title: Mercury in freshwater, estuarine, and marine fishes from Southern Brazil and its ecological implication.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Depto. de Geociências, Fundação Universidade Federal do Rio Grande, Rio Grande, RS 96201-900, Brazil. viniciuskutter@yahoo.com.br
authors.forename: V T
authors.initials: VT
authors.lastname: Kütter
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mirlean
authors.forename: P R M
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Baisch
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Kütter
authors.forename: E V
authors.initials: EV
authors.lastname: Silva-Filho
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001938:Brazil; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005399:Fishes / Q000378:metabolism*; D020387:Food Chain; D005618:Fresh Water / Q000032:analysis*; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000737:chemistry; D012623:Seawater / Q000032:analysis*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D008628:Mercury