Fish consumption patterns and hair mercury levels in children and their mothers in 17 EU countries

Argelia Castaño; Francisco Cutanda; Marta Esteban; Peter Pärt; Carmen Navarro; Silvia Gómez; Montserrat Rosado; Ana López; Estrella López; Karen Exley; Birgit K Schindler; Eva Govarts; Ludwine Casteleyn; Marike Kolossa-Gehring; Ulrike Fiddicke; Holger Koch; Jürgen Angerer; Elly Den Hond; Greet Schoeters; Ovnair Sepai; Milena Horvat; Lisbeth E Knudsen; Dominique Aerts; Anke Joas; Pierre Biot; Reinhard Joas; José A Jiménez-Guerrero; Gema Diaz; Catherine Pirard; Andromachi Katsonouri; Milena Cerna; Arno C Gutleb; Danuta Ligocka; Fátima M Reis; Marika Berglund; Ioana-Rodica Lupsa; Katarína Halzlová; Corinne Charlier; Elizabeth Cullen; Adamos Hadjipanayis; Andrea Krsková; Janne F Jensen; Jeanette K Nielsen; Gerda Schwedler; Michael Wilhelm; Peter Rudnai; Szilvia Középesy; Fred Davidson; Mark E Fischer; Beata Janasik; Sónia Namorado; Anca E Gurzau; Michal Jajcaj; Darja Mazej; Janja Snoj Tratnik; Kristin Larsson; Andrea Lehmann; Pierre Crettaz; Giagkos Lavranos; Manuel Posada

doi:10.1016/j.envres.2014.10.029

Fish consumption patterns and hair mercury levels in children and their mothers in 17 EU countries

Argelia Castaño, Francisco Cutanda, Marta Esteban, Peter Pärt, Carmen Navarro, Silvia Gómez, Montserrat Rosado, Ana López, Estrella López, Karen Exley, Birgit K Schindler, Eva Govarts, Ludwine Casteleyn, Marike Kolossa-Gehring, Ulrike Fiddicke, Holger Koch, Jürgen Angerer, Elly Den Hond, Greet Schoeters, Ovnair SepaiMilena Horvat, Lisbeth E Knudsen, Dominique Aerts, Anke Joas, Pierre Biot, Reinhard Joas, José A Jiménez-Guerrero, Gema Diaz, Catherine Pirard, Andromachi Katsonouri, Milena Cerna, Arno C Gutleb, Danuta Ligocka, Fátima M Reis, Marika Berglund, Ioana-Rodica Lupsa, Katarína Halzlová, Corinne Charlier, Elizabeth Cullen, Adamos Hadjipanayis, Andrea Krsková, Janne F Jensen, Jeanette K Nielsen, Gerda Schwedler, Michael Wilhelm, Peter Rudnai, Szilvia Középesy, Fred Davidson, Mark E Fischer, Beata Janasik, Sónia Namorado, Anca E Gurzau, Michal Jajcaj, Darja Mazej, Janja Snoj Tratnik, Kristin Larsson, Andrea Lehmann, Pierre Crettaz, Giagkos Lavranos, Manuel Posada

