High Levels of Mercury Found in Freshwater Fish, Poses Health Risk

Mercury in fish has been a public health issue for some time. The FDA says the metal can build up in the blood stream provoking reproductive problems in women and damaging the development of the nervous system in children.  The US Geological Survey sampled fish in 291 streams across the US and found mercury in every one. About a quarter of the fish were found to contain enough mercury to push consumption of the metal above the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommended limit of 0.33ppm in people who eat about two fish meals a week. Further, Dan R. Laks, from University of California/Los Angeles (USA), and colleagues completed a study involving 6,174 American women, ages 18-49, finding that 30% of women tested in 2005-2006 had high levels of inorganic mercury accumulated in their blood. Inorganic mercury is known to deposit into the liver, immune system, and pituitary gland, putting exposed individuals at higher risk of mental impairment and neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer’s Disease.  State the researchers:  “[Our] study found compelling evidence that inorganic mercury deposition within the human body is a cumulative process, increasing with age and overall in the population over time … findings also suggest a rise in risks for disease associated with mercury over time.”