본 연구에서는 경기도내 유통되고 있는 심해성 어류 50 건을 대상으로 수은, 메틸수은의 오염도 및 셀레늄의 함 량을 알아보았다. 금아말감법의 수은분석기, ICP-MS를 사 용하여 측정하였으며 각 항목별 평균함량은 수은 0.7647 mg/ kg (0.0182-5.3620), 메틸수은 0.0764 mg/kg (0.0096-0.8750), 셀레늄 0.4728 mg/kg(0.1075-3.5100)으로 메틸수은은 50건 모두 기준규격(1.0 mg/kg) 이하로 나타났다. 셀레늄은 수 은과 결합하여 수은의 독성을 감소시키는 것으로 알려져 있으며, 본 연구과제에서는 일일평균섭취량이 3.3 μg/kg으 로 일일권장량보다 낮은 수치였다. 유해물질인 수은과 메 틸수은은 JECFA에서 설정한 PTWI의 5.7%, 1.8%로 조사 되었다. 따라서 도내에서 유통되는 심해성 어류의 수은, 메틸수은과 같은 위해중금속은 안전한 것으로 나타났지만 지속적 모니터링이 필요하다고 판단된다.
This study aimed to determine mercury (Hg), methylmercury (MeHg), and selenium (Se) levels in deep-sea fishes distributed in Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. Concentrations of Hg, MeHg, and Se were measured by using a mercury analyzer and Inductively Coupled Plasma – Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). The average content (mg/ kg) in the seafood samples was as follows: Hg, 0.7647 (0.0182–5.3620), MeHg, 0.0764 (0.0096–0.8750), and Se, 0.4728 (0.1075–3.5100). All the levels of MeHg were below the recommended standards of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety i.e., <1.0 mg/kg. Recent studies have shown that Se prevents Hg toxicity. The average daily intake in humans was 3.3 μg/kg, which was lower than the recommended amount (50–200 μg/person/day). The weekly intake of Hg and MeHg was calculated to be 6.07% and 1.90%, respectively, of the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI). This study showed that the weekly intake of Hg and MeHg from abyssal fish was less than the PTWI recommended by the Joint FAO/WHO expert committee on food additives. Therefore, the levels reported in this study are presumed to be adequately safe.