• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.819-823
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• 2008

Mercury and methylmercury concentrations were measured in 225 marine fish samples purchased from retail markets in 5 major Korean cities in 2005. The results showed that the concentrations of mercury and methylmercury ranged from 0.006-0.455 (mean=$0.054{\pm}0.025$) mg/kg and 0.004-0.120 (mean=$0.021{\pm}0.008$) mg/kg, respectively, in fish caught from the coastal waters of the Korean Peninsula. The concentrations in deep-sea fish including tuna ranged from 0.066-2.315 (mean=$0.095{\pm}0.640$) mg/kg for mercury and 0.027-0.897 (mean=$0.281{\pm}0.182$) mg/kg for methylmercury. The estimated weekly intakes (EWIs) of mercury and methylmercury reached 3.92 and 4.70% of the provisional tolerable weekly intakes (PTWI), respectively. Consequently, the levels of mercury and methylmercury in marine fish from current retail markets do not pose any significant health risks for Koreans.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.349-356
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• 2015

Trace metals concentrations in the tissue of edible marine fish (4 species), olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus), Korean rockfish (Sebastes schlegelii), file fish (Stephanolepis cirrhifer) and abbysal searobin (Lepidotrigla abyssalis), collected near the Yongho wharf in Busan were determined to assess the potential human health risk (HRA) of trace metals by fish consumption. Levels of Li, Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Cd, and Pb in the fish tissue were $0.005{\pm}0.009$, $0.77{\pm}0.30$, $0.29{\pm}0.34$, $0.49{\pm}0.14$, $15.96{\pm}2.52$, $10.62{\pm}4.67$, $0.001{\pm}0.002$, and $0.045{\pm}0.06mg/kgdw$ respectively. The estimated daily intakes of Cu and Zn and the estimated weekly intakes of As, Cd, and Pb from the fish collected near the Yongho wharf were 0.0032, 0.054-0.18% of PMTDI (provisional maximum tolerable daily intake) and 13, 0.0041, 0.020% of PTWI (provisional tolerable weekly intake) which were set to evaluate the food safeties by the JFCFA (The Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives). Lifetime cancer risk and target hazard for local residents due to those fish consumption were found to be negligible.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.606-612
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to investigate certain heavy metals (Hg, Pb, Cd, Cu) in 144 samples of cephalopods, to identify weekly heavy metal intakes and to evaluate potential health risks. The average concentrations in the arm, expressed in mg/kg, were: Hg 0.017 (less than the limit of detection (LOD) to 0.059), Pb 0.024 (less than the LOD to 0.092), Cd 0.030 (less than the LOD to 0.627) and Cu 2.536 (less than the LOD to 5.837). The average concentration in the internal organs, expressed in mg/kg, were: Hg 0.063 (from 0.008 to 0.543), Pb 0.579 (less than the LOD to 2.344), Cd 15.200 (from 0.654 to 75.29) and Cu 201.706 (from 2.412 to 856.4). Heavy metal concentrations were higher in the organs than in the arm. Of the four heavy metals, the ratio of internal organs to arm was highest for cadmium. The weekly intakes of Hg, Pb, Cd and Cu from Octopus minor were 0.2%, 0.08%, 0.20% and 0.00%, respectively from the arm, and 1.0%, 0.96%, 92.28% and 0.05% from the internal organs as compared to PTWI (provisional tolerable weekly intakes) established by the FAO/WHO Expert Committee for Food Safety Evaluation.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.523-526
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• 2004

There are few studies on toxic metals in fruits. Therefore, we examined contents of toxic metals in fruits (n=386) available in Korean markets. The samples were digested with acids, then analyzed by inductively coupled plasma spectrometer (ICP) or atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS) for lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and arsenic (As). The contents of mercury (Hg) were also determined using a mercury analyzer, Contents of toxic metals in fruits were as follows [minimum-maximum (mean), mg/kg]; Hg 0.0001-0.019 (0.001), Pb 0.001-0.410 (0.013), Cd 0.001-0.035 (0.000), and As 0.001-0.210 (0.017). Our results showed that metal contents in fruits in Korean markets were similar to those reported in other countries. Average weekly intakes of Hg, Pb, and Cd from fruits are about 1-2% of Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intakes (PTWI) set by FAO/WHO Joint Food Additive and Contaminants Committee for safety evaluation.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.375-378
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• 2004

There are few studies on toxic metals in crustaceans available in Korea. Therefore, this study was conducted to estimate content of toxic metals in crustaceans (n=58). Samples were digested with acids and analysed by inductively coupled plasma spectrometer (ICP) or atomic absorption spectrometer (AAS) for lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and arsenic (As). Mercury (Hg) contents were determined using mercury analyzer. Toxic metal contents [minimum-maximum (mean), mg/kg] in crustaceans were as follows; Hg 0.004-0.28 (0.06), Pb ND-0.31 (0.03), Cd 0.003-0.92 (0.14), and As 0.01-35.9 (6.63). Our results demonstrated that metal contents in crustaceans on Korean markets were similar to those reported in other countries. Our average weekly intakes of Pb, Cd, and Hg from crustaceans were lower than 1% of Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intakes (PTWI) set by Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee for food safety evaluation.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.32-36
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• 2001

