Mercury Poisoning From Canned Tuna
Tuna is a healthy and popular type of fish, and canned tuna is a great way to eat healthy on the go. However, mercury poisoning has become a problem with canned tuna. By choosing the right canned tuna, you can avoid mercury exposure.
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Where Mercury Comes From
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Mercury exists in the environment naturally. However, human industrial pollution causes 2,000 tons of mercury per year to be released into the global environment. Chemical production and power generation both contribute to mercury pollution.
How Mercury Reaches the Ocean
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Mercury can be released into the ocean through wastewater or fumes from factories. During periods of rain, mercury in the air is captured and released into the ocean, where it turns into methylmercury in the water.
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Why Canned Tuna Has High Mercury Content
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Tuna are located high up on the ocean food chain. Tuna are predators and eat smaller fish. Methylmercury accumulates in these smaller fish. Predator fish such as tuna need to eat many smaller fish to survive, and thus consume a great deal of methylmercury.
Health Problems from Mercury in Canned Tuna
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According to a 2009 study conducted by the United States Geological Survey, 40 percent of mercury exposure in humans comes from eating tuna. Mercury exposure can cause serious neurological effects, such as memory loss. Pregnant women and children are especially vulnerable to mercury poisoning.
How to Choose a Safer Canned Tuna
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The safest choice is canned light tuna, but not canned white or albacore tuna. The reason is that white (albacore) tuna is located even higher on the food chain than light tuna, meaning it consumes more fish and thus has a higher mercury content.
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References
- Photo Credit salat image by Silvia Bogdanski from Fotolia.com
