Blood Heavy Metal Concentrations of Korean Adults by Seafood Consumption Frequency: Using the Fourth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES IV), 2008

Abstract

To determine blood heavy metal concentrations by seafood consumption in Korean adults, blood cadmium, mercury, and lead concentrations in a representative sample of 1,709 Koreans participated in the Fourth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KHANES IV-2) in 2008 were analyzed by age and seafood consumption frequency. The mean blood cadmium, mercury, and lead concentrations were 1.14 ± 0.73 μg/L, 5.50 ± 3.83 μg/L, and 2.56 ± 1.22 μg/dL, respectively. The subjects aged ≥ 50 years had significantly higher blood cadmium concentrations than the subjects aged 20~39 years. Blood mercury concentrations of the 50’s were significantly higher than those of the 20’s and 30’s (p ＜ 0.05). Approximately, 43% of males and 22% of females had blood mercury concentrations ＞ 5.8 μg/L which is a blood mercury level equivalent to the current Reference Dose. Only 2 subjects had lead concentrations ＞ 10 μg/dL, the standard lead level by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, USA. The subjects consuming pollack, mackerel, anchovy, corvina, shellfish, and salted seafood at least once a week had significantly higher mercury concentrations than the subjects consuming those seafoods less than once a month. However, there were no clear relationships between blood cadmium and lead concentrations and seafood consumption frequencies. (Korean J Nutr 2011; 44(6): 518 ~ 526)