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EPA IRIS — Methylmercury Oral Reference Dose

A US federal methylmercury assessment providing an oral reference dose based on developmental neurotoxicity in offspring exposed through maternal seafood consumption.

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Overview

The EPA Integrated Risk Information System chemical assessment for methylmercury (CASRN 22967-92-6) provides the operative US federal oral reference dose for methylmercury exposure, anchored on developmental neurotoxicity observed in the Faroe Islands and Seychelles cohort studies (EPA IRIS methylmercury (MeHg)). The RfD was last revised July 27, 2001 and remains in force; methylmercury is currently in step 1 of EPA’s IRIS reassessment process (EPA IRIS MeHg).

ParameterValue
Oral RfD0.1 µg MeHg/kg b.w./day (1 × 10⁻⁴ mg/kg/day)
CASRN22967-92-6
Critical endpointDevelopmental neurotoxicity in offspring of mothers consuming methylmercury-contaminated seafood
Cohort basisFaroe Islands (primary); Seychelles considered
Last revised2001-07-27
Reassessment statusIn step 1 (draft scoping) at IRIS

The EPA RfD of 0.1 µg/kg/day (EPA IRIS MeHg) is approximately equivalent to the JECFA PTWI of 1.6 µg/kg/week (daily-equivalent ~0.23 µg/kg/day) (JECFA 61st) and the EFSA TWI of 1.3 µg/kg/week (daily-equivalent ~0.19 µg/kg/day) (EFSA 2012 mercury opinion) — all three are anchored on the same developmental neurotoxicity endpoint and the same cohort literature, and arrive at similar daily-equivalent values despite different averaging windows.

Sources

  • EPA IRIS MeHg — EPA IRIS Chemical Assessment Summary, Methylmercury.

References

Works cited in this page’s text, in first-appearance order. See Sources for this page’s source inventory. Each title links to a source record with bibliographic details, reported findings, and document provenance.

  1. Methylmercury (MeHg) — IRIS Chemical Assessment SummaryU.S. Environmental Protection Agency · 2001 · iris.epa.govGovernment
  2. Evaluation of Certain Food Additives and Contaminants (Methylmercury), 61st Meeting of JECFAJoint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives · WHO Technical Report Series 922 · 2004 · doi.org/10.1016/s0168-1605(03)00167-3Government
  3. Scientific Opinion on the Risk for Public Health Related to the Presence of Mercury and Methylmercury in FoodEFSA Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain (CONTAM) · EFSA Journal 2012;10(12):2985 · 2012 · doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2012.2985Government

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