DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

Contents of Mercury, Methylmercury, and Selenium in Deep-Sea Fishes

심해성 어류의 수은, 메틸수은 및 셀레늄 함량

  • Yun-Sik Cho (Agricultural and Fishery Products Safety Inspection Team) ;
  • Seon-Il Hwang (Agricultural and Fishery Products Safety Inspection Team) ;
  • Sang-Woon Shin (Agricultural and Fishery Products Safety Inspection Team) ;
  • Hyun-Ju Kim (Agricultural and Fishery Products Safety Inspection Team) ;
  • Ji-Yeon Lee (Agricultural and Fishery Products Safety Inspection Team) ;
  • Ji-Won Song (Agricultural and Fishery Products Safety Inspection Team) ;
  • Jeong-Eun Kim (Agricultural and Fishery Products Safety Inspection Team) ;
  • Byoung-Hoon Lee (Agricultural and Fishery Products Safety Inspection Team) ;
  • A-Ra Mo (Agricultural and Fishery Products Safety Inspection Team) ;
  • Myeong-Ki Park (Agricultural and Fishery Products Safety Inspection Team)
  • 조윤식 (경기도보건환경연구원 농수산물안전성검사팀) ;
  • 황선일 (경기도보건환경연구원 농수산물안전성검사팀) ;
  • 신상운 (경기도보건환경연구원 농수산물안전성검사팀) ;
  • 김현주 (경기도보건환경연구원 농수산물안전성검사팀) ;
  • 이지연 (경기도보건환경연구원 농수산물안전성검사팀) ;
  • 송지원 (경기도보건환경연구원 농수산물안전성검사팀) ;
  • 김정은 (경기도보건환경연구원 농수산물안전성검사팀) ;
  • 이병훈 (경기도보건환경연구원 농수산물안전성검사팀) ;
  • 모아라 (경기도보건환경연구원 농수산물안전성검사팀) ;
  • 박명기 (경기도보건환경연구원 농수산물안전성검사팀)
  • Received : 2023.03.22
  • Accepted : 2023.05.10
  • Published : 2023.06.30

Abstract

This study aimed to determine mercury (Hg), methylmercury (MeHg), and selenium (Se) levels in deep-sea fishes distributed in Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. Concentrations of Hg, MeHg, and Se were measured by using a mercury analyzer and Inductively Coupled Plasma - Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). The average content (mg/kg) in the seafood samples was as follows: Hg, 0.7647 (0.0182-5.3620), MeHg, 0.0764 (0.0096-0.8750), and Se, 0.4728 (0.1075-3.5100). All the levels of MeHg were below the recommended standards of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety i.e., <1.0 mg/kg. Recent studies have shown that Se prevents Hg toxicity. The average daily intake in humans was 3.3 ㎍/kg, which was lower than the recommended amount (50-200 ㎍/person/day). The weekly intake of Hg and MeHg was calculated to be 6.07% and 1.90%, respectively, of the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI). This study showed that the weekly intake of Hg and MeHg from abyssal fish was less than the PTWI recommended by the Joint FAO/WHO expert committee on food additives. Therefore, the levels reported in this study are presumed to be adequately safe.

본 연구에서는 경기도내 유통되고 있는 심해성 어류 50건을 대상으로 수은, 메틸수은의 오염도 및 셀레늄의 함량을 알아보았다. 금아말감법의 수은분석기, ICP-MS를 사용하여 측정하였으며 각 항목별 평균함량은 수은 0.7647 mg/kg (0.0182-5.3620), 메틸수은 0.0764 mg/kg (0.0096-0.8750), 셀레늄 0.4728 mg/kg(0.1075-3.5100)으로 메틸수은은 50건 모두 기준규격(1.0 mg/kg) 이하로 나타났다. 셀레늄은 수은과 결합하여 수은의 독성을 감소시키는 것으로 알려져 있으며, 본 연구과제에서는 일일평균섭취량이 3.3 ㎍/kg으로 일일권장량보다 낮은 수치였다. 유해물질인 수은과 메틸수은은 JECFA에서 설정한 PTWI의 5.7%, 1.8%로 조사되었다. 따라서 도내에서 유통되는 심해성 어류의 수은, 메틸수은과 같은 위해중금속은 안전한 것으로 나타났지만 지속적 모니터링이 필요하다고 판단된다.

