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Mercury accumulation in selected tissues of shrimp Penaeus merguiensis from Musa estuary, Persian Gulf: variations related to sex, size, and season

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Abstract

The levels of mercury in tissues of Penaeus merguiensis from Musa estuary, northwest of the Persian Gulf, were investigated. This study assessed the relationship between mercury levels in hepatopancrea, gill, and muscle with sex, size, and season. The order of mercury concentrations in tissues of the shrimp P. merguiensis was as follows: hepatopancreas > gill > muscle. There was a positive correlation between mercury concentrations in shrimp species with sex and size of its food items. We expected to see higher mercury levels in tissues of female species because they are larger and can eat larger food items. Also, there was a positive correlation between mercury concentrations in shrimp species with its food source. Therefore, female species feed more on shrimp and plant and are contaminated with high levels of mercury. There was significant difference (p < 0.05) in mercury levels between different seasons; higher mercury levels were found in July (summer season).

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Prof. Bahram Kiabi, Prof. Jabar Salamat, Moemen Ali Peery, Akbar Almasi, Hakim, and Latif Monikhi, Dr. Ali Hossein Jalilian, and Dr. Hasan Abdolahpur. This research was supported by the Khoramshahr University of Marine Science and Technology and Environment Protection Institute of Tehran, Iran.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Marine Biology, Faculty of Biological Science, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran

    Mehdi Hosseini

  2. Department of Marine Biology, Faculty of Marine Science, Khoramshahr University of Marine Science and Technology, Khoramshahr, Iran

    Seyed Mohammad Bagher Nabavi, Yaghoob Parsa & Rashid Alijani Ardashir

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  1. Mehdi Hosseini
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  2. Seyed Mohammad Bagher Nabavi
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  3. Yaghoob Parsa
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  4. Rashid Alijani Ardashir
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Correspondence to Mehdi Hosseini.

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Hosseini, M., Nabavi, S.M.B., Parsa, Y. et al. Mercury accumulation in selected tissues of shrimp Penaeus merguiensis from Musa estuary, Persian Gulf: variations related to sex, size, and season. Environ Monit Assess 186, 5439–5446 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-014-3793-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-014-3793-7

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