Methyl Mercury & Inorganic Arsenic Testing in Food

Methyl Mercury toxicity in humans through the food chain

Mercury is considered as one of the most toxic heavy metal found in the environment. Mercury contamination in the environment has increased rapidly since the 20th century due to vast industrialization. Mercury is ranked third on the list of hazardous substances of the environment after Lead and Arsenic by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR).

The natural sources of these elements include fungicides, electronic equipment, batteries, paint, mining, pharmaceutical, and other industrial discharges. Neurotoxicity of methyl mercury is approximately 10 times more intense than inorganic mercury and hence the accurate and specific estimation of methyl mercury in marine products is important. Methyl mercury is encountered at relatively low concentrations in the environment, however with its bio amplification through the food chain, the final concentration in some of the food products reaches very high toxic levels. Minamata disease in Japan, which resulted from the intake of mercury-contaminated fish and shellfish, is one such example.

Mercury speciation analysis (Total Mercury & Methyl Mercury) in food analysis is necessary to fully estimate the toxic potential of mercury to humans

Total Arsenic and Inorganic Arsenic in Foods

Arsenic is one of the most toxic elements after Mercury. Fish and other forms of marine life feed on the algae and concentrate the arsenic compounds. However, due to the relatively low toxicity of organic arsenicals, there are not much concerns about arsenic in seafood.

Rice, on the other hand, presents a different story as it grows in flooded fields where the water can harbour inorganic Arsenicals that are readily absorbed into the growing plants and passed on to the grains. The amount of Arsenic that ends up in rice depends on the local geology. The term total Arsenic is always misleading as Inorganic Arsenic is several times more toxic than the organic form of Arsenic.

Shiva Analyticals has the best-in-class equipment for the analysis of both Total Mercury and Methyl mercury as well as Inorganic and Organic Arsenic in Marine and Agricultural Products. The speciation technics are validated and used for the analysis of agricultural, marine, and aquaculture food products for the contamination of mercury and arsenic compounds; which can rate the level of abundance in terms of its toxicity.

Please contact us at info@shivaanalyticals.com and our team of experts shall be happy to assist you with the testing of your food products and cereals for the groups of Methyl Mercury and Arsenic.