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Mercury and Tuna: U.S. Advice Leaves Lots of Questions
Wall Street Journal [Page A1, Column 1] ^ | August 1, 2005 | Peter Waldman

Posted on 08/01/2005 6:15:46 AM PDT by topher

[10 year old boy who eats 3 to 6 ounces of tuna a day has neurological and brain effects. Blood tests show that his mercury level was 12 times what the EPA considered safe for a 60 pound boy. Article states that solid white albacore tuna has more mercury than chunk light tuna... U.S. source of Mercury in water is coal fired power plants... Vanity introduction since this is an excerpt]

...

Ms. Davis noticed something else: Her son's fingers were starting to curl, as if he were gripping a melon. And he could no longer catch a football.

A neurologist ordered tests. They showed Mathhew's blood level was laced with mercury in the amounts nearly double what the Environment Protoection Agency says is the safe level of exposure to the metal. Matthew had mercury poisoning, his doctors said.

The Davises had pinpointed the suspected source: tuna fish. For a year or so, starting late 2002, Matthew had gobbled three to six ounces a day of white albacore tuna. ... based on FDA data for canned albacore, he was consuming a daily does mercury at least 12 times what the EPA considered a safe level for a 60-pound child. ...

[Vanity: the article states that one microgram a day for each 22 pounds of body weight. It appears that the tuna industry may have squashed news about this even under the Clinton Administration. Apparently, there is some controversy on the Federal level about what safe levels are, and how much tuna should be consumed.

A joint Federal Safety Advisory board allows much more tuna to be consumed than is safe.]

(Excerpt) Read more at wsj.com ...


TOPICS: Extended News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: epa; fda; levels; mercury; tuna
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To: topher
"U.S. source of Mercury in water is coal fired power plants... "

Years ago a 1000 year old shark was found frozen in ice somewhere.

The 1000 year old shark had mercury levels around current levels, sugessting that sharks (fish) accumulate mercury from naturally occurring sources.

41 posted on 08/01/2005 8:24:48 AM PDT by gatex (NRA, JPFO and Gun Owners of America)
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To: Strategerist

If you have a bonefish grille near you they serve it. It's like turkey that tastes like fish.


42 posted on 08/01/2005 8:25:09 AM PDT by Perdogg
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To: Strategerist

I rate Wahoo as good as Mai-Mai (Dolphinfish). Light translucent pinkish flesh that turns snow white when cooked.

As they are a top line preditor, they will consume smaller fish and concentrate the mecury HOWEVER, like Mai-Mai they are faster growing and not as long lived and don't have the time span to collect as much mercury.

Wahoo are a BLAST to catch! Fast (about 10-12 knots) trolled lures and drift fishing live bait are normal methods. In the Gulf of Mexico they are normally in 200 plus feet of water. They hit baits at speeds up to 55 miles an hour and can pull 300 to 400 yards of line off a reel in seconds. A hard fighting fish many times the third "run" will be longer and tougher to stop than the first.


43 posted on 08/01/2005 9:47:15 AM PDT by El Laton Caliente (NRA Member & GUNSNET.NET Moderator)
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To: dawn53

I had all the mercury fillings in my teeth replaced a little at a time. My mouth was full. Wondering if that added to my poor health. We just didn't know about these things years ago when my teeth were getting filled.

Dr. Whitaker, a physician who is into alternative medicines and supplements, claims he has a site where you can buy tuna that doesn't have mercury in it. Probably $50 a can! (LOL) Maryxxx


44 posted on 08/01/2005 10:02:12 AM PDT by Marysecretary (Thank you, Lord, for FOUR MORE YEARS!!!)
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To: topher
since it cannot be mined here in this country anymore.

Ahem; DM&E RR is engaged in building a new line to supplement the curreent DM&E and BN&SF rail lines out of Wyoming's Powder River Basin, strictly to accomodate coal trains.

