These nutrients, especially the omega-3 fatty acids, are vital to human fetal development with eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosapentaenoic acid (DPA) contributing to development of the central nervous system (Alessandri et al., 2004 and Myers et al., 2007). Women consuming more fish during pregnancy have babies with higher IQs and fewer behavioral problems than mothers that ate little

or no fish high in omega-3 fatty acids (Hibbeln et al., 2007). Additionally, fish consumption during pregnancy has been linked to a decrease in preterm delivery (Olsen and Secher, 2002), increased likelihood of foveal steroactuity in the child (Williams et al., 2001), and to development of the child’s immune system (Denberg et al., 2005 and Dunstan et al., 2004). Consumption of fish that accumulate C59 research buy monomethyl mercury (MeHg+) in their muscle is the primary pathway of exposure to mercury (Hg) in humans (Wagemann et al., 1997). Inorganic Docetaxel nmr forms of Hg enter ecosystems through natural sources such as volcanism,

and anthropogenic sources such as mining, coal combustion, and cement production (AMAP, 2011). Hg is converted to the more toxic MeHg+ by bacteria (AMAP, 2011) and in most systems biomagnifies with each trophic transfer. MeHg+ is highly bioavailable in humans [>95% of ingested dose absorbed; Aberg et al. (1969)], easily passes the placenta to the fetus, and crosses the blood brain barrier (BBB), potentially adversely affecting the developing nervous system (Kjellström, 1991, McKeown-Eyssen et al., 1983 and Stewart et al., 2003). Nearly 100% of the Hg that bioaccumulates in upper-trophic level fish skeletal muscle is MeHg+ (Borum et al., 2001). Effects on brain function associated with prenatal MeHg+ exposure were found to be multi-focal and permanent (Debes et al., 2006) although these results may have been confounded by Staurosporine mw prenatal exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (Dietz et al., 2011). The amount of

Hg exposure to humans from fish consumption varies significantly by the age and trophic level of the fish consumed (Airey, 1983 and State of Alaska Epidemiology Bulletin, 2007) and the frequency (Gaxiola-Robles et al. companion paper) and amount (mass) of the fish meals. Pouzaud et al. (2010) found that a global increase in seafood consumption could lead to Hg exposure above some conservative consumption advisory limits for pregnant women, and examined the balance between Hg exposure risk and the beneficial effects of omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid intake. Pouzaud et al. (2010) concluded pregnant women consuming a high proportion of some fatty fish, such as sardines and salmon, meet the omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid intake requirements without exceeding the advisory limits for Hg. In addition, Myers et al.