Assessment of the Exposure to Methylmercury in Fish

Among Low Income Pregnant Women and Children in Miami, Florida

Abstract: Methyl mercury is a potent neurotoxin, particularly to fetuses and young children (from one to six years of age). Methyl mercury levels are reportedly high in numerous fish species in the ocean, the Florida Everglades and certain surrounding canals in South Florida. There are no recent data in high risk human populations, particularly in pregnant women and young children in South Florida. The objective of this proposed Pilot Study is to measure the content of methyl mercury in fish from the ocean, the Everglades and South Florida canals, and to assess the fish consumption patterns and to measure the content of methyl mercury in the hair of pregnant women and young children who frequently consume fish contaminated with methyl mercury. The hypothesis is that methylmercury-contaminated fish represents a significant contribution to the body burden in South Florida low-income consumers as compared to the body burden in other U.S. populations. This hypothesis will be tested by pursuing two specific aims: 1) Determine the content of methyl mercury in fish from the ocean, the Everglades and South Florida canals; and 2) Determine the extent to which frequent consumption of these contaminated fish is related to high methyl mercury levels in pregnant women and young children living in South Florida. Under the second aim, a survey questionnaire will be administered to the participants and/or their parents or guardians to assess their fish consumption patterns, and samples of hair from the study subjects will be analyzed for methyl mercury content. The proposed research is significant because it is expected to advance and expand the understanding of how high local levels of methyl mercury in the fish of the ocean, Everglades and South Florida canals lead through fish consumption patterns to high methyl mercury levels in pregnant women and young children in Miami Dade County.