Analysis of mercury in head hair samples collected from inhabitants of Kuala Juru fishing village, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia

Fishing is one of the most important industries in Malaysia, providing the people with employment and supplying them with protein from the fish. Fish comprises about 80% of the protein intake of the population. In recent years industrialization and urbanization have encroached into many coastal fishing villages, which in many cases cause water pollution. As a result, the livelihood of small inshore fisherman have been threatened or destroyed. At the same time coastal fishes are contaminated by pollutants from industrial wastes especially the toxic heavy metals. The studies showed that the average mercury levels in commercial marine fishes marketed in Malaysia range from 0.08 - 0.046 mg/kg wet weight. It is apparent that fish is a possible source of mercury exposure to the general population in Malaysia. Per capita fish consumption in Malaysia is 100 g/d/person, and there are efforts by the Malaysian Government to increase fish consumption to 300 g/day/person. 7 refs, 1 tab