Universidad de Córdoba, Carrera 6 No. 76-103, Montería, Córdoba, Colombia.
Universidad de Córdoba, Carrera 6 No. 76-103, Montería, Córdoba, Colombia.
Environ Res. 2020 Mar;182:109050. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2019.109050. Epub 2019 Dec 19.
Colombia is one of the countries with the highest emissions of mercury (Hg) to the environment, due to its use in gold mining. This study evaluated the human health risk from exposure to Hg through fish consumption in 11 municipalities located in the Mojana region, northern Colombia. The study participants (n = 839) were categorized into three population groups: children (CHD), women of childbearing age (WCHA) and the rest of population (RP). Total Hg (THg) and methylmercury (MeHg) concentrations were evaluated in the top ten most consumed fish species (n = 292). Median concentrations (range: 0.22-0.58 μg/g ww) of the five carnivorous fish species exceeded the reference limit established by FAO/WHO (0.2 μg/g ww) for vulnerable populations. For 6 of the 10 studied fish species, the estimated weekly intake (EWI) in children was above the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI, 1.6 μg/kg bw/week) of MeHg established by JECFA. EWI values for WCHA were above PTWI in 4 fish species, whereas in general, for RP group values were below PTWI (3.2 μg/kg bw/week). Our assessment of potential risks to MeHg exposure indicated that most of the consumed fish could generate negative effects in vulnerable groups, because according to ingestion rate, MeHg permissible is, in some cases, up to 4 times higher than reference limits. Consumption advisories should be a guidance to avoid risk, gain nutritional benefits, and sustain fish populations. Because its high MeHg levels as well as high ingestion, it is recommended that inhabitants of this region should stop eating certain kinds of fish and the whole fish as a single meal. To reduce its harmful intake, we have proposed a didactic strategy based on marbles that control the portion of fish they are eating.
哥伦比亚是向环境排放汞（Hg）量最高的国家之一，这主要是由于其在采矿业中的应用。本研究评估了 11 个位于哥伦比亚北部莫哈纳地区的城市的居民通过食用鱼类而接触汞的人体健康风险。研究参与者（n=839）分为三组：儿童（CHD）、育龄妇女（WCHA）和其余人群（RP）。在十种最常食用的鱼类（n=292）中评估了总汞（THg）和甲基汞（MeHg）的浓度。五种肉食性鱼类的中位数浓度（范围：0.22-0.58μg/g ww）超过了粮农组织/世卫组织为弱势群体制定的参考限量（0.2μg/g ww）。在所研究的十种鱼类中，有六种的儿童每周估计摄入量（EWI）超过了 JECFA 为 MeHg 制定的暂定每周耐受摄入量（PTWI，1.6μg/kg bw/周）。四种鱼类的 WCHA 的 EWI 值超过了 PTWI，而一般来说，RP 组的值低于 PTWI（3.2μg/kg bw/周）。我们对 MeHg 暴露潜在风险的评估表明，大多数食用的鱼类可能会对弱势群体产生负面影响，因为根据摄入量，在某些情况下，MeHg 的允许摄入量是参考限值的 4 倍。消费建议应作为避免风险、获得营养益处和维持鱼类种群的指导。由于其高 MeHg 水平和高摄入量，建议该地区的居民应停止食用某些种类的鱼和整鱼作为单一餐。为了减少其有害摄入，我们提出了一项基于弹珠的教学策略，以控制他们所吃的鱼的份量。
