Determination of Mercury in Baby Formula Purchased from U.S. Supermarkets

The toxic effect of mercury (Hg) in high doses has been known since the first century A.D.; however, only in recent years has low-level mercury exposure been cited as a possible contributing factor for behavioral and developmental disorders such as autism and ADD. In light of this new evidence, all possible routes of mercury exposure for infants should be assessed. In this study, the concentration of mercury in twenty baby formula types, representing all four major US brands, was measured to determine the contribution of food consumption to infant mercury exposure. Mercury levels in all samples fell below the EPA drinking water limit when compared to prepared formula concentrations. Mercury concentration was found to be correlated to formula brand but not to formula type (milk-based versus soy-based)