74 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The toxicity of methylmercury (MeHg) in humans is well established and the main source of exposure is via the consumption of large marine fish and mammals. Of particular concern are the potential neurodevelopmental effects of early life exposure to low-levels of MeHg. Therefore, it is important that pregnant women, children and women of childbearing age are, as far as possible, protected from MeHg exposure. Within the European project DEMOCOPHES, we have analyzed mercury (Hg) in hair in 1799 mother-child pairs from 17 European countries using a strictly harmonized protocol for mercury analysis. Parallel, harmonized questionnaires on dietary habits provided information on consumption patterns of fish and marine products. After hierarchical cluster analysis of consumption habits of the mother-child pairs, the DEMOCOPHES cohort can be classified into two branches of approximately similar size: one with high fish consumption (H) and another with low consumption (L). All countries have representatives in both branches, but Belgium, Denmark, Spain, Portugal and Sweden have twice as many or more mother-child pairs in H than in L. For Switzerland, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovenia and Slovakia the situation is the opposite, with more representatives in L than H. There is a strong correlation (r=0.72) in hair mercury concentration between the mother and child in the same family, which indicates that they have a similar exposure situation. The clustering of mother-child pairs on basis of their fish consumption revealed some interesting patterns. One is that for the same sea fish consumption, other food items of marine origin, like seafood products or shellfish, contribute significantly to the mercury levels in hair. We conclude that additional studies are needed to assess and quantify exposure to mercury from seafood products, in particular. The cluster analysis also showed that 95% of mothers who consume once per week fish only, and no other marine products, have mercury levels 0.55 μg/g. Thus, the 95th percentile of the distribution in this group is only around half the US-EPA recommended threshold of 1 μg/g mercury in hair. Consumption of freshwater fish played a minor role in contributing to mercury exposure in the studied cohort. The DEMOCOPHES data shows that there are significant differences in MeHg exposure across the EU and that exposure is highly correlated with consumption of fish and marine products. Fish and marine products are key components of a healthy human diet and are important both traditionally and culturally in many parts of Europe. Therefore, the communication of the potential risks of mercury exposure needs to be carefully balanced to take into account traditional and cultural values as well as the potential health benefits from fish consumption. European harmonized human biomonitoring programs provide an additional dimension to national HMB programs and can assist national authorities to tailor mitigation and adaptation strategies (dietary advice, risk communication, etc.) to their country's specific requirements.

Original language	English
Journal	Environmental Research
Volume	141
Pages (from-to)	58-68
Number of pages	11
ISSN	0013-9351
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2014.10.029
Publication status	Published - 1 Aug 2015

Keywords

Adult
Child
Data Interpretation, Statistical
Environmental Monitoring
Europe
Feasibility Studies
Female
Food Contamination
Food Preferences
Hair
Humans
Methylmercury Compounds
Middle Aged
Mothers
Pilot Projects
Rural Population
Seafood
Surveys and Questionnaires
Urban Population
Water Pollutants, Chemical

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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Castaño, A., Cutanda, F., Esteban, M., Pärt, P., Navarro, C., Gómez, S., Rosado, M., López, A., López, E., Exley, K., Schindler, B. K., Govarts, E., Casteleyn, L., Kolossa-Gehring, M., Fiddicke, U., Koch, H., Angerer, J., Den Hond, E., Schoeters, G., ... Posada, M. (2015). Fish consumption patterns and hair mercury levels in children and their mothers in 17 EU countries. Environmental Research, 141, 58-68. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2014.10.029

Castaño, A, Cutanda, F, Esteban, M, Pärt, P, Navarro, C, Gómez, S, Rosado, M, López, A, López, E, Exley, K, Schindler, BK, Govarts, E, Casteleyn, L, Kolossa-Gehring, M, Fiddicke, U, Koch, H, Angerer, J, Den Hond, E, Schoeters, G, Sepai, O, Horvat, M, Knudsen, LE, Aerts, D, Joas, A, Biot, P, Joas, R, Jiménez-Guerrero, JA, Diaz, G, Pirard, C, Katsonouri, A, Cerna, M, Gutleb, AC, Ligocka, D, Reis, FM, Berglund, M, Lupsa, I-R, Halzlová, K, Charlier, C, Cullen, E, Hadjipanayis, A, Krsková, A, Jensen, JF, Nielsen, JK, Schwedler, G, Wilhelm, M, Rudnai, P, Középesy, S, Davidson, F, Fischer, ME, Janasik, B, Namorado, S, Gurzau, AE, Jajcaj, M, Mazej, D, Tratnik, JS, Larsson, K, Lehmann, A, Crettaz, P, Lavranos, G & Posada, M 2015, 'Fish consumption patterns and hair mercury levels in children and their mothers in 17 EU countries', Environmental Research, vol. 141, pp. 58-68. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2014.10.029

