TY - JOUR
T1 - Biomagnification of mercury and selenium in blue shark Prionace glauca from the Pacific Ocean off Mexico
AU - Escobar-Sánchez, Ofelia
AU - Galván-Magaña, Felipe
AU - Rosíles-Martínez, René
N1 - Funding Information:
Our data fit within the certified value of mercury given by the International Atomic Energy Agency of Monaco (IAEA-407), (0.22 μg/g, range, 0.22–0.23). We obtained a value of 0.206 μg/g (n=10) with a percentage of recovery of 93.6%; the validation showed that the method used was adequate for our study.
PY - 2011/12
Y1 - 2011/12
N2 - The aim of this study was to determine the biomagnification of mercury through the principal prey of the blue shark, Prionace glauca, off the western coast of Baja California Sur, Mexico, as well as the relationship between mercury and selenium in blue sharks. High levels of mercury were found in shark muscle tissues (1.39±1.58 μg/g wet weight); these values are above the allowed 1.0 μg/g for human consumption. The mercury to selenium molar ratio was 1:0.2. We found a low correlation between mercury bioaccumulation and shark size. Juveniles have lower concentrations of mercury than adults. Regarding the analyzed prey, the main prey of the blue shark, pelagic red crab, Pleuroncodes planipes, bioaccumulated 0.04±0.01 μg/g Hg wet weight, but the prey with higher bioaccumulation was the bullet fish Auxis spp. (0.20±0.02 μg/g wet weight). In terms of volume, the red crab P. planipes can be the prey that provides high levels of mercury to the blue shark.
AB - The aim of this study was to determine the biomagnification of mercury through the principal prey of the blue shark, Prionace glauca, off the western coast of Baja California Sur, Mexico, as well as the relationship between mercury and selenium in blue sharks. High levels of mercury were found in shark muscle tissues (1.39±1.58 μg/g wet weight); these values are above the allowed 1.0 μg/g for human consumption. The mercury to selenium molar ratio was 1:0.2. We found a low correlation between mercury bioaccumulation and shark size. Juveniles have lower concentrations of mercury than adults. Regarding the analyzed prey, the main prey of the blue shark, pelagic red crab, Pleuroncodes planipes, bioaccumulated 0.04±0.01 μg/g Hg wet weight, but the prey with higher bioaccumulation was the bullet fish Auxis spp. (0.20±0.02 μg/g wet weight). In terms of volume, the red crab P. planipes can be the prey that provides high levels of mercury to the blue shark.
KW - Bioaccumulation
KW - Biomagnification
KW - Heavy metal
KW - Mercury
KW - Selenium
KW - Shark
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84155165117&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s12011-011-9040-y
DO - 10.1007/s12011-011-9040-y
M3 - Artículo
SN - 0163-4984
VL - 144
SP - 550
EP - 559
JO - Biological Trace Element Research
JF - Biological Trace Element Research
IS - 1-3
ER -