Whether you believe the Hollywood rumor that Jeremy Piven dropped out of the Broadway production of Speed-the-Plow due to a heavy regime of partying and a subsequent rehab session, or his doctor’s assertion that the star was ill due to mercury poisoning from a high dose of sushi (two servings per day, Pivs? Good Lord), the winner in this agent’s nightmare is awareness of mercury contamination.
Piven went on Good Morning America on Thursday to explain himself, warn about excessive consumption of fish high on the food chain like tuna, and point people to BlueVoice.org. BlueVoice correctly pins the blame largely on coal-burning power plants and their propensity to sprinkle lakes, rivers, and oceans with emissions high in methylmercury that bioaccumulates up the food chain. I’d call that, um, a quicksilver lining.
Ask Umbra on ditching dirty things
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Sam Wells Posted 12:52 pm
17 Jan 2009
The article was saved by the admission that coal burning is a major pathway to mercury poisoning, man & fish alike. Thanks BlueVoice for setting things right.
If you want the straight facts, New York is one of the few places that gets this highest grade of tuna, which has the highest methylmercury levels. Most of the East Coast bluefin are babies that don't have enough time to bioaccumulate high mercury levels before they are brought to market. If you are worried about the issue, try dolohinfish, also called Mahi-Mahi. It makes excellent sashimi and has almost no mercury in it.
-sammie
Onward through the fog
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