@article{528da830ade4418f8f68eec84ab4567b,

title = "Fish consumption patterns and hair mercury levels in children and their mothers in 17 EU countries",

abstract = "The toxicity of methylmercury (MeHg) in humans is well established and the main source of exposure is via the consumption of large marine fish and mammals. Of particular concern are the potential neurodevelopmental effects of early life exposure to low-levels of MeHg. Therefore, it is important that pregnant women, children and women of childbearing age are, as far as possible, protected from MeHg exposure. Within the European project DEMOCOPHES, we have analyzed mercury (Hg) in hair in 1799 mother-child pairs from 17 European countries using a strictly harmonized protocol for mercury analysis. Parallel, harmonized questionnaires on dietary habits provided information on consumption patterns of fish and marine products. After hierarchical cluster analysis of consumption habits of the mother-child pairs, the DEMOCOPHES cohort can be classified into two branches of approximately similar size: one with high fish consumption (H) and another with low consumption (L). All countries have representatives in both branches, but Belgium, Denmark, Spain, Portugal and Sweden have twice as many or more mother-child pairs in H than in L. For Switzerland, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovenia and Slovakia the situation is the opposite, with more representatives in L than H. There is a strong correlation (r=0.72) in hair mercury concentration between the mother and child in the same family, which indicates that they have a similar exposure situation. The clustering of mother-child pairs on basis of their fish consumption revealed some interesting patterns. One is that for the same sea fish consumption, other food items of marine origin, like seafood products or shellfish, contribute significantly to the mercury levels in hair. We conclude that additional studies are needed to assess and quantify exposure to mercury from seafood products, in particular. The cluster analysis also showed that 95% of mothers who consume once per week fish only, and no other marine products, have mercury levels 0.55 μg/g. Thus, the 95th percentile of the distribution in this group is only around half the US-EPA recommended threshold of 1 μg/g mercury in hair. Consumption of freshwater fish played a minor role in contributing to mercury exposure in the studied cohort. The DEMOCOPHES data shows that there are significant differences in MeHg exposure across the EU and that exposure is highly correlated with consumption of fish and marine products. Fish and marine products are key components of a healthy human diet and are important both traditionally and culturally in many parts of Europe. Therefore, the communication of the potential risks of mercury exposure needs to be carefully balanced to take into account traditional and cultural values as well as the potential health benefits from fish consumption. European harmonized human biomonitoring programs provide an additional dimension to national HMB programs and can assist national authorities to tailor mitigation and adaptation strategies (dietary advice, risk communication, etc.) to their country's specific requirements.",

keywords = "Adult, Child, Data Interpretation, Statistical, Environmental Monitoring, Europe, Feasibility Studies, Female, Food Contamination, Food Preferences, Hair, Humans, Methylmercury Compounds, Middle Aged, Mothers, Pilot Projects, Rural Population, Seafood, Surveys and Questionnaires, Urban Population, Water Pollutants, Chemical",

author = "Argelia Casta{\~n}o and Francisco Cutanda and Marta Esteban and Peter P{\"a}rt and Carmen Navarro and Silvia G{\'o}mez and Montserrat Rosado and Ana L{\'o}pez and Estrella L{\'o}pez and Karen Exley and Schindler, {Birgit K} and Eva Govarts and Ludwine Casteleyn and Marike Kolossa-Gehring and Ulrike Fiddicke and Holger Koch and J{\"u}rgen Angerer and {Den Hond}, Elly and Greet Schoeters and Ovnair Sepai and Milena Horvat and Knudsen, {Lisbeth E} and Dominique Aerts and Anke Joas and Pierre Biot and Reinhard Joas and Jim{\'e}nez-Guerrero, {Jos{\'e} A} and Gema Diaz and Catherine Pirard and Andromachi Katsonouri and Milena Cerna and Gutleb, {Arno C} and Danuta Ligocka and Reis, {F{\'a}tima M} and Marika Berglund and Ioana-Rodica Lupsa and Katar{\'i}na Halzlov{\'a} and Corinne Charlier and Elizabeth Cullen and Adamos Hadjipanayis and Andrea Krskov{\'a} and Jensen, {Janne F} and Nielsen, {Jeanette K} and Gerda Schwedler and Michael Wilhelm and Peter Rudnai and Szilvia K{\"o}z{\'e}pesy and Fred Davidson and Fischer, {Mark E} and Beata Janasik and S{\'o}nia Namorado and Gurzau, {Anca E} and Michal Jajcaj and Darja Mazej and Tratnik, {Janja Snoj} and Kristin Larsson and Andrea Lehmann and Pierre Crettaz and Giagkos Lavranos and Manuel Posada",

year = "2015",

month = aug,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1016/j.envres.2014.10.029",

language = "English",

volume = "141",

pages = "58--68",

journal = "Environmental Research",

issn = "0013-9351",

publisher = "Academic Press",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Fish consumption patterns and hair mercury levels in children and their mothers in 17 EU countries

