Nakagawa R, Yumita Y, Hiromoto M
Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Chiba University, Japan.
Chemosphere. 1997 Dec;35(12):2909-13. doi: 10.1016/s0045-6535(97)00351-2.
Elevated mercury concentrations have been reported in fish in recent years. Japanese people eat a great deal of raw fishes and shellfishes as "Sashimi" and "Sushi". The action level of large predatory fish such as tuna with total mercury levels exceeding the Japanese maximum permitted limit of 0.4 ppm is exempted from regulation in Japan. Therefore, current total mercury intake from fish and shellfish of Japanese people is unknown. The purpose of this investigation was to estimate the total mercury intake from fish and shellfish. It was found that the mean total mercury concentration of 1.11 ppm in tuna of eatable base as Sashimi or Sushi was clearly higher than the normal level. The mean total mercury intake from fish and shellfish was 0.17 mg per capita per week. According to the hypothesis that 75% of total mercury in fish and shellfish is methylmercury, the weekly intake of 0.13 mg as methylmercury was corresponding amount to about 74% of provisional tolerable weekly intake 0.17 mg of methylmercury set by the Welfare Ministry of Japan.
近年来，据报道鱼类中的汞浓度有所升高。日本人大量食用生鱼和贝类，如“刺身”和“寿司”。在日本，汞总含量超过日本最高允许限量0.4 ppm的大型掠食性鱼类（如金枪鱼）的行动水平不受监管。因此，目前日本人从鱼类和贝类中摄入的汞总量尚不清楚。本调查的目的是估计从鱼类和贝类中摄入的汞总量。结果发现，作为刺身或寿司食用的可食用金枪鱼汞总浓度平均为1.11 ppm，明显高于正常水平。人均每周从鱼类和贝类中摄入的汞总量为0.17毫克。根据鱼类和贝类中75%的汞为甲基汞这一假设，每周摄入0.13毫克甲基汞相当于日本厚生省设定的甲基汞暂定每周耐受摄入量0.17毫克的约74%。
