Summary
Samples of fish from freshwater sources of rivers, lakes and ponds all over the state of South Carolina were collected during the Summer of 1974 and 1975. The fish collected were Bass,A Bluegill, Redbreast, Catfish, Shad, Carp, Crappie, Mudfish and Pike. Samples were analyzed using the flameless atomic absorption procedure outlined by Hatch and Ott, and Uthe et al as modified for use with Perkin-Elmer, Coleman MAS-50 mercury analyzer. Triplicate samples of fish tissue were analyzed by wet digestion method. The mean mercury levels in ppb were determined for baseline mercury levels. A significant finding of this report is that those species for which fish of widely differing weights were analyzed, larger fish had higher mercury levels. Mercury levels exceeding the U.S. Food and Drug Administration guideline of 500 ppb for fish tissues have been found in the Mudfish from Edisto River and Pike fish from Lake Murray. Higher levels of mercury occurred in the highly vascularized blood tissues of liver and kidney than in muscle. Carnivorous and bottom-feeding fishes are the most reliable indicators of mercury pollution.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
BAKIR, F., S.F. DAMLUJI, L. AMIN-ZAKI, M. MURTADHA, A. KHALIDI, N.Y. AL-RAWI, S. TIKRITI, H.I. DHAHIR, T.W. CLARKSON, J.C. SMITH and R.A. DOHERTY: Methylmercury poisoning in Iraq. Science 181, 230 (1973).
ELY, R.B.: Methylmercury poisoning in fish and human beings. Modern Medicine135 (November 1970).
HATCH, W.R., and W.L. OTT: Determination of sub-microgram quantities of mercury by atomic absorption spectrophotometry, Anal. Chem.,40, 2085 (1968).
IRUKAYAMA, K.: Jap. J. Hygeine19, 246 (1964).
JENSON, S., and A. JERNELOV: Biological methylation of mercury in aquatic organism. Nature223, 753 (1969).
KECKES, S. and J.K. MIETTENEN: Mercury as a marine pollutant. Proceedings of the F.A.O. Conference, Rome, Dec. 9–18, 1970.
KUTSUNA, M.:. Study group of Minamata Disease. Kumamoto University, Kumumoto, Japan (1968).
Ministry of Health, Japan: Report on the cases of mercury intoxications in Niigata Prefecture (1967).
UTHE, J.F., F.A.J. ARMSTRONG and M.P. STAINTON: Mercury determination in fish samples by wet digestion and flameless atomic absorption spectrophotometry, J. Fish. Res. Bd. Canada27, 805 (1970).
WOOD, J.M., F.S. KENNEDY and C.G. ROSEN: Synthesis of methylmercury compounds by extracts of a methanogenic bacterium. Nature220, 173 (1968).
WOOD, J.M., M.W. PENLEY and R. DESIMONE: Interconversion of mercury in the environment. International Atomic Commision Handbook on Mercury, Editor R.E. Jervis, Vienna (1972).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Koli, A.K., Williams, W.R., McClary, E.B. et al. Mercury levels in freshwater fish of the state of South Carolina. Bull. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 17, 82–89 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01685266
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01685266