AU - Castaño, Argelia

AU - Cutanda, Francisco

AU - Esteban, Marta

AU - Pärt, Peter

AU - Navarro, Carmen

AU - Gómez, Silvia

AU - Rosado, Montserrat

AU - López, Ana

AU - López, Estrella

AU - Exley, Karen

AU - Schindler, Birgit K

AU - Govarts, Eva

AU - Casteleyn, Ludwine

AU - Kolossa-Gehring, Marike

AU - Fiddicke, Ulrike

AU - Koch, Holger

AU - Angerer, Jürgen

AU - Den Hond, Elly

AU - Schoeters, Greet

AU - Sepai, Ovnair

AU - Horvat, Milena

AU - Knudsen, Lisbeth E

AU - Aerts, Dominique

AU - Joas, Anke

AU - Biot, Pierre

AU - Joas, Reinhard

AU - Jiménez-Guerrero, José A

AU - Diaz, Gema

AU - Pirard, Catherine

AU - Katsonouri, Andromachi

AU - Cerna, Milena

AU - Gutleb, Arno C

AU - Ligocka, Danuta

AU - Reis, Fátima M

AU - Berglund, Marika

AU - Lupsa, Ioana-Rodica

AU - Halzlová, Katarína

AU - Charlier, Corinne

AU - Cullen, Elizabeth

AU - Hadjipanayis, Adamos

AU - Krsková, Andrea

AU - Jensen, Janne F

AU - Nielsen, Jeanette K

AU - Schwedler, Gerda

AU - Wilhelm, Michael

AU - Rudnai, Peter

AU - Középesy, Szilvia

AU - Davidson, Fred

AU - Fischer, Mark E

AU - Janasik, Beata

AU - Namorado, Sónia

AU - Gurzau, Anca E

AU - Jajcaj, Michal

AU - Mazej, Darja

AU - Tratnik, Janja Snoj

AU - Larsson, Kristin

AU - Lehmann, Andrea

AU - Crettaz, Pierre

AU - Lavranos, Giagkos

AU - Posada, Manuel

PY - 2015/8/1

Y1 - 2015/8/1

N2 - The toxicity of methylmercury (MeHg) in humans is well established and the main source of exposure is via the consumption of large marine fish and mammals. Of particular concern are the potential neurodevelopmental effects of early life exposure to low-levels of MeHg. Therefore, it is important that pregnant women, children and women of childbearing age are, as far as possible, protected from MeHg exposure. Within the European project DEMOCOPHES, we have analyzed mercury (Hg) in hair in 1799 mother-child pairs from 17 European countries using a strictly harmonized protocol for mercury analysis. Parallel, harmonized questionnaires on dietary habits provided information on consumption patterns of fish and marine products. After hierarchical cluster analysis of consumption habits of the mother-child pairs, the DEMOCOPHES cohort can be classified into two branches of approximately similar size: one with high fish consumption (H) and another with low consumption (L). All countries have representatives in both branches, but Belgium, Denmark, Spain, Portugal and Sweden have twice as many or more mother-child pairs in H than in L. For Switzerland, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovenia and Slovakia the situation is the opposite, with more representatives in L than H. There is a strong correlation (r=0.72) in hair mercury concentration between the mother and child in the same family, which indicates that they have a similar exposure situation. The clustering of mother-child pairs on basis of their fish consumption revealed some interesting patterns. One is that for the same sea fish consumption, other food items of marine origin, like seafood products or shellfish, contribute significantly to the mercury levels in hair. We conclude that additional studies are needed to assess and quantify exposure to mercury from seafood products, in particular. The cluster analysis also showed that 95% of mothers who consume once per week fish only, and no other marine products, have mercury levels 0.55 μg/g. Thus, the 95th percentile of the distribution in this group is only around half the US-EPA recommended threshold of 1 μg/g mercury in hair. Consumption of freshwater fish played a minor role in contributing to mercury exposure in the studied cohort. The DEMOCOPHES data shows that there are significant differences in MeHg exposure across the EU and that exposure is highly correlated with consumption of fish and marine products. Fish and marine products are key components of a healthy human diet and are important both traditionally and culturally in many parts of Europe. Therefore, the communication of the potential risks of mercury exposure needs to be carefully balanced to take into account traditional and cultural values as well as the potential health benefits from fish consumption. European harmonized human biomonitoring programs provide an additional dimension to national HMB programs and can assist national authorities to tailor mitigation and adaptation strategies (dietary advice, risk communication, etc.) to their country's specific requirements.

