Organic and total mercury levels in bigeye tuna, Thunnus obesus, harvested by Taiwanese fishing vessels in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans

Abstract

Muscle samples of 121 and 110 bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus) caught by Taiwanese long-line fishing vessels in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, respectively, were used to analyze total mercury (THg) and organic mercury (OHg) content. The overall THg and OHg concentrations were 0.786 ± 0.386 (0.214–3.133) and 0.595 ± 0.238 (0.143–2.222) mg kg−1 wet weight, respectively, similar to the results of previous studies. Our findings, however, reflected the highest THg and OHg concentrations for the species in each ocean among the published data. Mean THg and OHg concentrations in Atlantic tuna were significantly (p < 0.05) higher than those in Indian tuna. Two of 121 samples of tuna from the Atlantic Ocean, but no samples from the Indian Ocean, had levels of OHg above 2 mg kg−1 wet weight set by the Department of Health Taiwan, and 13 of 121 samples of tuna from the Atlantic Ocean and three of 110 samples from the Indian Ocean had levels of OHg above 1 mg kg−1 wet weight set by US FDA and WHO. Accordingly, for adult Taiwanese men and women with average body weight of 65 and 55 kg, respectively, the maximum allowable weekly intake of bigeye tuna is suggested to be 170 and 145 g, respectively.