Mercury in freshwater, estuarine, and marine fishes from Southern Brazil and its ecological implication

• Published in: Environmental Monitoring and Assessment
• Main Authors: Kütter, Vinicius Tavares, Mirlean, Nicolai, Baisch, Paulo Roberto Martins, Kütter, Mateus Tavares, Silva-Filho, Emmanoel Vieira da
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2009
• Subjects: Mercury; Ecological impact; Aquatic environment; Patos lagoon; Southern Brazil; South Pole; South pole
• Online Access: http://repositorio.furg.br/handle/1/2008; https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-008-0610-1

In this study, we measured the mercury concentration in 27 different fish species with high commercial value. Samples were taken from a region characterized by the diversity of aquatic environments. Mercury concentration in marine fish species varied from 30.4 to 216 ng g−1, while in estuarine species, it varied from 12.4 to 60.3 ng g−1. Compared to mercury concentration in marine species, none of the specimens from estuarine environment has reached a mercury concentration of 100 ng g−1.However, mercury concentrations in species from the freshwater Patos lagoon are remarkably higher (15.3 to 462 ng g−1) than those from the estuarine or marine region. Even though mercury concentrations in these fish species did not exceed the maximum level (500 ng g−1) allowed by WHO for human consumption, they represent the main food source for sea birds and mammals coming from South Pole during their migration period.