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MEASUREMENT OF MECURY IN FISH SCALES AS AN ASSESSMENT METHOD FOR PREDICTING MUSCLE TISSUE MERCURY CNOCENTRATIONS IN LARGEMOUTH BASS
Citation:
LAKE, J. L., S. A. RYBA, J. R. SERBST, AND A. D. LIBBY. MEASUREMENT OF MECURY IN FISH SCALES AS AN ASSESSMENT METHOD FOR PREDICTING MUSCLE TISSUE MERCURY CNOCENTRATIONS IN LARGEMOUTH BASS. ARCHIVES OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY. Springer, New York, NY, 50(4):539-544, (2006).
Impact/Purpose:
To determine whether fish scale analysis would allow a nonlethal and convenient method for predicting mercury concentrations in tissues
Description:
The relationship between total mercury (Hg) concentration in fish scales and in tissues of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) from 20 freshwater sites was developed and evaluated to determine whether scale analysis would allow a non lethal and convenient method for predicting mercury concentrations in tissues. The relationship of total Hg concentrations between untreated scale samples and tissues showed high variance. Several different scale treatments were tried in an effort to increase the coefficient of determination and thereby enhance the effectiveness of this predictive technique. Washing treatments with acetone, DI water, solutions of a detergent and a soap were used in conjunction with ultra sonication to treat scales. The use of a mild soap solution with heating and ultrasonication increased the r2 the most (from 0.69 (untreated scales) to 0.89). As a result of variance remaining in this relationship and with inclusion variance in scale analysis, rather wide predictions of tissue concentrations from scale analysis were obtained. However, scale analysis can be used to establish the acceptability of fish given a criterion based on Hg in fish muscle tissue. Scale analysis also appears to have potential for assessing general trends in contamination, for comparison of levels from different geographical areas, and as a first level screen for assessing Hg contamination at sites.