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Bioaccumulation of Mercury in Muscle Tissue of Yellowfin Tuna, Thunnus albacares, of the Eastern Pacific Ocean

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Abstract

Tuna, like most large pelagic fish, are highly exploited by man, and it is, therefore, important to determine mercury (Hg) levels in these species in order to establish allowable limits for their consumption and/or contamination levels in the environment. In this study, we evaluated Hg accumulation in yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) muscle in two different geographic sites of the eastern Pacific Ocean. There was a positive association between Hg content and tuna size in the equatorial zone (EQZ). Using adjusted sizes, the site of origin was a determinant factor in Hg accumulation. Sex, by contrast, did not affect Hg levels, suggesting that males and females have similar feeding habits. No Hg concentration was over the Hg content thresholds for large marine predators adopted by Mexican norms and by North American authorities (1 μg g−1 w.w.). Hg input due to yellowfin tuna consumption represented from 9.84% to 35.87% in Baja California Sur and from 14.78% to 53.87% in EQZ of the provisional tolerable weekly intake adopted by the World Health Organization. The target hazard quotient for Hg was <1 in each group of the population studied, which indicates that consumption of yellowfin tuna is not a threat to human health.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Robert J. Olson from the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission for providing samples. Thanks also to Fish Ecology Laboratory from CICIMAR-IPN and Jaime Ballinas Flores from the Toxicology Laboratory of the FMVZ-UNAM. FGM thanks the Instituto Politécnico Nacional (COFAA, EDI) for grants.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Bioterio de Peces y Crustáceos, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, UNAM, Circuito Exterior s/n., Cd. Universitaria, Mexico, DF, 04510, Mexico

    Alfredo Ordiano-Flores

  2. Laboratorio de Ecología de Peces, Centro Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Marinas, IPN, Ave. IPN s/n, Colonia Playa Palo de Santa Rita, 23096, La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico

    Felipe Galván-Magaña

  3. Laboratorio de Toxicología, Facultad de Veterinaria y Zootecnia, UNAM, Circuito Exterior s/n., Cd. Universitaria, Mexico, DF, 04510, Mexico

    Rene Rosiles-Martínez

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  1. Alfredo Ordiano-Flores
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  2. Felipe Galván-Magaña
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  3. Rene Rosiles-Martínez
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Correspondence to Felipe Galván-Magaña.

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Ordiano-Flores, A., Galván-Magaña, F. & Rosiles-Martínez, R. Bioaccumulation of Mercury in Muscle Tissue of Yellowfin Tuna, Thunnus albacares, of the Eastern Pacific Ocean. Biol Trace Elem Res 144, 606–620 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-011-9136-4

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