FISHERY BULLETIN: VOL. 71. NO. 3 



From the printouts for each run, the following 

 figures were tabulated: ■* 



1. The estimated daily intake level exceeded 

 by only 1% of the individuals in the sample 

 (referred to as the 1% level). 



2. The estimated daily intake level exceeded 

 by only 0.1% of individuals in the sample 

 (referred to as the 0.1% level). 



3. The coded identity and estimated daily 

 intake level of the four families with the 

 highest intakes. 



4. The average estimated daily intake of all 

 individuals in the survey. 



SUMMARY OF RESULTS 



The results are summarized in Table 4. They 

 show: 



1. Based on the input levels used, 99.9% of 

 the sample population had an intake of 

 less than 30 i^ig/day, the acceptable daily 

 intake (ADI) which forms the basis of 

 FDA's present 0.5 ppm guideline (99.9% 

 level). 



2. The maximum intake was 31.7 /jg/day, 

 and this level was reached by one family 

 comprising four individuals, the only family 

 which exceeded 30 A'g/day. 



3. Ninety-nine percent of the test group had 

 intakes below 17 jL/g/day, just over one- 

 half of the present ADI (1% level). 



4. The average intake was 2.48 jug/day, 

 around 8% of the present ADI. 



5. The application of guidelines reduced the 

 higher estimated intakes substantially but 

 reduced the average intake by a pro- 

 portionately smaller amount. 



6. The application of the present 0.5 ppm 

 guideline reduced the highest intake to 



Table 4. — Summary of imake estimates using Data 

 Base l(Mg/day).' 



^ Preliminary runs had shown that one family consisting 

 of a single individual had a mercury intake around 

 50% higher than the next highest family under all 

 conditions. This individual had reported for a period 

 of 6 mo a total consumption of lake trout of 891 oz 

 (equivalent to 4.9 oz/day). Review of the associated 

 data showed him to have an annual income of $500, 

 a 4th-grade education, and to have purchased 62 lb 

 during a single 2-week reporting period, and none at 

 other times. His total expenditure for the lake trout 

 was given as $8.00, which is much less than the usual 

 retail value of this amount. This report was judged to 

 be returned or entered erroneously and was omitted. 



' Intake levels in jug/day exceeded by only 0.1°o and 1.0% 

 of the test group. 



21.3 jUg/day, the 99.9% level to 20 lUg/day, 

 and the average level to 1.99 A^g/day. 



7. The application of a 1.0 ppm guideline 

 reduced the highest intake to 24.6 jUg/day, 

 the 0.1% level to 25.0 Mg/day, and the 

 average level to 2.23/ig/day. 



8. The application of a 1.5 ppm guideline 

 reduced the highest intake to 27.2 jUg/day, 

 the 0.1% level to 26 /Jg/day, and the 

 average level to 2.28 jug/day. 



Swordfish are found to have mercury levels 

 considerably higher than those of other common 

 marine food species. This species has in conse- 

 quence been largely eliminated from the U.S. 

 market. The effect of this upon mercury intakes 

 was investigated by making a run in which 

 swordfish was eliminated by putting a level 

 of zero into the program. The results are shown 

 in Table 5. 



It may be seen that elimination of swordfish 

 gives intake levels which are substantially 

 lower. 



This reflects the substantial contribution that 

 swordfish makes to the mercury intake in the 

 diets of high fish consumers. These estimates 

 indicate that if swordfish were to be eliminated 

 from the diet, and no guideline applied, 99.9% 

 of the sample would have a daily intake not 

 exceeding 19 ^/g/day and the highest intake 



Table 5. — Effect of eliminating swordfish in intakes 



(Mg/day).' 



' Intake levels in/ig/day exceeded by only 0.1% and 1.0% 

 of the test group. 



622 



