Stories
Slash Boxes
Comments

SoylentNews is people

posted by martyb on Monday June 01 2020, @12:08AM   Printer-friendly
from the fin-ished! dept.

Arthur T Knackerbracket has found the following story:

Florida International University [(FiU)] marine biology Ph.D. student Laura Garcia Barcia—collaborating with a team from the United States and Hong Kong—conducted the first study measuring levels of toxic mercury in shark fins sold in Asian markets. The team found the samples all had staggeringly high amounts of mercury that are dangerous to human health—far surpassing guidelines and legal limits set by the Hong Kong Center for Food Safety.

"The results were astonishing," Garcia Barcia said. "The mercury levels are super high and, on average, 6 to 10 times higher than what a safe level of mercury would be considered in Hong Kong."

The team examined 267 shark fin trimmings from the[sic] nine of the most common shark species in the fin trade, testing each one for levels of total mercury and methyl-mercury—the organic, highly toxic form of mercury. The concentrations in each shark fin sampled for this study exceeded the maximum legal limit in Hong Kong of 0.5 parts per million.

The highest of 55.52 parts per million came from a great hammerhead. The lowest level found in the fins sampled was 0.02 parts per million from a blue shark—the most common species found in the trade.

[...] FIU marine scientist Demian Chapman, co-author of the study, said exceeding these limits isn't just a health concern—it's actually illegal. The Hong Kong Food Adulteration Legislation states anyone who sells a food product with levels above the legal limit can face fines and criminal charges.

[...] "Not every human cares about eating an animal that's endangered. But every human is worried about their health," Chapman said. "That could be a very powerful driver of change in the future."

More information: Laura Garcia Barcia et al. Mercury and arsenic in processed fins from nine of the most traded shark species in the Hong Kong and China dried seafood markets: The potential health risks of shark fin soup, Marine Pollution Bulletin (2020). DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111281


Original Submission

 
This discussion has been archived. No new comments can be posted.
Display Options Threshold/Breakthrough Mark All as Read Mark All as Unread
The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way.
  • (Score: 1) by khallow on Tuesday June 02 2020, @03:18AM

    by khallow (3766) Subscriber Badge on Tuesday June 02 2020, @03:18AM (#1002022) Journal

    How did mercury get into the shark fins?

    I wonder if mercury is unusually concentrated in shark fins? That would be a novel biological aspect to this. Reading around, it is well known that sharks accumulate persistent toxins like mercury in their tissues, including cartilage. They aren't a good animal to eat.