Keywords

References

  1. Mok, J.S., Shim, K.B., Cho, M.R., Lee, T.S., Kim, J.H., Contents of heavy metals in fishes from the Korean coasts. J. Korean Soc. Food Sci. Nutr., 38, 517-524 (2009).  https://doi.org/10.3746/jkfn.2009.38.4.517
  2. Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, 2015. Korean Food Code(2006-55), Cheongju, Korea. 
  3. Craig, P.J., 2003, Organometallic compounds in the environment, second ed, John Wiley&Sons, Hoboken, NJ, USA , pp. 32-38. 
  4. Mason, R.P., Reinfelder, J.R., Morel, F.M.M. Bioaccumulation of mercury and methylmercury. Water Air Soil Poll., 80, 915-921 (1995).  https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01189744
  5. Jensen, S., Jernelov, A., Biological methylation of mercury in aquatic organisms. Nature, 223, 753-754 (1969).  https://doi.org/10.1038/223753a0
  6. Ekno, S., Susa, M., Ninomiya, T., Imamura, K., Kitamura, T., Minamata disease revisited: An update on the acute and chronic manifestations of methylmercury poisoning. J. Neurol. Sci., 262, 131-144 (2007).  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jns.2007.06.036
  7. MercuryPoisoned.Com, (2023, January, 5). Protocol for safe removal of mercury. Retrieved from http://mercurypoisoned.com/protocol_iaomt.html 
  8. Clarkson, T.W., Magos, L., Myers, G.J., The toxicology of mercury- current exposures and clinical manifestations. New Engl. J. Med., 349, 1731-1737 (2003).  https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMra022471
  9. MFDS, (2023, February, 5). Food Code. Retrieved from https://various.foodsafetykorea.go.kr/fsd/#/ 
  10. Codex Alimentarius Commission, 1991, Guideline levels for methylmercury in fish(CAC/GL 7-1991). Rome. Italy. 
  11. Food and Drug Administration, (2023, January 20). Fish, shellfish, crustaceans and other aquatic animals-fresh, frozen or processed methylmercury. Retrieved from https://www.fda.gov/regulatory-information/search-fda-guidance-documents/cpg-sec-540600-fish-shellfish-crustaceans-and-other-aquatic-animals-fresh-frozen-or-processed-methyl 
  12. USDA,(2023, January 3). 2018 FAIRS Annual Country Report. Retrieved from https://apps.fas.usda.gov/newgainapi/api/report/downloadreportbyfilename?filename=Food%20and%20Agricultural%20Import%20Regulations%20and%20Standards%20Report_Tokyo_Japan_2-5-2019.pdf 
  13. Official Journal of the European Union, (2023, March 2). Commission Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006 Settiing maximum levels for certain contaminants in foodstuffs. Retrieved from https://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2006:364:0005:0024:EN:PDF 
  14. National Institute of Food and Drug Safety Evalution, 2017. A comparative study on the methylmercury analysis method in fish. Seoul, Korea. 
  15. JECFA, (2023, January 15). Joint FAO/WHO expert committee on food additives(seventy-second meeting). Retrieved from https://www.fao.org/3/at868e/at868e.pdf 
  16. KDCA, National health statistics, Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 8, 1-326 (2020). 
  17. Kim, J.A., Yuk, D.H., Park, Y.A., Choi, H.J., Kim, Y.C., Kim, M.S. A study on total mercury and methylmercury in commercial tuna, billfish, and deep-sea fish Seoul Metropolitan City. Korean J. Food Sci. Technol., 45, 376-381 (2013).  https://doi.org/10.9721/KJFST.2013.45.3.376
  18. Yamashita Y., Yamashita, M., Ilda, H., Selenium content in seafood in Japan. Nutrients., 5, 388-395 (2013).  https://doi.org/10.3390/nu5020388
  19. Korea Institute of Science and Technology Information, 2012. Methylmercury and selenium in fish. Seoul. Korea. 
  20. Kim, H.Y., Chung, S.Y., Sho, Y.S., Oh, G.S., Park, S.S., Suh, J.H., Lee, E.J., Lee, Y.D., Choi, W.J., Eom, J.Y., Song, M.S., Lee, J.O., W, G. J., The study on the methylmercury analysis and the monitoring of total mercury and methylmercury. Korean J. Food Sci. Technol., 37, 882-888 (2005). 
  21. Knowles, T.G., Farrington D., Kestin, S.C., Mercury in UK imported fish and shellfish and UK-farmed fish and their products. Food Addit. Contam., 20, 813-818. (2003).  https://doi.org/10.1080/0265203031000152398
  22. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan., (2023, February. 10). Annual report on the developments in Japan's fisheries in FY2002. Retrieved from https://www.jfa.maff.go.jp/j/kikaku/wpaper/pdf/wp_2002.pdf 
  23. Food and Drug Administration, (2023, January 20). Mercury in food and dietary supplements. Retrieved from https://www.fda.gov/food/environmental-contaminants-food/mercuryfood-and-dietary-supplements 
  24. KREI, (2023, January 2). A food supply and demand table. Retrieved from https://library.krei.re.kr/pyxis-api/1/digital-files/b74eec78-18de-4e29-9ee8-0eec16a8bcc5 
  25. NIFDS, (2023, January 10). Risk assessment of mercury and methylmercury. Retrieved from https://www.nifds.go.kr/brd/m_271/view.do?seq=10142 
  26. Dabeka, R., McKenzie, A.D., Forsyth, D.S., Conacher, H.B.S., Survey of total mercury in some edible fish and shellfish species collected in Canada in 2002. Food Addit. Contam., 21, 434-440. (2004).  https://doi.org/10.1080/02652030410001670184
  27. Joo, H.J., Noh, M.J., Yoo, J.H., Jang, Y.M., Park, J.S., Kang, M.H., Kim, M.H., Monitoring total mercury and methylmercury in commonly consumed aquatic foods. Korean J. Food Sci. Technol., 42, 269-276. (2010). 
  28. MFDS, 2019. Standard manual for hazardous evaluation of hazardous substance in food, Jinhan M&B, Korea, pp. 1-184.