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Total and organic mercury concentrations in white muscles of albacore (Thunnus alalunga) and bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus) in Pacific Ocean

The objects of this study were to investigate the differences of total mercury(THg), organic mercury(OHg) concentrations in the muscles of albacore and bigeye tuna from the Pacific Ocean, and the THg and OHg concentration in the livers , and the trace elements (Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn) in the muscles and livers of albacore, in order to evaluate the bioaccumulative status of the oceanic migratory fishes. Meanwhile, The relationships between mercury concentration and size (length and weight) and age were established, and the differences of mercury concentrations in the
tuna between species and geography were examined. And that the safety consumption level was also discussed.
One hundred eighty-five albacore and 134 bigeye tuna were sampled from the period October 2001 to April 2006 and from September 2005 to November 2006, respectively, in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean.
The results showed that the average THg (mg/kg flesh wt.) and OHg (mg/kg flesh wt.) of muscles were 0.435¡Ó0.145 and 0.279¡Ó0.087, respectively, for albacore, and 0.935¡Ó0.655 and 0.544¡Ó0.396, respectively, for bigeye tuna. The THg and OHg of livers of albacore were 0.426¡Ó0.363 and 0.193¡Ó0.121, respectively. The average OHg percentages of the THg in albacore and bigeye tuna were 67¡Ó19 % and 62¡Ó20 %, respectively. Except there was no significant correlation between OHg and age in the liver of albacore, the THg and OHg in the muscles, and THg in the livers of albacore, and THg in the muscles of bigeye tuna showed a positive correlation with size and age. The THg and OHg levels in the muscles of albacore were lower than those of bigeye tuna, and the accumulative rates of THg and OHg in albacore were lower than those in bigeye tuna. No significant different of muscles-THg and -OHg concentrations of albacore from the four samplind areas. However, the THg and OHg levels in muscle of bigeye tuna showed that north group higher than those in equator.
The concentrations of THg were similar in muscle and liver of albacore, but those OHg, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn concentrations in liver were significantly higher than those in muscle. A detoxificated mechanism may be commenced when the concentration of THg in liver of albacore exceed 0.8 mg/kg, to maintain the muscle concentration of THg at a level about 0.7 mg/kg.
The OHg concentrations of all albacore and 88% of bigeye tuna were below WHO food safety standard for migratory fishes(1.0 mg/kg). The consumption amount of albacore and bigeye tuna were no more than 300 and 150g, respectively, will not exceesed the PTWI(provisional tolerable weekly intake) set by WHO, that will not cause any health threat for consumer.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:NSYSU/oai:NSYSU:etd-0325109-151110
Date25 March 2009
CreatorsLai, Chien-Cheng
ContributorsMeng-Hsien Chen, Chien-Chung Hsu, Chiee-Young Chen, Chiu-Long Chou, Jiann-Chu Chen
PublisherNSYSU
Source SetsNSYSU Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Archive
LanguageCholon
Detected LanguageEnglish
Typetext
Formatapplication/pdf
Sourcehttp://etd.lib.nsysu.edu.tw/ETD-db/ETD-search/view_etd?URN=etd-0325109-151110
Rightscampus_withheld, Copyright information available at source archive

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