State Warns of Selenium in 4 Kinds of Salton Sea Fish

The state Health Services Department advised people Wednesday to limit consumption of four species of fish caught in the Salton Sea because of high selenium content.

Selenium is a trace element that is necessary for human and animal nutrition in minute quantities, but is toxic in larger amounts. It was blamed for deforming wildfowl at the Kesterson Wildlife Refuge.

The state Water Resources Control Board said that tests in 1984 showed a selenium level of 3.1 parts per million in four orangemouth corvina caught in the Salton Sea.

Further tests in 1985 showed selenium levels of 3.8 parts per million in seven croakers, 3.6 ppm in six orangemouth corvina, 2.1 ppm in six sargo and 1.7 ppm in five tilapia.

While there is no official standard for selenium, the Department of Health Services says that two ppm is a level of concern for human consumption.

The agency advised people to limit consumption of the four species of fish from Salton Sea to one four-ounce portion every two weeks, or one eight-ounce portion per month.

The fish should be avoided altogether by women of child-bearing age and by children under 15, the department said.

Excessive selenium can cause growth and developmental defects in the young, and reproductive, neurologic, gastrointestinal and dermatologic effects in adults, the department said.