Investigator: David Taylor, Roger Williams University

Scientific Theme: Molecular Toxicology

Abstract: Fish are an excellent source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids that provide numerous health benefits to human consumers. However, contaminants in some fish may be sufficiently high to adversely affect human health. For example, methylmercury (MeHg) is a toxic environmental contaminant that poses significant risk to human health, and exposure occurs mainly through dietary intake of contaminated fish. To minimize MeHg exposure, government agencies issue consumption advisories to inform the public of potential health risks of eating fish. The successful development and implementation of consumption advisories for marine fishes, however, are limited by several key factors. First, advisories focused on marine fish consumption lack geographic specificity, and thus, are possibly misguided and ineffective because they do not account for small-scale spatial variations in MeHg contamination. Second, national advisories emphasize fish species that are identified as high-risk for MeHg, and thus, there is sparse information for presumed low-risk species. This undermines health benefits provided by fish that pose little threat to the health of fish-consuming citizens. Third, there are limited available data on the co-occurrence of nutrients in fish tissue that mitigate MeHg toxicity, e.g., protective effects of selenium (Se). Acquiring such data will support public health risk assessments and risk management decisions related to the issuance of fish consumption advisories. This study will focus on mercury (Hg) and Se bioaccumulation in commonly-consumed marine fish in RI, where local fisheries are important dietary resources. Fish Hg data will be incorporated into exposure assessment models to estimate human exposure to Hg due to local fish consumption. To evaluate the efficacy of this modeling approach, results will be compared to national estimates of human Hg exposure and the reference dose established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Information on human dietary exposure to local fish Hg and Se will support the development of effective consumption advisories for fisheating residents of RI.

Human Health Relevance: Mercury is a pervasive and toxic environmental contaminant, and human exposure occurs primarily through the consumption of contaminated fish. This study will measure: (1) mercury levels in marine coastal fishes, and (2) selenium concentrations in fish tissue given this element’s mitigating effect on mercury toxicity. As such, this study will support public health risk assessments and risk management decisions related to the issuance of fish advisories.