For Louisianians, seafood is a dietary staple. But recent attention turned to increased mercury levels in fresh and marine water fish are making many people question if the familiar taste is worth the risk.
Mercury is a toxic element that affects the nervous system and can lead to severe neurological damage. Mercury occurs naturally in the air, but also can be released from industrial plants after burning fossil fuels into air and water.
Traces of methylmercury, an organic form of mercury, can be found in nearly all fish, and can accumulate to dangerous levels in some fish consumed by humans.
By consuming that methylmercury, humans are putting themselves at risk for mercury poisoning.
Such fish can be especially dangerous to pregnant women and young children. The US Food and Drug Administration recommends that pregnant women avoid consuming fish with high levels of methylmercury such as swordfish, shark, king mackerel and tilefish. Though these are most serious, the FDA also warns of consuming more than 12 oz. of any fish a week.
Some studies claim to have connected the childhood neurological disorder autism, to high mercury levels obtained through immunizations.
University Environmental Studies Department Chair Ralph Portier, Ph.D., said there have been several recent investigations into vaccinations received by young children which contain a small trace of mercury as a preservative for the vaccination.
The first civil suit was filed in Austin, Texas recently alleging that the mercury-based preservative, Thimerosal, which is found in many pediatric vaccines, caused an overload of poisionous mercury in susceptible individuals and caused neurological damage.
Portier said although he thinks the link between the two is very weak, he still thinks the government will have to remove the preservative in the near future.
“Within the next few years when you go to take your child to get a shot, [the nurse] is going to pull out a pre-filled, [single use] vaccine,” Portier said.
Similarly, other groups have attempted to link high mercury levels to causing or increasing symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
Though much of the evidence is still uncertain, Portier is certain that mercury is dangerous and difficult to track.
In Louisiana, Portier said the deterioration of the coastline could also add to the problem.
“Ultimately, wetlands and swamps, those habitats purify swamps, so yes, a decrease of those will cause more mercury in our Gulf of Mexico,” Portier said.
However, it is very difficult to tell where exactly the mercury comes from due to the extremely long life cycle mercury takes to deposit, Portier said.
Currently, Louisiana plants Pioneer Chloride in St. Gabriel and PPG Industries in Lake Charles are cited in a law suit filed by the Sierra Club, National Resources Defense Council and Earth Justice Legal Defense Fund stating that the EPA is ignoring unaccounted for mercury emissions that are detrimental to public health.
Several state environmental lobbying groups called Public Interest Research Groups (PIRGs) are also tackling the issue, calling for states to pass stricter legislation to limit mercury emissions by coal-producing power plants.
Massachusetts PIRG Energy Associate Colin Peppard said that no power plants have the right to pollute, and they must pay for the emission reducing devices to protect the people.
“We will work on this campaign as long as it takes to ensure we have adequate national and state regulations,” Peppard said.
Aaron Viles, the Gulf States Field Organizer for the U.S. PIRG and U.S. PIRG Educational Fund, is heading a similar campaign from New Orleans.