MERCURY CONCENTRATIONS IN EDIBLE TISSUES OF ELASMOBRANCHS, TELEOSTS, CRUSTACEANS AND MOLLUSKS FROM SOUTHEASTERN AUSTRALIAN WATERS

Abstract

Mean concentrations of total mercury in the axial muscle tissues from 4 species of elasmobranchs (1 • 33-3• 15 mg g-1) and 14 species of teleosts (0-14-0-73 mg g-1) from waters deeper than 75 m were generally higher than the mean concentrations in 23 different species of elasmobranchs (0-13-1-70 mg g-1) and 30 different species of teleosts (0-01-0-29 mg g-1) from shallower waters outside Port Phillip Bay. In 5 of the 11 species of teleosts from Port Phillip Bay, which is shallow, almost landlocked and drains a largely urbanized catchment, mean concentrations were 0-39-0-63 mg g-1in the remaining 6 species, they were 0-04-0-27 mg g-1Differences in the diets and the longevity of the species ar..