I hav always enjoyed eating tuna fish. Unfortunatley, a study of the mercury con

Question

I hav always enjoyed eating tuna fish. Unfortunatley, a study of the mercury content of canned tuna in 2010 found that chunk white tuna contains 0.6 ppm Hg and chunk Light contains 0.14 ppm. (S. L. Gerstenberger, A/ Martinson, and J. L. Kramer, Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 2010, 29, 237.) The U.S. Enciromental Protection Agency recommends no more than 0.1 µg Hg/kg body weight per day. I weigh 68 kg. How often may I eat a can containing 6 ounces (1 lb = 16 oz)of chunk white tuna so that I do not average more than 0.1 µg Hg/kg body weight per day? If I switch to chuck light tuma, how often may I eat one can?

Explanation / Answer

chunk white tuna contains 0.6ppm Hg that means 0.6mg   in 1 kg of tuna so one can (6 oz = 170.097 grams) contains

102.0582µg of Hg in chunk white tuna (since it contains 0.6mg Hg in 1000grams)

23.81µg of Hg in light tuna (since it contains 0.14mg Hg in 1000grams)

So as per US EPA a you can eat 6.8µg per day(since your body weight is 68kg and 0.1µg Hg/kg body weight per day is limit as per US EPA)

For every 15days(102.0582/6.8) you can eat 1can of chunk white tuna

     every 3.5days(23.8/6.8) you can eat 1can of chunk light tuna to maintain the Hg level in your body as per US EPA

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