15 Sea Fish That Can Contain High Mercury, Did You Know?

Jakarta –

Even though fish is one of the healthiest foods, some types of sea fish contain high levels of mercury. Mercury is a heavy metal element, which can be found naturally in soil, air and water.

Methylmercury is a type commonly found in fish, and can be very toxic. The mercury content poses a risk of endangering health if consumed excessively.

Sea Fish Containing High Mercury

The level or content of mercury in fish is measured in parts per million (ppm). The amount of mercury in fish and seafood depends on the species and the level of pollution in the environment.

A 2000 study by MM Storelli 1 dant heavy metals, GO Marcotrigiano published in the National Library of Medicine, stated that overall, longer-lived and larger fish tend to contain the most mercury. Currently, swordfish is the fish that contains the highest mercury content.

Based on data from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the following is the order of fish that are highly contaminated with mercury based on ppm levels:

1. Swordfish: 0.995 ppm
   Shark: 0.979 ppm
   King mackerel: 0.730 ppm
   Bigeye tuna: 0.689 ppm
   Marlin: 0.485 ppm
   Canned tuna: 0.128 ppm
   Cod: 0.111 ppm
   Whitefish: 0.089 ppm
   Herring: 0.084 ppm
   Hake: 0.079 ppm
   Trout: 0.071 ppm
   Haddock: 0.055 ppm
   Whiting fish: 0.051 ppm
   Atlantic mackerel: 0.050 ppm
   Pollock: 0.031 ppm

Why Does Fish Contain Mercury?
Reported by Healthline, sea water only contains small concentrations of methylmercury. However, marine plants such as algae will absorb it.

Then, the fish eat the algae, thereby absorbing and retaining the mercury. Therefore, larger predatory fish then accumulate higher levels from eating smaller fish.

It is not surprising that larger predatory fish may contain up to 10 times higher concentrations of mercury than the fish they consume. This process is known as biomagnification.

The Effect of Mercury on Health

Exposure to even small amounts of mercury can have serious health consequences. High mercury levels can harm heart health and brain function.

The following are some of the impacts of mercury poisoning on body health:

• Linked to brain problems, such as decreased fine motor skills, dexterity, memory and attention.
• It has been linked to conditions such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, autism, anxiety, and depression.
• High blood pressure.
• Increased risk of heart attack and bad low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol.

In fact, the health benefits of consuming fish may outweigh the risks. Therefore, it is recommended to limit the intake of fish with high mercury levels.

(kq/fds)