Mercury content of some marine fish from the southern Caribbean Sea

Abstract

The mercury concentration in muscle and liver of 63 specimens, comprising 17 species of edible fish from coastal waters of the Caribbean Sea near Cumaná, was determined by cold vapour atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The Hg content of edible muscle tissue, expressed on a fresh weight basis, varied from 0.048 μg g −1 in lisa ( Mugil curema) to 0.190 μg g −1 in tajali ( Trichiurus lepturus), with an average value of 0.096 ± 0.042 μg g −1. The corresponding values for liver varied from 0.135 μg g −1 in lebranche ( Mugil brasiliensis) to 0.361 μg g −1 in tajali ( Trichiurus lepturus), with an average value of 0.269 ± 0.059 μg g −1. Of the 17 species analysed, seven had a mercury concentration > 0.10 μg g −1 and the remainder contained <0.08 μg g −1 in edible muscle tissue.