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Total Mercury Distribution in Different Tissues of Frigate Tuna (Auxis thazard thazard) from the Atlantic Coastal Waters of Ghana, Gulf of Guinea

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Abstract

Total mercury concentrations in different tissues of frigate tuna fish (Auxis thazard thazard) was determined by the cold vapour atomic absorption spectrometry technique using an automatic mercury analyzer. A mixture of HNO3, HClO4 and H2SO4 was used for complete oxidation of organic tissue. The concentration of mercury obtained was in the order Gills < Stomach < Gonads < Intestine < Heart < Duodenum < Liver < Muscle. The concentration of total mercury detected in the edible muscle tissue of the tuna fish tested ranged from 0.044 to 0.201 μg g−1 (mean = 0.108 μg g−1) wet weight. These levels are all within the maximum allowed/recommended level in fish (0.5 μg g−1 wet weight) set by the Food and Agriculture Organisation/World Health Organisation (FAO/WHO) and are therefore unlikely to constitute any significant mercury exposure to the general population because of consumption of tuna fish. The results of the study suggest a relatively clean marine environment that has not been significantly impacted by mercury contamination probably due to minimal industrial activity in the region.

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  1. Department of Chemistry, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, 233, Ghana

    R. B. Voegborlo, A. A. Adimado & J. H. Ephraim

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  1. R. B. Voegborlo
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  2. A. A. Adimado
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  3. J. H. Ephraim
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Correspondence to R. B. Voegborlo.

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Voegborlo, R.B., Adimado, A.A. & Ephraim, J.H. Total Mercury Distribution in Different Tissues of Frigate Tuna (Auxis thazard thazard) from the Atlantic Coastal Waters of Ghana, Gulf of Guinea. Environ Monit Assess 132, 503–508 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-006-9552-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-006-9552-7

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