Total Mercury Distribution in Different Tissues of Frigate Tuna (Auxis thazard thazard) from the Atlantic Coastal Waters of Ghana, Gulf of Guinea |
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Authors: | R B Voegborlo A A Adimado J H Ephraim |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Chemistry, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, 233, Ghana |
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Abstract: | Total mercury concentrations in different tissues of frigate tuna fish (Auxis thazard thazard) was determined by the cold vapour atomic absorption spectrometry technique using an automatic mercury analyzer. A mixture
of HNO3, HClO4 and H2SO4 was used for complete oxidation of organic tissue. The concentration of mercury obtained was in the order Gills < Stomach
< Gonads < Intestine < Heart < Duodenum < Liver < Muscle. The concentration of total mercury detected in the edible muscle
tissue of the tuna fish tested ranged from 0.044 to 0.201 μg g−1 (mean = 0.108 μg g−1) wet weight. These levels are all within the maximum allowed/recommended level in fish (0.5 μg g−1 wet weight) set by the Food and Agriculture Organisation/World Health Organisation (FAO/WHO) and are therefore unlikely to
constitute any significant mercury exposure to the general population because of consumption of tuna fish. The results of
the study suggest a relatively clean marine environment that has not been significantly impacted by mercury contamination
probably due to minimal industrial activity in the region. |
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Keywords: | Auxis thazard thazard Distribution Gulf of Guinea Mercury Tissues |
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