Addressing Uncertainties in Potential Human Dietary Exposure to Mercury in the Watershed of the South River, Virginia, USA.

This article focuses on assessing human exposure to mercury (Hg) through consumption of nonfish dietary items—specifically livestock, poultry, and wildlife—in the South River watershed near the former DuPont facility in Waynesboro, Virginia, USA. Due to insufficient site-specific data for these food sources, studies conducted from 2008 to 2014 measured total mercury (THg) and methylmercury (MeHg) concentrations in edible tissues and eggs of free-range poultry, beef cattle, and various wildlife species collected within the watershed. Results indicated that Hg levels in poultry muscle and eggs, as well as beef muscle and milk, generally posed little concern for limiting consumption, whereas organ meats from poultry and certain wildlife, notably snapping turtles, exhibited higher Hg concentrations warranting consumption restrictions. These findings filled critical data gaps for the human health risk assessment under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act framework and were communicated to local communities via fact sheets to guide safe dietary practices.