Stony Brook University, School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook, NY, USA.
Stony Brook University, Consortium for InterDisciplinary Environmental Research, Stony Brook, NY, USA.
Int J Hyg Environ Health. 2014 Sep;217(7):758-64. doi: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2014.03.007. Epub 2014 Apr 6.
Mercury (Hg) exposure from seafood continues to be a public health concern due to health effects from elevated exposure, increasing worldwide seafood consumption, and continued Hg inputs into the environment. Elevated Hg exposure can occur in populations with specialized diets of sport-caught freshwater fish. However, we need a better understanding of Hg exposure from seafood, the most common exposure source, and from specific seafood types. We examined Hg exposure in avid seafood consumers, and the seafood items and consumption frequency that confer the largest Hg exposure. Adult, avid seafood consumers, in Long Island, NY, USA, with blood total Hg concentrations predicted to exceed the USEPA reference concentration that is considered safe (5.8 μg L(-1)), were eligible for the study; 75% of self-reported avid seafood consumers were eligible to participate. We measured blood total Hg concentrations and seafood consumption in 285 participants. We examined relationships between Hg and seafood consumption using multiple linear regression. Seafood consumption rate for our population (14.4 kg yr(-1)) was >2 times that estimated for the U.S. (6.8 kg yr(-1)), and lower than the worldwide estimate (18.4 kg yr(-1)). Mean blood Hg concentration was 4.4 times the national average, and 42% of participants had Hg concentrations exceeding 5.8 μg L(-1). Elevated Hg exposures occurred at all seafood consumption frequencies, including the recommended frequency of 2 meals per week. Blood Hg concentrations were positively associated with weekly tuna steak or sushi intake (β=6.30 change in blood Hg, μg L(-1)) and monthly (β=2.54) or weekly (β=9.47) swordfish, shark or marlin intake. Our findings show that seafood consumers in this population have elevated Hg exposures even at relatively low seafood consumption rates that are at or below current dietary recommendations. Further study should examine health risks and benefits of avid seafood consumption, and consider modifying guidelines to include recommendations for specific seafood types.
由于暴露量增加、全球海鲜消费不断增加以及汞不断输入环境，来自海鲜的汞暴露仍然是一个公共卫生关注点。特殊饮食的人群，如喜欢吃淡水鱼的人群，可能会出现汞暴露量过高的情况。然而，我们需要更好地了解来自海鲜的汞暴露情况，这是最常见的暴露源，以及来自特定海鲜类型的汞暴露情况。我们研究了热衷海鲜消费者的汞暴露情况，以及摄入海鲜的种类和频率与最大汞暴露量之间的关系。
在美国纽约长岛，有资格参加这项研究的是血液总汞浓度预计超过美国环保署认为安全的参考浓度（5.8μg/L）的热衷海鲜消费者，即自我报告的热衷海鲜消费者中有 75%有资格参加。我们对 285 名参与者进行了血液总汞浓度和海鲜消费的测量。我们使用多元线性回归来研究汞与海鲜消费之间的关系。我们人群的海鲜消费率（14.4kg/年）是美国（6.8kg/年）估计值的两倍多，低于全球估计值（18.4kg/年）。平均血液汞浓度是全国平均水平的 4.4 倍，42%的参与者血液汞浓度超过 5.8μg/L。在所有海鲜消费频率下都出现了汞暴露量过高的情况，包括每周 2 餐的推荐频率。每周吃金枪鱼排或寿司（血液汞浓度变化量为 6.30μg/L）和每月（2.54μg/L）或每周（9.47μg/L）吃鱼翅、鲨鱼或马林鱼与血液汞浓度呈正相关。
我们的研究结果表明，即使在相对较低的海鲜消费水平下，甚至在低于当前饮食建议的水平下，该人群中的海鲜消费者也存在汞暴露量过高的情况。进一步的研究应该检查热衷海鲜消费的健康风险和益处，并考虑修改指南，纳入对特定海鲜类型的建议。
