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Total Mercury in Liver and Muscle Tissue of Two Coastal Sharks from the Northwest of Mexico

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Abstract

Total mercury (THg) in liver and muscle of three costal sharks from Mexico were evaluated. The highest concentrations of THg in muscle tissue of juveniles were found in Sphyrna lewini (0.82 ± 0.33 mg kg−1 wet basis). Rhizoprionodon longurio adults had the highest concentrations (0.92 ± 1.03 mg kg−1). THg concentrations in liver were low compared to those found in muscle tissue; higher levels were found in liver of juvenile S. lewini (0.250 ± 0.07 mg kg−1). Results showed that 35 % of muscle tissue samples are above the precautionary limit (0.50 mg kg−1 of THg) and a 7 % exceeded the maximum limit for human consumption (1 mg kg−1).

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Acknowledgments

We express our sincere appreciation to the National Council of Science and Technology (CONACyT) for the support granted to carry out this research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas, Universidad de Sonora, Blvd. Colosio S/N, Col. Centro, C.P. 83000, Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico

    Rocío Hurtado-Banda, Gerardo Navarro-García & Luis Ángel Medina-Juárez

  2. Departamento de Ingeniería Química, Universidad de Sonora, Blvd. Colosio S/N, Col. Centro, C.P. 83000, Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico

    Agustín Gomez-Alvarez

  3. Facultad de Ciencias del Mar, Universidad Autónoma de Sinaloa, Paseo Claussen S/N. Col. Los Pinos, C.P. 82000, Mazatlán, Sinaloa, Mexico

    J. Fernando Márquez-Farías

  4. Departamento de Fisicoquímica, Analítica del Noroeste Laboratorios S.A. de C.V, Blvd. Colosio No. 707, Col. Las Quintas, C.P. 83240, Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico

    Marcial Cordoba-Figueroa

Authors
  1. Rocío Hurtado-Banda
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  2. Agustín Gomez-Alvarez
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  3. J. Fernando Márquez-Farías
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  4. Marcial Cordoba-Figueroa
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  5. Gerardo Navarro-García
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  6. Luis Ángel Medina-Juárez
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Luis Ángel Medina-Juárez.

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Hurtado-Banda, R., Gomez-Alvarez, A., Márquez-Farías, J.F. et al. Total Mercury in Liver and Muscle Tissue of Two Coastal Sharks from the Northwest of Mexico. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 88, 971–975 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-012-0623-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-012-0623-x

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