Elevation of Mercury in Human Blood from Controlled Chronic Ingestion of Methylmercury in Fish

Abstract

The relationship between the intake of methylmercury in fish and mercury in blood has been investigated in man. The intakes of methylmercury were carefully controlled and lay in the range 40-230 micrograms/day, the Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake is equivalent to about 30 micrograms/day. The results indicate that a daily intake of 1 microgram methylmercury would, at equilibrium, produce a blood mercury concentration of 0.8 micrograms/kg. There is a good close-to-linear correlation between methylmercury intake and blood mercury concentrations within the wide range of intakes employed.