AB - The toxicity of methylmercury (MeHg) in humans is well established and the main source of exposure is via the consumption of large marine fish and mammals. Of particular concern are the potential neurodevelopmental effects of early life exposure to low-levels of MeHg. Therefore, it is important that pregnant women, children and women of childbearing age are, as far as possible, protected from MeHg exposure. Within the European project DEMOCOPHES, we have analyzed mercury (Hg) in hair in 1799 mother-child pairs from 17 European countries using a strictly harmonized protocol for mercury analysis. Parallel, harmonized questionnaires on dietary habits provided information on consumption patterns of fish and marine products. After hierarchical cluster analysis of consumption habits of the mother-child pairs, the DEMOCOPHES cohort can be classified into two branches of approximately similar size: one with high fish consumption (H) and another with low consumption (L). All countries have representatives in both branches, but Belgium, Denmark, Spain, Portugal and Sweden have twice as many or more mother-child pairs in H than in L. For Switzerland, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovenia and Slovakia the situation is the opposite, with more representatives in L than H. There is a strong correlation (r=0.72) in hair mercury concentration between the mother and child in the same family, which indicates that they have a similar exposure situation. The clustering of mother-child pairs on basis of their fish consumption revealed some interesting patterns. One is that for the same sea fish consumption, other food items of marine origin, like seafood products or shellfish, contribute significantly to the mercury levels in hair. We conclude that additional studies are needed to assess and quantify exposure to mercury from seafood products, in particular. The cluster analysis also showed that 95% of mothers who consume once per week fish only, and no other marine products, have mercury levels 0.55 μg/g. Thus, the 95th percentile of the distribution in this group is only around half the US-EPA recommended threshold of 1 μg/g mercury in hair. Consumption of freshwater fish played a minor role in contributing to mercury exposure in the studied cohort. The DEMOCOPHES data shows that there are significant differences in MeHg exposure across the EU and that exposure is highly correlated with consumption of fish and marine products. Fish and marine products are key components of a healthy human diet and are important both traditionally and culturally in many parts of Europe. Therefore, the communication of the potential risks of mercury exposure needs to be carefully balanced to take into account traditional and cultural values as well as the potential health benefits from fish consumption. European harmonized human biomonitoring programs provide an additional dimension to national HMB programs and can assist national authorities to tailor mitigation and adaptation strategies (dietary advice, risk communication, etc.) to their country's specific requirements.

KW - Adult

KW - Child

KW - Data Interpretation, Statistical

KW - Environmental Monitoring

KW - Europe

KW - Feasibility Studies

KW - Female

KW - Food Contamination

KW - Food Preferences

KW - Hair

KW - Humans

KW - Methylmercury Compounds

KW - Middle Aged

KW - Mothers

KW - Pilot Projects

KW - Rural Population

KW - Seafood

KW - Surveys and Questionnaires

KW - Urban Population

KW - Water Pollutants, Chemical

U2 - 10.1016/j.envres.2014.10.029

DO - 10.1016/j.envres.2014.10.029

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 25667172

SN - 0013-9351

VL - 141

SP - 58

EP - 68

JO - Environmental Research

JF - Environmental Research

ER -

Fish consumption patterns and hair mercury levels in children and their mothers in 17 EU countries

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

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