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MERCURY CONCENTRATION IN FISH FROM STREAMS/RIVERS THROUGHOUT THE WESTERN UNITED STATES
Citation:
PETERSON, S. A., J. VANSICKLE, A. T. HERLIHY, AND R. M. HUGHES. MERCURY CONCENTRATION IN FISH FROM STREAMS/RIVERS THROUGHOUT THE WESTERN UNITED STATES. Presented at Central and Eastern European Conference on Health and the Environment, Bratislava, SLOVAKIA, October 22 - 25, 2006.
Description:
We collected 2,707 fish from 626 stream/river sites in 12 western USA states using a probability design to assess the spatial extent of whole fish mercury (Hg) concentrations. In all large (> 120 mm) fish, Hg concentrations (mean µg¿g-1; SD) in both piscivores (0.260; 0.241) and non-piscivores (0.090; 0.101) exceeded the wet weight detection limit of 0.0024 µg•g-1. Hg levels were most strongly related to fish length and trophic guild rather than environmental factors tested. We constructed a model to predict filet Hg concentrations from whole fish Hg concentrations. Salmonidae, the most commonly occurring family, exceeded 0.1 µg Hg•g-1 (deemed protective for fish-eating mammals) in 11.1% of assessed stream length and exceeded the filet equivalent of 0.3 µg Hg•g-1 (USEPA human consumption advisory level) in 2.3% of assessed stream length. Piscivores were found at fewer sites, but their Hg concentrations exceeded 0.1 µg•g-1 in 93% of assessed stream length, and the 0.3 µg Hg•g-1 filet equivalent concentration in 56.8% of assessed stream length. Our findings, coupled with those of others, suggest long range atmospheric transport is a key factor relative to Hg in fish across the western USA.