Measuring Mercury in Dietary Supplements
Author Information
Author(s): Keith E. Levine, Michael A. Levine, Frank X. Weber, Ye Hu, Jason Perlmutter, Peter M. Grohse
Primary Institution: RTI International
Hypothesis
The study aims to determine the mercury content in various dietary supplements using a new analysis technique.
Conclusion
The study found that some dietary supplements, particularly fish oil products, contained significant levels of mercury, while others had low levels.
Supporting Evidence
- The highest mercury concentration found was 123 ng/g in a concentrated salmon oil sample.
- Ten replicate preparations of a standard reference material showed an average mercury recovery of 109%.
- The method quantitation limit was determined to be 0.3 ng, corresponding to 1.5 ng/g sample.
Takeaway
The researchers checked 40 different dietary supplements for mercury, and some had a lot more than others, especially fish oil.
Methodology
The study used thermal decomposition, amalgamation, and atomic absorption spectrometry to analyze the mercury content in dietary supplements.
Limitations
Only one lot of each product was tested, which may not represent lot-to-lot variability.
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