hg) levels in red meat, the most popular cetacean products in Japan. We also analyzed the DNA of these to obtain information regarding species. According to the genetic analysis, the red meats originating from nine species of odontocete and six species of mystecete were sold in Japanese markets. T-Hg concentrations in all odontocete red meats (0.52-81.0 microg/wet g, n = 137) exceeded the provisional permitted level of T-Hg in marine foods set by the Japanese government (0.4 microg/wet g). The highest and second highest levels of T-Hg in the red meats were found in the false killer whale (81.0 microg/wet g) and striped dolphin (63.4 microg/wet g), respectively. These concentrations of T-Hg exceeded the permitted level of T-Hg by about 200 and 160 times, respectively, suggesting the possibility of chronic intoxication by methyl mercury due to frequent consumption of odontocete red meats. The T-Hg concentration levels were higher in odontocete species such as Baird's beaked whales and pilot whales caught off southern areas than those caught off northern areas, probably reflecting a higher Hg concentration in the seawater and/or their diet (squid and fish) in the southern area. On the other hand, T-Hg concentrations in all mystecete red meat samples except for one (0.01-0.54 microg/ wet g, n = 62) were below the permitted level of T-Hg, probably reflecting their lower trophic levels.
在日本，用于人类消费的鲸类产品源自多种在日本沿海、南极和北太平洋海域捕获的鲸、海豚和鼠海豚物种。我们对红肉（日本最受欢迎的鲸类产品）中的总汞（T-Hg）含量进行了调查。我们还对这些红肉进行了DNA分析，以获取有关物种的信息。根据基因分析，日本市场上出售的红肉来自9种齿鲸和6种须鲸。所有齿鲸红肉中的T-Hg浓度（0.52 - 81.0微克/湿克，n = 137）均超过了日本政府设定的海产品中T-Hg的临时许可水平（0.4微克/湿克）。红肉中T-Hg含量最高和第二高的分别是伪虎鲸（81.0微克/湿克）和条纹海豚（63.4微克/湿克）。这些T-Hg浓度分别超过许可水平约200倍和160倍，这表明由于频繁食用齿鲸红肉，可能存在甲基汞慢性中毒的风险。在日本南部海域捕获的拜氏喙鲸和领航鲸等齿鲸物种的T-Hg浓度水平高于北部海域捕获的，这可能反映出南部海域海水中和/或其食物（鱿鱼和鱼类）中的汞浓度较高。另一方面，除一个样本外，所有须鲸红肉样本中的T-Hg浓度（0.01 - 0.54微克/湿克，n = 62）均低于T-Hg许可水平，这可能反映出它们较低的营养级。
