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In vivo uptake of iodine from a Fucus serratus Linnaeus seaweed bath: does volatile iodine contribute?

Environmental Geochemistry and Health volume 40, pages 683–691 (2018)Cite this article

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Abstract

Seaweed baths containing Fucus serratus Linnaeus are a rich source of iodine which has the potential to increase the urinary iodide concentration (UIC) of the bather. In this study, the range of total iodine concentration in seawater (22–105 µg L−1) and seaweed baths (808–13,734 µg L−1) was measured over 1 year. The seasonal trend shows minimum levels in summer (May–July) and maximum in winter (November–January). The bathwater pH was found to be acidic, average pH 5.9 ± 0.3. An in vivo study with 30 volunteers was undertaken to measure the UIC of 15 bathers immersed in the bath and 15 non-bathers sitting adjacent to the bath. Their UIC was analysed pre- and post-seaweed bath and corrected for creatinine concentration. The corrected UIC of the population shows an increase following the seaweed bath from a pre-treatment median of 76 µg L−1 to a post-treatment median of 95 µg L−1. The pre-treatment UIC for both groups did not indicate significant difference (p = 0.479); however, the post-treatment UIC for both did (p = 0.015) where the median bather test UIC was 86 µg L−1 and the non-bather UIC test was 105 µg L−1. Results indicate the bath has the potential to increase the UIC by a significant amount and that inhalation of volatile iodine is a more significant contributor to UIC than previously documented.

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Abbreviations

ANOVA:

Analysis of variance

CV:

Coefficient of variation

DW:

Dry weight

IDD:

Iodine deficiency disorders

IO3 − :

Iodate

I− :

Iodide

I2 :

Iodine

SD:

Standard deviation

SK:

Sandell–Kolthoff

UIC:

Urinary iodine concentration

WHO:

World Health Organisation

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Acknowledgements

This research was financially supported by a President’s Bursary Award from the Institute of Technology Sligo. Seaweed samples and seaweed baths for the in vivo study were generously provided by Voya Seaweed Baths, Sligo. We acknowledge the technical assistance of Noreen Montgomery and Lydia Kirk of Sligo University Hospital and Dr James Murphy and Marcus Colon at Institute of Technology Sligo. We wish to also thank the volunteers who participated in the in vivo study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Life Science, School of Science, Institute of Technology Sligo, Ash Lane, Sligo, F91 YW50, Ireland

    Tarha Westby, Aodhmar Cadogan & Geraldine Duignan

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  1. Tarha Westby
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  2. Aodhmar Cadogan
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  3. Geraldine Duignan
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Correspondence to Geraldine Duignan.

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Westby, T., Cadogan, A. & Duignan, G. In vivo uptake of iodine from a Fucus serratus Linnaeus seaweed bath: does volatile iodine contribute?. Environ Geochem Health 40, 683–691 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-017-0015-6

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Keywords

  • Seaweed bath thalassotherapy
  • Fucus serratus Linnaeus
  • pH
  • Iodine
  • Urinary iodine
  • Inhalation