One in Every Four New Yorkers Has Elevated Blood Mercury Levels
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 07.24.07
According to survey results released yesterday by the New York City Health Department, a surprising one in every four adult New Yorkers' blood is too high in mercury — an increase closely linked to fish consumption. The survey found that Asians and higher-income New Yorkers — who eat more fish on average — had higher mercury levels, with almost half of Asian New Yorkers having elevated blood levels.
The average blood mercury level in women aged 20 to 49 years was 2.46 micrograms per liter, or 3 times the national average. Approximately a quarter of these women have a blood mercury level at or above 5 micrograms per liter. While these elevated levels pose little to no risk for adults, they may delay brain development for children whose mothers had high mercury levels during pregnancy. Mercury can either pass from the mother's bloodstream to the developing fetus or, in small amounts, into breast milk. Health officials warn that early exposure to mercury could cause learning problems.
"No one needs to stop eating fish, but some people may need to change the type and amount they eat. Young children, breastfeeding mothers, and women who are pregnant or planning pregnancy should eat fish that are lower in mercury and limit fish that are higher in mercury," said Daniel Kass, the Health Department's Assistant Commissioner for Environmental Surveillance and Policy.
He stressed that people should continue eating fish for its many health benefits, including its high levels of protein and heart-healthy fats. The Health Department has released a set of recommendations for pregnant and breastfeeding women and young children — appropriately entitled "Eat Fish, Choose Wisely" — that it hopes will help them make the right decisions about which fish are right for them.
According to the brochure, some of the highest mercury fish include Chilean sea bass, king mackerel, marlin, orange roughy and shark, amongst others. They recommend a variety of options for consuming fish while keeping exposure low: eat fewer or smaller servings, choose smaller fish and (obviously) choose fish lower in mercury.
To see the full NYC Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NYC-HANES) and its recommendations/tips, go here.
Via ::Environment News Service: One in Every Four New Yorkers' Blood High in Mercury (news website)
See also: ::Mercury Poisoning: It's Not Just Fish..., ::Want Good Fish? Think Salmon., ::Wal-Mart Sets 100% Sustainable Fish Target for North America
Image courtesy of Bien Stephenson
Another input to NY'ers mercury diets is the use of mercury in traditional medicines. There has been a crackdown in the selling of mercury in Latino "botanicas" but it remains popular among new immigrants. It used to be used in curing infections and parasitic infestations, and heavy metals still have their medical place, albeit a very small one.
Article like this one, which appear several times a year, mix cause and effect, leaving readers without any understanding of how to prevent the problem from worsening.
Mercury contamination of fish is worsening because of coal burning. There is no other source as significant and as widespread. Aerosols and particulates that fall upon the land and into freshwaters end up in the marine food chain, made more mobile by the acid rain also caused by coal burning.