Methyl mercury concentrations in seafood collected from Zhoushan Islands, Zhejiang, China, and their potential health risk for the fishing community

Abstract

Seafood is an important exposure route for mercury, especially methyl mercury (MeHg). Therefore, we quantified MeHg concentrations in 69 species of seafood including fish, crustaceans and mollusks collected from Zhoushan Islands, China. MeHg concentrations ranged from 1. The daily dietary intake and hazard quotient for MeHg were calculated to estimate exposure and health risk through seafood consumption by local inhabitants. The calculated HQ was lower than 1, thus indicating that the exposure was below the risk threshold of related chronic diseases. However, higher MeHg concentrations in fish species such as Scoliodon sorrakowah and Auxis thazard are concerning and may pose health risk through continuous consumption by local inhabitants.China Spark Program (2015GA700094); Medical Health Science Foundation Program of the Health Department of Zhejiang Province (2020RC137); Science and technology Program of Zhoushan City (2017C32089); Medical Health Science Foundation Program of the Health Department of Zhoushan City (2018G02)) and the Chinese Academy of Sciences Fellowships under the Chinese Academy of Sciences President's International Fellowship for Visiting Scientists (2018VCC0002).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio