Scientific journal
Journal of Food and Nutrition Research
Summary No. 3 / 2007
ŠALGOVIČOVÁ, D. - PAVLOVIČOVÁ, D.
Dietary exposure to mercury in the Slovak Republic
Journal of Food and Nutrition Research, 46, 2007, No. 3, s. 134-143
Danka Šalgovičová, Centre for Evalution of Food Contaminants, VÚP Food Research Institute, Priemyselná 4, SK - 824 75 Bratislava 26, Slovakia. Tel.: +421 2 50237225. E-mail: salgovicova@vup.sk
Summary: The aim of the paper has been to assess the exposure of the Slovak Republic population to mercury from foods and beverages during the period from 1990 to 2004. Estimated doses of dietary mercury were based on mercury findings in analysed commodities and the respective data on consumption, and were calculated for an average inhabitant and for children of various age groups. For the survey, analytical findings in total of 53 203 samples of foods and beverages, collected at agricultural holdings, food industry enterprises, the retail network and households were utilized. Two types of consumption models have been used, for the average consumer we used HBS-based model (HBS - Household Budget Survey) as well as the model of consumption based on rational diet, and for children we used models based on rational diet. The exposure values were also expressed in terms of their share on the provisional tolerable weekly intake value (PTWI; 5 µg.kg-1 body weight per week). The evaluation suggested relatively low dietary exposure to mercury in the Slovak Republic, with rather stable trend of values during the period of observation. The PTWI value was not exceeded, and weekly intake based on HBS-based consumption model (average inhabitant of the Slovak Republic) ranged between 3.3% and 12.5% PTWI using mean findings; the corresponding values for median and the 95th percentile values were between 1.5% and 8.5%, and between 9.8% and 35.0%, respectively.
Keywords: mercury; intake; exposure assessment; food; PTWI
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