title: Mercury concentrations in fish from three major lakes in north Mississippi: Spatial and temporal differences and human health risk assessment.
abstract: The goal of this study was to compare total mercury (Hg) concentrations in fish muscle tissue and assess consumption health risks of fish collected from three north Mississippi lakes (Sardis, Enid, and Grenada) that are extensively used for fishing and recreation. Largemouth bass (LMB; n = 64), channel catfish (CC; n = 72), and white crappie (WC; n = 100), which represent a range of trophic levels, were collected during spring 2013 and 2014. Creel data estimated that anglers harvested approximately 370,000 kg of WC, 27,000 kg of CC, and 15,000 kg of LMB from the lakes annually. Median Hg wet weight concentrations were highest in LMB (443 ng/g), followed by CC (211 ng/g) and WC (192 ng/g). Fish-Hg concentrations were lower than those reported in fish >10 years ago. There were significant differences between lakes consistent across species. Grenada length-normalized fish-Hg concentrations were higher than those from Enid and Sardis. Because existing consumption advisories for CC are length based, the lack of relationship between length and Hg concentration indicated that the recommendations may not be sufficiently protective. Further, five different risk assessment paradigms yielded hazard quotient (HQ) values suggesting that existing fish consumption advisories may be insufficient to protect adults and especially children from exposure to Hg.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry , University of Mississippi , University , Mississippi , USA.
authors.forename: Stacy
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wolff
authors.affiliation: a Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry , University of Mississippi , University , Mississippi , USA.
authors.forename: Garry
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.affiliation: b College of Chemical Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology , Hangzhou , Zhejiang , China.
authors.forename: Jingjing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: c Mississippi Department of Wildlife , Fisheries, and Parks , University , Mississippi , USA.
authors.forename: Keith
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Meals
authors.affiliation: d Department of BioMolecular Sciences , Environmental Toxicology Research Program, University of Mississippi , University , Mississippi , USA.
authors.forename: Cammi
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Thornton
authors.affiliation: e Department of Biology , University of Mississippi , University , Mississippi , USA.
authors.forename: Steve
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Brewer
authors.affiliation: a Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry , University of Mississippi , University , Mississippi , USA.
authors.forename: James V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Cizdziel
authors.affiliation: d Department of BioMolecular Sciences , Environmental Toxicology Research Program, University of Mississippi , University , Mississippi , USA.
authors.forename: Kristine L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Willett
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005399:Fishes; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D007059:Ictaluridae; D060106:Lakes; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis*; D008922:Mississippi; D010473:Perciformes; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D008628:Mercury