In this study, concentrations of mercury (Hg) were analyzed in some marine biota species (fish, shrimp, and crab) from Khuzestan shore, north part of the Persian Gulf. It was also our intention to evaluate potential risks to human health associated with seafood consumption. The results indicated that concentrations of Hg in the fish and crustacean were different among the species and tissues. Liver in fish and hepatopancreas in crustacean exhibited higher Hg concentration than the other tissues. The highest concentration of Hg was detected in Acanthopagrus latus liver (1.37 µg/g), followed by Labeo rohita (0.87 µg/g), Johnius belangerii (0.79 µg/g), and Barbus grypus (0.69 µg/g), respectively. Also the highest Hg concentrations were detected in shrimp species, Penaeus semisulcatus hepatopancreas (0.95 µg/g), followed by blue crab Portunus pelagicus (0.76 µg/g) and Metapenaues affinis (0.64 µg/g), respectively. The comparison indicated that benthic species were more contaminated than were other pelagic species. The results indicated that highest concentrations of Hg between different stations were detected in Musa estuary. The Hg concentration in all species were low than standards, expect in A. latus and P. semisulcatus collected from Musa estuary (S4). The variation in Hg levels among the species is likely to have resulted from metal bioavailability, changes in tissue composition, habitat,s and locations.
Abdolahpur MonikhFHosseiniMRahmanpourS (2013a) The effect of size and sex on PCB and PAH concentrations in crab Portunus pelagicus. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment186(3): 1575–182.
2.
Abdolahpur MonikhFSafahiehARSavariA. (2013b) Heavy metal concentration in sediment, benthic, benthopelagic, and pelagic fish species from Musa Estuary (Persian Gulf). Environmental Monitoring and Assessment185(1): 215–222.
3.
AgahHLeermakersMElskensM. (2007) Total mercury and methyl mercury concentrations in fish from the Persian Gulf and the Caspian Sea. Water, Air, and Soil Pollution181: 95–105.
4.
AgahHLeermakersMElskensMFatemiSMRBaeyensW (2009) Accumulation of trace metals in the muscle and liver tissues of five fish species from the Persian Gulf. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment157: 499–514.
5.
Al-SalehIShinwariN (2002) Preliminary report on the levels of elements in four fish species from the Arabian Gulf of Saudi Arabia. Chemosphere48: 749–755.
6.
Anon (1989) Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme, Codex Committee on Food Additives and Contaminants, 21st Session March 1989, Unpublished Draft Report.
7.
BhattacharyyaSChaudhuriPDuttaS. (2010) Assessment of total mercury level in fish collected from East Calcutta Wetlands and Titagarh sewage fed aquaculture in West Bengal, India. Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology84: 618–622.
8.
BirkeMRauchR (2000) Accumulation of heavy metals in the tissues of three fish species from the Australia coasts. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment107: 123–129.
9.
BurgeraJGochfeldbM (2005) Heavy metals in commercial fish in New Jersey. Environmental Research99: 403–412.
10.
de MoraSFowlerSWyseE. (2004) Distribution of heavy metals in marine bivalves, fish and coastal sediments in Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman. Marine Pollution Bulletin49: 410–424.
11.
FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) (1983) Compilation of legal limits for hazardous substances in fish and fishery products. FAO Fishery Circular No. 464, 5–10. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome.
12.
FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) (2002) Compilation of legal limits for hazardous substances in fish and fishery products. FAO Fishery Circular No. 464, 5–10. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome.
13.
GaryARediebeKDiemeaBDogunHY (2001). Distribution of Heavy Metals in Different Tissues of the ShrimpPenaeus semiculatus and Mantis shrimp from the coastal water of Guam. The Science of the Total Environment232: 169–175.
14.
HoskinNSarifimWDlmeidaA. (2011). Distribution of trace elements in the tissues of four shrimp species from the USA coastal. Bulletin of Environmnental Contamination and Toxicology44: 479–486.
15.
HosseiniMNabaviSMBParsaY (2013) Bioaccumulation of mercury in trophic level of benthic, benthopelagic, pelagic fish species and sea bird from Arvand river, Iran. Biological Trace Element Research156(1–3): 175–180.
16.
HosseiniMNabaviSMBAbadi BastamiA. (2012) Mercury concentration in tissues of blue swimming crab, Portunus pelagicus (Linnaeus, 1758) and sediments from Persian Gulf coasts, Iran. World Applied Sciences Journal18(3): 322–327.
17.
HouserovaPKubanVSpurnyP. (2006) Determination of total mercury and mercury species in fish and aquatic ecosystems of Moravian rivers. Veterinarni Medicina51: 101–110.
18.
KargınFDonmezACogunHY (2001) Distribution of heavy metals in different tissues of the Shrimp Penaeus semiculatus and Metapenaeus monocerus from the Iskenderun Gulf, Turkey: seasonal variations. Bulletin of Environmnental Contamination and Toxicology66: 102–109.
19.
KhansariFEGhazi-KhansariMAbdollahiM (2005) Heavy metals content of canned tuna fish. Food Chemistry93: 293–296.
20.
MieiroCLPachecoMPereiraaME. (2009) Mercury distribution in key tissues of fish (Liza aurata) inhabiting a contaminated estuary-implications for human and ecosystem health risk assessment. Journal of Environmental Monitoring11: 1004–1012.
21.
OzdenO (2010) Seasonal differences in the trace metal and macrominerals in shrimp (Parapenaus longirostris) from Marmara Sea. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment162: 191–199.
22.
PethybridgeHCossaDButlerECV (2010) Mercury in 16 demersal sharks from southeast Australia: biotic and abiotic sources of variation and consumer health implications. Marine Environmental Research69: 18–26.
23.
PourangNNikouyanADennisJH (2005) Trace element concentrations in fish, surficial sediments and water from northern part of the Persian Gulf. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment109: 293–316.
24.
RaymondLJRalstonNVC (2004) Mercury: selenium interactions and health implications. Seychelles Medical and Dental Journal7(1): 72–77.
25.
RatkowskyDADixTGWilsonKC (1975) Mercury in fish in the Derwent Estuary, Tasmania, and its relation to the position of the fish in the food chain. Australian Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research26: 223–231.
26.
RisherJF (2003) Elemental Mercury and Inorganic Mercury Compounds: Human Health Aspects. Geneva: World Health Organization.
27.
ROPME (1999) Regional report of the state of the marine environment. Kuwait: Regional Organization for the Protection of The Marine Environment (ROPME), p.220.
28.
SankarTVZynudheenAAAnandanR. (2006) Distribution of organochlorine pesticides and heavy metal residues in fish and shellfish from Calicut region, Kerala, India. Chemosphere65: 583–590.
29.
TayebiLSobhanardakaniSFarmanyF. (2011) Mercury content in edible part of Otolithes Ruber marketed in Hamedan, Iran. World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology59: 1527–1529.
30.
WHO (World Health Organization) (1996) Health criteria other supporting information. In: Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality, vol. 2, 2nd ed., pp. 31–388. Geneva: WHO.
31.
YiYWangZZhangK. (2008) Sediment pollution and its effect on fish through food chain in the Yangtze River. International Journal of Sediment Research23: 338–347.
32.
YılmazABYılmazL (2007) Influences of sex and seasons on levels of heavy metals in tissues of green tiger shrimp (Penaeus semisulcatus de Hann, 1844). Food Chemistry101: 1664–1669.
