Abstract

Recent scientific studies have demonstrated selenium’s importance in human health and its dietary role in ameliorating mercury’s potential toxic effects. Selenium has a high molecular binding affinity for mercury and thus helps to prevent possible mercury toxicity. Although selenium has been known to counteract mercury toxicity since the 1960s, controversy still exists over the inclusion of selenium data in consumption advisories for mercury in fishes. Consideration of selenium in assessing mercury toxicity and the development of a Se-Health Benefit Value are new concepts, not currently in use. To better understand the relevance of these data to fish consumption and public health, a national workshop was held in October 2012 in Point Clear, Alabama, with recognized scientists examining the mercury/selenium issue. A review of that workshop is provided and data on mercury/selenium values and ratios for selected Gulf of Mexico inshore and offshore fishes from Mississippi are presented.

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