Basin Energy, a generating coop that sells power to other upper Midwestern electrical coops has mines near (like next to) some of their power plants in ND. Near those mines are more mines owned by regular coal mining companies, which supply coal to Midwestern and Northeastern power plants.

That is just part of the current & expanding WY, ND, & SD coal mining industry. There's plenty more coal mining elsewhere in the west.

45 posted on 08/01/2005 11:45:54 AM PDT by ApplegateRanch (The Marching Morons are coming...and they're breeding beyond all reason!)
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To: ApplegateRanch
Ahem; DM&E RR is engaged in building a new line to supplement the curreent DM&E and BN&SF rail lines out of Wyoming's Powder River Basin, strictly to accomodate coal trains.

I know in the past Environmentalists and O.S.H.A. has caused the mining industry alot of headaches.

President FDR outlawed gold mining in the US because of the "emergency of World War II". My understanding that this shut down most gold mines in the US never to re-open.

West Virginia and Pennsylvania used to coal mining areas, but I don't know the current status.

I was unaware of the efforts out West!

46 posted on 08/02/2005 12:23:24 AM PDT by topher (God bless our troops and protect them)
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To: gatex
The 1000 year old shark had mercury levels around current levels, suggesting that sharks (fish) accumulate mercury from naturally occurring sources.

I did some google searches, and it appears volcanic activity is a concern for some -- for putting Mercury into the atmosphere. I don't know how much of a factor it is...

It appears that volcanic eruptions can sprew quite a bit of Mercury into the atmosphere. I imagine Mount St. Helen's recently, and Krakatoa (1800's) could have put more Mercury in the atmosphere than all the coal fired power plants in the 20th Century and 21st Century (not counting smelters). Plus there are a number of active volcanoes such as Hawaii and other places that may be naturally adding to the Mercury in the atmosphere.

47 posted on 08/02/2005 12:29:35 AM PDT by topher (God bless our troops and protect them)
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To: brytlea

Have you ever tried canned Salmon? It appears this is clearly significantly lower than tunafish from the chart...


48 posted on 08/02/2005 12:32:16 AM PDT by topher (God bless our troops and protect them)
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To: Strategerist

I have canned wahoo, if yer interested....


49 posted on 08/02/2005 12:38:42 AM PDT by Experiment 6-2-6 (When the disbeliever sees this, he will say, 'How nice if I was also turned into sand.')
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To: topher
I have known women who want to stay thin that eat a can of tuna a day

One of my friends, a poor grad student, was eating canned tuna because she had no money. She ended up with some memory loss and nerve damage in her fingers.

With a stack of Chicken of the Sea from Sam's Club in my own closet, I was naturally concerned when she told me of her recent diagnosis of mercury poisoning, but she told me she had bought the cheap, no name tuna, so I feel a little better.

50 posted on 08/02/2005 12:43:03 AM PDT by radiohead (Proud member of the 'arrogant supermagt')
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To: topher

I only remember canned salmon from when I was a kid and my mom would make salmon cakes....which I hated. Of course, my taste buds have matured. Perhaps I should give it a go!
Thanks
susie


51 posted on 08/02/2005 11:42:22 AM PDT by brytlea (All you need as ID to vote in FL is your Costco card...)
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To: topher
Here is a well written paper that should provide some balance to the immediate blame of mercury for this boy's condition. The World Health Organization, for example, suggests a mercury intake limit of 0.2 ug per Kg of body weight is sufficient, rather than the limit of 0.1 ug per Kg recommended by the EPA.

Like all MSM stories, and particularly ones that involve environmental issues, is pays to remember the mantra: It ain't necessarily so.

52 posted on 08/02/2005 11:51:48 AM PDT by TChris ("You tweachewous miscweant!" - Elmer Fudd)
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To: topher

http://www.junkscience.com/feb05/FINAL-HouseResourcesCmteRelease.pdf


53 posted on 08/06/2005 7:16:58 AM PDT by Perdogg
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