Hair mercury value and fish‐eating habit

Mercury levels in the hair segment close to the scalp were well correlated with fish‐eating habits for residents on a small island in the south of Japanese mainlands. Mercury levels changed in segmented hair samples along with the distance from the scalp. The time of sprouting of hair segment in which the mercury level showed the peak coincided well with the peak of catch of fish on the island.

Index terms:

• Mercury
• Hair analysis
• Hair mercury value
• Fish‐eating
• Fish‐haul
• Islands of Japan