This study was conducted to estimate the contents of trace metals in vegetable which were produced in Korea. The levels of trace metals determined using a mercury analyzer, and ICP (inductively coupled plasma spectrometer) and an AAS (atomic absorption spectrophotometer) after wet digestion. The values of trace metals [minimum~maximum (mean), mg/kg] in vegetables were a follows ; Hg : 0.0001~0.019 (0.002), Pb : 0.001~0.28 (0.02), Cd : 0.001~0.078 (0.016), As : 0.001~0.06 (0.02), Cu : 0.06~24.81 (0.77), Mn : 0.17~15.12 (2.32), Zn : 0.13~28.70 (2.51). These results showed that metal contents in vegetables on domestic markets were similar to those reported in other countries. The weekly average intakes of lead, cadmium and mercury from vegetables take 2~7% of PTWI (Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intakes) that the FAO/WHO Joint Food Additive and Contaminants Committee had set to evaluate their safeties.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.49 no.5
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• pp.541-555
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• 2016

This study determined the concentrations of lead and cadmium in 18 species of commonly consumed fish and assessed the risk based on provisional tolerable weekly (monthly) intakes [PTW(M)I] % as affected by behavioral characteristics, such as migration and settlement. In the 18 species, the mean concentrations of lead and cadmium were higher in the 11 species of migratory fish (llargehead hairtail Trichiurus lepturus, chub mackerel Scomber japonicus, Pacific saury Cololabis saira, skipjack tuna Katsuwonus pelamis, Pacific cod Gadus macrocephalus, anchovy Engraulis japonicus, Alaska pollack Theragra chalcogramm, brown croaker Miichthys miiuy, Japanese Spanish mackerel Scomberomorus niphonius, yellow croaker Larimichthys polyactis, and Pacific herring Clupea pallasii) than in the seven demersal species (red stingray Dasyatis akajei, brown sole Pleuronectes herzensteini, bastard halibut Paralichthys olivaceus, conger eel Conger myriaster, blackmouth angler Lophiomus setigerus, rockfish Sebastes schlegelii, and filefish Stephanolepis cirrhifer). Based on the mean concentrations, the PTWI % of lead and cadmium in commonly consumed migratory fish were 1.900 and 2.986%, respectively, which were higher than the values for lead and cadmium in the commonly consumed demersal fishes (0.257 and 0.318%, respectively). The estimation of weekly (monthly) intakes and target hazard quotients for the toxic elements lead and cadmium revealed that the commonly consumed migratory and demersal fish do not pose any health risks for consumers.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.50 no.6
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• pp.675-683
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• 2017

Total mercury (T-Hg) and methyl mercury (MeHg) were determined in marine fisheries (41 species, n=87) commonly consumed in Korea, using a gold amalgamation method and gas chromatography-cold vapor atomic fluorescent spectroscopy, respectively. Concentrations of T-Hg and MeHg in all samples (31 fish, 4 crustaceans, 4 cephalopods, and 2 gastropod species) were in the range of 0.016-0.495 (mean, 0.093) mg/kg-wet and not detected-0.338 (mean, 0.067) mg/kg-wet, respectively. The concentrations of MeHg in marine fisheries were significantly correlated with T-Hg concentrations (P<0.001). The highest mean concentrations of T-Hg and MeHg were found in fish species, followed by crustaceans. The contribution of MeHg to T-Hg was in the range of 64-95% (mean, 83%) in cephalopods, 28-98% (mean, 69%) in fish, and 26-88% (mean, 57%) in crustaceans. The weekly intakes of T-Hg and MeHg by fisheries consumption for the Korean general population were estimated to be 0.463 and $0.338{\mu}g/kg$ body weight/week, respectively. The concentrations and intakes of T-Hg and MeHg were less than the allowable residue levels and in the range of 12 to 17% of the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) applied in Korea.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.342-346
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• 2003

This study was conducted to examine the contents of heavy metals in beverages and to estimate their intakes. The contents of lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), and tin (Sn) were determined in a total of 207 samples of beverages using atomic absorption spectrophotometer(AAS) and inductively coupled plasma spectrometer(ICP). Also a mercury analyzer was utilized for analysis of mercury. The values of heavy metals in beverages were as follows [min-max (mean), mg/kg]; Hg 0.0001-0.0025 (0.0004), As ND-0.0245 (0.0003), Pb ND-0.089 (0.004), Cd ND-0.006 (0.001), Sn ND-45.36 (1.97). Our results were similar to those reported by other countries. Our weekly intakes of heavy metals from beverages take $0.01%{\sim}0.06%$ of PTWI (Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake) established by FAO/WHO.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.517-524
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• 2009

We collected 177 fishes representing 53 species of fish from the eastern (Pohang), western (Gunsan), and southern (Tongyeong) coasts of Korea, and measured their heavy metal contents. The mean recoveries of the heavy metals extracted from cod muscle (certified reference material, CRM) were $88.7{\sim}100.6%$. The mean levels of the heavy metals in the samples taken from the edible portion of each fish were high in the order of Zn ($8.981{\pm}4.835{\mu}g/g$), Cu ($0.755{\pm}0.507{\mu}g/g$), and Mn ($0.433{\pm}0.699{\mu}g/g$), which are necessary metals in the human body, and then followed by Cr ($0.206{\pm}0.181{\mu}g/g$), Ni ($0.081{\pm}0.110{\mu}g/g$), Pb ($0.038{\pm}0.046{\mu}g/g$), Cd ($0.017{\pm}0.023{\mu}g/g$). The average daily intakes of the heavy metals by the fishes were as follows: Cd (0.81 ${\mu}g$), Cr (9.98 ${\mu}g$), Cu (36.63 ${\mu}g$), Mn (21.01 ${\mu}g$), Ni (3.93 ${\mu}g$), Pb (1.84 ${\mu}g$) and Zn (435.58 ${\mu}g$). The average weekly intakes of Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn by the fishes were 1.35%, 0.12%, 0.86%, and 0.73% respectively, as compared with PTWI (Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intakes) established by FAO/WHO Expert Committee for Food Safety Evaluation.