Variability of Mercury Concentrations Across Species, Brand, and Tissue Type in Processed Commercial Seafood Products
Mercury (Hg) is a global health concern due to its prevalence, persistence, and toxicity. Numerous studies have assessed Hg concentrations in seafood, but variability in reported concentrations highlights the need for continued monitoring and stricter regulations. We measured total Hg (tHg) in 148 p...
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MDPI AG
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Toxics |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/13/6/426 |
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| author | Kylie D. Rock Shriya Bhoothapuri Emanuel Lassiter Leah Segedie Scott M. Belcher |
| author_facet | Kylie D. Rock Shriya Bhoothapuri Emanuel Lassiter Leah Segedie Scott M. Belcher |
| author_sort | Kylie D. Rock |
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| description | Mercury (Hg) is a global health concern due to its prevalence, persistence, and toxicity. Numerous studies have assessed Hg concentrations in seafood, but variability in reported concentrations highlights the need for continued monitoring and stricter regulations. We measured total Hg (tHg) in 148 pre-processed, packaged seafood products purchased in Raleigh, North Carolina, using thermal decomposition–gold amalgamation atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Products were grouped into three categories based on trophic ecology and physiology: (1) tuna, (2) other bony fish, and (3) shellfish and squid. Among tuna, albacore had the highest average tHg (396.4 ng/g ± 172.1), while yellowfin had the lowest (68.3 ng/g ± 64.7). Herring (54.0 ng/g ± 23.2) and crab (78.2 ng/g ± 24.1) had the highest concentrations in the other two groups. One can of albacore exceeded the FDA action level of 1 part per million (1.3 ppm or 1300 ng/g). Brand differences were significant for both albacore and light tuna, with Brand 1 consistently showing higher Hg levels. Comparisons to FDA data (1990–2012) suggest Hg concentrations in tuna have remained stable over the past two decades. This study underscores the variability of Hg concentrations across species and brands and the need for continued monitoring to protect consumers. |
| format | Article |
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| institution | Kabale University |
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| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
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| spelling | doaj-art-6332ccbe1bcc46e69a1994d2fcfbce0d2025-08-20T03:26:56ZengMDPI AGToxics2305-63042025-05-0113642610.3390/toxics13060426Variability of Mercury Concentrations Across Species, Brand, and Tissue Type in Processed Commercial Seafood ProductsKylie D. Rock0Shriya Bhoothapuri1Emanuel Lassiter2Leah Segedie3Scott M. Belcher4Center for Environmental and Health Effects of PFAS, Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USADepartment of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, 127 David Clark Labs Campus Box 7617, Raleigh, NC 27607, USADepartment of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, 127 David Clark Labs Campus Box 7617, Raleigh, NC 27607, USAMamavation, 23 Corporate Plaza Drive, Suite 150-88, Newport Beach, CA 92660, USACenter for Environmental and Health Effects of PFAS, Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USAMercury (Hg) is a global health concern due to its prevalence, persistence, and toxicity. Numerous studies have assessed Hg concentrations in seafood, but variability in reported concentrations highlights the need for continued monitoring and stricter regulations. We measured total Hg (tHg) in 148 pre-processed, packaged seafood products purchased in Raleigh, North Carolina, using thermal decomposition–gold amalgamation atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Products were grouped into three categories based on trophic ecology and physiology: (1) tuna, (2) other bony fish, and (3) shellfish and squid. Among tuna, albacore had the highest average tHg (396.4 ng/g ± 172.1), while yellowfin had the lowest (68.3 ng/g ± 64.7). Herring (54.0 ng/g ± 23.2) and crab (78.2 ng/g ± 24.1) had the highest concentrations in the other two groups. One can of albacore exceeded the FDA action level of 1 part per million (1.3 ppm or 1300 ng/g). Brand differences were significant for both albacore and light tuna, with Brand 1 consistently showing higher Hg levels. Comparisons to FDA data (1990–2012) suggest Hg concentrations in tuna have remained stable over the past two decades. This study underscores the variability of Hg concentrations across species and brands and the need for continued monitoring to protect consumers.https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/13/6/426mercuryseafoodcanned foodfishtuna |
| spellingShingle | Kylie D. Rock Shriya Bhoothapuri Emanuel Lassiter Leah Segedie Scott M. Belcher Variability of Mercury Concentrations Across Species, Brand, and Tissue Type in Processed Commercial Seafood Products Toxics mercury seafood canned food fish tuna |
| title | Variability of Mercury Concentrations Across Species, Brand, and Tissue Type in Processed Commercial Seafood Products |
| title_full | Variability of Mercury Concentrations Across Species, Brand, and Tissue Type in Processed Commercial Seafood Products |
| title_fullStr | Variability of Mercury Concentrations Across Species, Brand, and Tissue Type in Processed Commercial Seafood Products |
| title_full_unstemmed | Variability of Mercury Concentrations Across Species, Brand, and Tissue Type in Processed Commercial Seafood Products |
| title_short | Variability of Mercury Concentrations Across Species, Brand, and Tissue Type in Processed Commercial Seafood Products |
| title_sort | variability of mercury concentrations across species brand and tissue type in processed commercial seafood products |
| topic | mercury seafood canned food fish tuna |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/13/6/426 |
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