Contamination survey of mercury in whale products and its safety

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Contamination levels of mercury in internal organs of toothed whales sold in Wakayama Prefecture were extremely high, enough to cause the acute intoxication. The highest concentration of total mercury found in liver was about 2000 ppm (Sci. Total Environ., 300, 15-22, 2002).Oral administration of boiled liver of toothed whale containing about 2000 ppm to rats caused the acute renal intoxication (Arch. Environ. Contain Toxicol., 44,412-416, 2003).Marked differences in contamination levels of mercury were found among odontocete species and caught off areas (Environ. Sci. Technol., 37, 2681-2685, 2003).The highest concentrations of total methyl mercury of methyl mercury found in red meat originating from a false killer whale were 81 and 26.2 ppm, respectively (Cehmosphere, 54, 1653-1662, 2004).The occasional consumption of red meat from small cetaceans could pose a health problem for not only pregnant women but also for general population (Chmosphese, in press).The organochlorine contaminants extracted from whale products was readily transferred to rat embryos in the whale embryo cultured system and caused the teratogenic effect (Organohalogen Compounds, 55, 421-423, 2003).Marked difference in contamination levels of total mercury was found among tuna species.