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Mercury accumulation in relation to size and age of Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus harengus) from the southwestern Bay of Fundy, Canada

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Abstract

Measured muscle and whole fish total mercury concentrations showed significant positive correlations with age, weight and length, in order of decreasing correlation. Within herring age classes, however, muscle and whole fish mercury concentrations showed significant negative correlations with weight and length due to a ‘growth dilution’ effect in 1- and 2-year-old herring, but demonstrated positive correlations with weight and length in 3- to 5-year-old fish. A bioenergetics-based pollutant accumulation model was used to describe total mercury accumulation for the commercially valuable Atlantic herring aged 3 to 5 years with the predicted values falling within one standard deviation of the measured annual body burdens.

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  1. Department of Zoology, University of Guelph, N1G 2W1, Guelph, Ontario, Canada

    Birgit M. Braune

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  1. Birgit M. Braune
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Braune, B.M. Mercury accumulation in relation to size and age of Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus harengus) from the southwestern Bay of Fundy, Canada. Arch. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 16, 311–320 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01054948

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01054948

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