Mercury contaminations in fish

There are two basics types of mercury, inorganic and organic. The organic type is also known as methylmercury. It forms when inorganic mercury gets into water systems. Mercury usually leaches into these waters naturally from soil and rocks. But burning of coal, waste incineration, and other hazardous human activity produce the most mercury.

Bacteria in the water and sediment will convert these inorganic mercury into methylmercury. These bacteria, including algae take up the methylmercury as part of their food. They then in turn consumed by larger organisms. Moving up the food chain, as bigger organisms consume larger quantities of the smaller ones, the dose of methylmercury accumulates and become concentrated.

Since fish are less efficient at depurating than accumulating methylmercury, fish-tissue concentrations increase over time. The top predator fish can have levels of methylmercury in their muscle tissue between 10,000 and 100,000 times higer than the water itself.

But still, the level is still very low in terms of hazard to humans. However we still need to becareful of the freshwater species like largemouth and smallmouth bass, perch, pickerel, lake trout, and walleyed pike; marine species like shark, swordfish, and tuna because they stay in the top predator group in their ecosystems.How does mercury toxic to us?
Mercury is neurotoxic, meaning it can damages the cells of the brain and the central nervous system. A person can experienced impaired vision, tingling or numbness in their hands and feet, impaired speech, hearing and walking.

Ask the pharmacist!!
Our body metabolizes half of the mercury in two months. So, a women who has built up a level of mercury in the body will still have 25% of that mercury inside her four months later. 12.5% of the original level six months later, and 6% eight months later. Therefore it is important for pregnant ladies to get consultation from the professionals regarding supplements they want to consume, even before pregnancy.

Also, because methylmercury and high levels of elemental mercury can be particularly toxic to unborn or young children, organizations such as the U.S. EPA and FDA recommend that women who are pregnant or plan to become pregnant within the next one or two years, as well as young children avoid eating more than 6 ounces (one average meal) of fish per week.

To Amch reader,
In Malaysia, we have a center which can test for mercury content.
"SIRIM QAS International Sdn Bhd located in Shah Alam. "

They use Flameless Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy Technique to test for present of mercury in the specific sample of fish oil. Our own National Pharmaceutical Control Bureau (NPCB) of Malaysia requires the fish oil's mercury to be less than 0.5 ppm.

So, you can ask for the testing certificate of the products you want to buy in order to be assure the products comply with the NPCB requirements. No certificate, no buy....haha...or buy from me, i can assure you i only keep reliable and tested brands.

Or you also can buy the fish oil and then send it to the SIRIM QAS to test for mercury. Then sue the company if the fish oil does not meet requirements...hahaha

For further information,
www.epa.gov/ost/fish