Importance of Testing for Mercury in Fish
Mercury poses a serious health risk to humans. Mercury poisoning causes impairment of peripheral vision, lack of coordination, muscle weakness, tremors and diminished cognitive function. In the United States, most individuals are exposed to mercury through the consumption of fish and seafood, which illustrates the importance of mercury testing in fish.
Mercury Testing in FISH by the FDA
The FDA uses two different testing methods: the High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and the Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP MS). HPLC passes a sample through a column of stationary material and uses a detector to analyze the time it takes for the compounds in the sample to pass through the column. This "retention time" can then be used to determine the quantities of the compound present in the sample. ICP MS uses a plasma or gas passed through a series of apertures into an analyzer that measures the mass-to-charge ratio of isotopes within the elements in the plasma or gas. A high degree of scientific understanding is necessary to use these types of test; however, Micro Analytical Systems, Inc. has developed Safe Harbor, which has greatly simplified the process of detecting mercury levels in fish.
Micro Analytical Systems, Inc. and Safe Harbor
Micro Analytical Systems, Inc. (MASI) has revolutionized the way mercury testing is conducted in fish. MASI tests more seafood than any company or government in the world, providing consumers and distributors of seafood with seafood certified through their testing procedures. Called Safe Harbor, the MASI Mercury Measurement Analyzer is the first process to accurately test mercury levels in all types of fish.
Mercury Testing Using the MASI Analyzer
According to the "Safe Harbor News," the testing involves taking a small sample of fish and inserting into the testing unit. The system then analyzes the mercury level of the sample. In her article, "Is Your Fish High in Mercury?" Megan Lisman interviews "Safe Harbor" founder Malcom Wittenberg who describes the process as one where a 50mg sample is analyzed and results are compared within the machine to acceptable mercury levels of the species of fish being tested according to standards set by the National Institute of Standards and Technology. The MASI Mercury Measurement Analyzer is capable of testing samples within a minute and returns either a green signal if at acceptable levels or a red signal indicating contamination above accepted levels.
Tags: Safe Harbor, Analytical Systems, mercury levels, Micro Analytical, Micro Analytical Systems, fish Mercury
