Appalachian Laboratory Intern and Frostburg State University undergraduate student Kane Samuel will present a talk on his recently completed internship research project, "Mercury concentrations in our food supply: the untold story. "
Mercury is one of the most serious trace elements emitted into the environment because of its toxic effects on human health and other organisms. Mercury sources include both natural processes unfolding in the biosphere (e.g. volcanoes) and anthropogenic sources (e.g. power plants and gold mining). Here, we examined the mercury contents of corn and soybeans grown in Maryland and common foods from local grocery stores. For corn, we measured the mercury contents in the husks, leaves, roots, soil, and corn kernels. The results showed distinct differences in the mercury concentrations in the various components of the corn plants, ranging 0.2 to 49 ng/g. The mercury content in Maryland soybeans was 0.4 ng/g. We were surprised to measure detectable mercury concentrations in commonly consumed foods. The mercury contents in vegetables (carrots, potatoes, lettuce, spinach), fruit (apple and tomato) and fish ranged from 4 to 278 ng/g. The EPA recommends a daily consumption of no more than 0.1 ug of mercury per kilogram of body weight. Based on this recommendation, a 176-pound (80 kg) person should consume no more than 8 ug of mercury per day. For perspective, the consumption of one can of tuna is equivalent to 4 times more than the recommended daily consumption rate. Vegetables and fruit consumption also contribute to your daily intake of mercury, which will be discussed at this presentation.
