Supplementary information for

Shark-fin, a symbol of wealth and good fortune may pose health risks – The case of mercury

Yu Bon Mana,b,c1, Sheng Chun Wua,c1 and Ming Hung Wonga,b,c*

a School of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang Agriculture and Forestry University, Lin’an, Zhejiang 311300, China

b Department of Science and Environmental Studies, The Hong Kong Institute of Education, Tai Po, Hong Kong, China

c State Key Laboratory in Marine Pollution - Croucher Institute for Environmental Sciences, Hong Kong Baptist University and City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China

Corresponding author at: Department of Science and Environmental Studies, The

Hong Kong Institute of Education, Tai Po, Hong Kong, China. Tel.: +852 2948 8706.

E-mail address: (M.H.Wong).

1Yu Bon Man and Sheng Chun Wu contributed equally to this work.

Figure S1 Pearson correlation of total mercury (µg/kg) and MeHg (µg/kg) in the shark fin samples of Beijing and four coastal cities (Hong Kong, Shanghai, Haikou and Wenzhou) in China.

Table S1 Parameters and reference dose for estimating the human non-cancer risk after consumption of shark fins

Exposure factors / Adult / Child / Reference
Daily consumption rate of shark fins (kg/day) / 0.00175 / 0.000938 / (Census and Statistics Department 2009, 2012; Leung et al. 2000))
Extreme consumption rate of shark fins (kg/day) / 0.15 / 0.0807 / (Census and Statistics Department 2009, 2012; The 8 restaurant 2009)
Body weight, BW (kg) / 60 / 15 / (Lee et al. 1994; US EPA, 1991)
Reference dose for MeHg (µg/kg/day) / 0.1 / 0.1 / ( US EPA 2013)

Table S2 F-value and significance levels of two-way ANOVA for mercury concentrations in different locations and sizes of shark fin

Analyses of variance / F value (Total mercury) / F value (MeHg)
Location / 0.905 / 4.07**
Size / 2.24 / 1.70
Location × size / 1.59 / 0.790

** significant different level at 0.01

Table S3 Correlation matrix of shark fin mercury concentrations and length in Beijing and four coastal cities (Hong Kong, Shanghai, Haikou and Wenzhou) in China.

HK / SH
Total mercury / MeHg / Length / Total mercury / MeHg / Length
Total mercury / 1 / -0.0390 / 0.145 / Total mercury / 1 / -0.0240 / 0.521
MeHg / 1 / 0.431 / MeHg / 1 / 0.337
Length / 1 / Length / 1
BJ / HN
Total mercury / MeHg / Length / Total mercury / MeHg / Length
Total mercury / 1 / 0.640* / 0.466 / T Total mercury / 1 / 0.882** / 0.637*
MeHg / 1 / 0.415 / MeHg / 1 / 0.331
Length / 1 / Length / 1
WZ
Total mercury / MeHg / Length
Total mercury / 1 / 0.770** / -0.757**
MeHg / 1 / -0.575
Length / 1

Pearson correlation coefficients were shown. Values with * indicated that significant correlations were found at p=0.05, and values with ** indicated that significant correlations were found at p=0.01.

Note: HK Hong Kong, SH Shanghai, BJ Beijing, HN Haikou and WZ Wenzhou

Reference

Census and Statistics Department. Hong Kong Census Trade Statistic. (2009). Published by the Information Services Department, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government.

Census and Statistics Department. (2012). HONG KONG: THE FACTS. Published by the Information Services Department, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government.

Lee, M.M., Wu-williams, A., Whittemore, A.S., Zheng, S., Gallagher, R., the, C.Z., et al. (1994). Comparison of dietary habits, physical-activity and body-size among Chinese in North-America and China. International Journal of Epidemiology, 23(5), 984-990.

Leung, S., Chan, S., Lui, S., Lee, W., Davies, D. (2000). Growth and nutrition of Hong Kong children aged 0–7 years. The Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health, 36(1), 56–65.

The 8 restaurant. (2009). Grand Lisboa, Avenida de Lisboa, Macau.