title: Oyster Saccostrea cucullata as a biomonitor for Hg contamination and the risk to humans on the coast of Qeshm Island, Persian Gulf, Iran.
abstract: A total of 174 individuals of rocky oysters (Saccostrea cucullata) and 35 surface sediment samples were collected from seven stations off the intertidal zones of Qeshm Island, Persian Gulf, in order to study the concentration of mercury in oysters' tissues, and to investigate whether mercury concentrations in the edible soft tissues are within the permissible limits for public health. The average mercury concentrations were found as 3.44, 50.66 and 2.29 μg kg(-1) dw in the sediments, soft tissues and shells of the oysters, respectively. Results indicated that the levels of mercury in sediment differed significantly between the stations. In addition, results confirmed that the soft tissues of oysters could be a good indicator of mercury in the aquatic system. In comparison with food safety standards, mercury levels in oysters were well within the permissible limits for human consumption.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Resource and Marine Science, Tarbiat Modares University, P.O. Box 46414-356, Noor, Mazandaran, Iran.
authors.forename: Golshan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Shirneshan
authors.forename: Alireza Riyahi
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Bakhtiari
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kazemi
authors.forename: Mohsen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mohamadi
authors.forename: Nabiallah
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kheirabadi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D019156:Indian Ocean; D007492:Iran; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D010125:Ostreidae / Q000378:metabolism*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D017747:Seafood / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D008628:Mercury