What is the approximate half-life of methylmercury in the human body?
Answer
Roughly 40 to 58 days.
Understanding the half-life of methylmercury is crucial for assessing cumulative exposure risk when consuming high-mercury fish. Methylmercury is not rapidly eliminated from the human body; instead, it has a relatively slow clearance rate, generally estimated to be between 40 and 58 days. This slow elimination means that if consumption of a contaminated source like orange roughy is frequent, even if only once a month, the body burden of mercury will steadily increase over time, rather than clearing between exposures.
Related Questions
Why is orange roughy consistently high in mercury regardless of where it was caught?What form of mercury found in fish poses the greatest documented risk to human health?What mercury concentration level (in ppm) generally triggers the high-mercury classification for seafood?Which specific consumer groups are most strongly advised to strictly limit or avoid high-mercury fish like orange roughy?What is the approximate half-life of methylmercury in the human body?What lower-mercury white fish options are suggested to match the flaky texture of orange roughy?In addition to human health concerns over mercury, why does Seafood Watch often advise consumers to avoid orange roughy?Which fish is explicitly mentioned as carrying substantially higher mercury levels than canned light tuna?What alternate, less risky classification might orange roughy sometimes be labeled as in a grocery store setting?What strategy is suggested for an adult who wants to consume a high-mercury fish like orange roughy while balancing overall mercury intake?