Mercury speciation and safety of fish from important fishing locations in the Czech Republic

Renáta Kenšová, Kamila Kružíková and Zdeňka Svobodová
Additional contact information
Renáta Kenšová: Department of Veterinary Public Health and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
Kamila Kružíková: Department of Veterinary Public Health and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
Zdeňka Svobodová: Department of Veterinary Public Health and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Brno, Czech Republic

Czech Journal of Food Sciences, 2012, vol. 30, issue 3, 276-284

Abstract: The aim of the study was to describe the distribution of total mercury in the tissues of fish originating from important Czech fishing locations and to determine the level of methylmercury as a percentage of total mercury (Hg speciation). At six important fishing locations a total of 144 fishes of 13 species were caught and analysed. Samples of muscle, liver, gonads and scales were analysed for total mercury and in the case of muscles for methylmercury concentrations. Total mercury was determined by AAS using an AMA 254 analyser, and methylmercury determination was performed by GC/ECD using a GC-2010A chromatograph. Total mercury concentrations in muscle and other tissues of all the fish from all fishing locations were below 0.5 mg/kg, with the exception of 6 asps (Aspius aspius). A significant (P < 0.05) correlation was found between the total mercury concentrations in scales and other tissues. Methylmercury made up about 46-100% of total mercury in muscle. The overall results confirmed the good hygienic quality of fish from important Czech fishing locations.

Keywords: total mercury; methylmercury; muscle; liver; gonads; scales; MeHg/THg ratio; fish consumption (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2012
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://cjfs.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/239/2011-CJFS.html (text/html)
http://cjfs.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/239/2011-CJFS.pdf (application/pdf)
free of charge

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:caa:jnlcjf:v:30:y:2012:i:3:id:239-2011-cjfs

DOI: 10.17221/239/2011-CJFS

Access Statistics for this article

Czech Journal of Food Sciences is currently edited by Ing. Zdeňka Náglová, Ph.D.

More articles in Czech Journal of Food Sciences from Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Ivo Andrle ().