A human-health risk assessment of dietary methylmercury exposure in Fort Albany First Nation

In Northern First Nations communities, traditional diets are a primary pathway for essential nutrients and exposures to environmental contaminants. Due to long-range transport and industry pollution, Fort Albany First Nation is a community at risk of methylmercury exposures through fish. It’s ability to bioaccumulate, and its neurotoxic and developmental impacts, make its presence a concern. This study assessed five fish species for methylmercury from the Albany River. All species, except for Pike, demonstrated a positive relationship with mercury concentrations increasing with length. A human health risk assessment was conducted and demonstrated twice the risk of exceeding the reference dose for children ages 3 to 6 for all species, and 6 to 11 for all species, excluding Whitefish. It is recommended that vulnerable populations consuming certain species of fish reduce their intakes or encourage community trading. Furthermore, there is a need for more thorough testing for mercury along the river basin