Korean J Nutr.  2011 Dec;44(6):518-526. 10.4163/kjn.2011.44.6.518.

Blood Heavy Metal Concentrations of Korean Adults by Seafood Consumption Frequency: Using the Fourth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES IV), 2008

• Kim YA
• Kim YN
• Cho KD
• Kim MY
• Kim EJ
• Baek OH
• Lee BH

• KMID: 2268612
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4163/kjn.2011.44.6.518

Abstract

To determine blood heavy metal concentrations by seafood consumption in Korean adults, blood cadmium, mercury, and lead concentrations in a representative sample of 1,709 Koreans participated in the Fourth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KHANES IV-2) in 2008 were analyzed by age and seafood consumption frequency. The mean blood cadmium, mercury, and lead concentrations were 1.14 +/- 0.73 microg/L, 5.50 +/- 3.83 microg/L, and 2.56 +/- 1.22 microg/dL, respectively. The subjects aged > or = 50 years had significantly higher blood cadmium concentrations than the subjects aged 20~39 years. Blood mercury concentrations of the 50's were significantly higher than those of the 20's and 30's (p < 0.05). Approximately, 43% of males and 22% of females had blood mercury concentrations > 5.8 microg/L which is a blood mercury level equivalent to the current Reference Dose. Only 2 subjects had lead concentrations > 10 microg/dL, the standard lead level by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, USA. The subjects consuming pollack, mackerel, anchovy, corvina, shellfish, and salted seafood at least once a week had significantly higher mercury concentrations than the subjects consuming those seafoods less than once a month. However, there were no clear relationships between blood cadmium and lead concentrations and seafood consumption frequencies.

Keyword

seafood frequency; KNHANES IV; Cd; Hg; Pb

MeSH Terms

Adult
Aged
Cadmium
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.)
Female
Humans
Korea
Male
Nutrition Surveys
Perciformes
Seafood
Shellfish
Cadmium

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Percentages of subjects having blood cadmium concentrations ≥ 1.0 µg/L and mercury concentrations > 5.8 µg/L in KNHANES IV, 2008.

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  Fig. 2 Percentages of the subjects consuming fish and shellfish at least once a week with blood mercury concentrations over 5.8 µg/L in KNHANES IV, 2008.

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