Estimated exposure to mercury from fish consumption among women anglers of childbearing age in the Great Lakes region.

Women of childbearing age (WCBA) are advised by state, tribal, and federal agencies to limit their consumption of certain fish, in part, because of concerns about the ingestion of methylmercury and its impact on the development of fetuses. We studied the fish-eating habits of WCBA who had a fishing license and lived near the Great Lakes, where mercury in locally-caught fish is a concern, as these women were likely at greater risk of elevated mercury exposure than the general population. We used a web-based diary method to gather fish consumption data from WCBA anglers over a 4-month period in the summer of 2014.

Geographical distribution of perfluorinated compounds in fish from Minnesota lakes and rivers.

In response to growing interest in human exposure to perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), the state of Minnesota measured and reported PFC concentrations in fish collected from the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. To better determine the geographical distribution of PFC contamination throughout Minnesota, fish were collected from 59 lakes throughout the state and several areas along the Mississippi River.