Carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios and mercury concentration in the scalp hair of residents from Taiji, a whaling town

We analyzed stable isotope ratios of carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) as well as mercury (Hg) concentration in the scalp hair of Japanese who consumed whale meat and those who did not, and investigated the relationships among the δ13C and δ15N values and Hg concentration. The average δ15N and δ13C values of whale meat-eaters (10.11‰ and −18.5‰) were significantly higher than those of non-eaters (9.28‰ and −18.9‰), respectively. The average Hg concentration of whale meat-eaters (20.6 μg/g) was significantly higher than that of non-eaters (2.20 μg/g). Significant positive correlations were found between the δ13C and δ15N values and between the δ15N value and Hg concentration in the hair of whale meat-eaters, while the correlation between the δ15N value and Hg concentration was not statistically significant in the non-eaters. The consumption of whale meat may increase Hg concentration as well as δ15N and δ13C values in scalp hair.