Intake of methyl mercury by the population of Mumbai, India.

Reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with ultra violet detection (UV) was optimised for separation and quantification of methyl mercury in coastal sediment and fish samples. The extraction efficiency of methyl mercury from sediment and biological samples was found to be 56% with a detection limit of 0.5 ng for a 200 microliters sample volume. The concentrations of methyl mercury and the relative fractions with respect to total mercury were distinctly lower, 5.9-65.5 ng/g (3-8%) in sediment compared to biological samples, 20.4-344.5 ng/g dry wt. (33-97%). The daily intake of methyl mercury by the Mumbai population through marine food is about 0.5 microgram forming 62% of the total mercury intake from this route.