ScienceAsia 2 (1976): 185-194 |doi: 10.2306/scienceasia1513-1874.1976.02.185

MERCURY CONTENT OF SEVERAL PREDACIOUS SPECIES IN THE ANDAMAN SEA

PIAMSAK MENASVETA and RACHANEE SIRIYONG

Summary: During April 1975 thirty-six muscle samples of six predacious species from the Andaman Sea were collected for an analysis of their total mercury concentrations. The total mercury levels ranged from 0.026 to 0.234 ppm in yellowfin tuna (Neothunnus albacora), from 0.027 to 0.233 ppm in bigeye tuna (Parathunnus sibi), and from 0.057 to 0.478 ppm in four species of shark. The statistical analysis also showed positive linear regression and there was correlation between the mercury concentration and the weight of yellowfin tuna, bigeye tuna, and shark. The rates of total mercury accumulation in yellow fin and bigeye tuna were not significantly different. A comparison between in total mercury level in the Andaman yellowfin and the Central Pacific yellowfln tuna is discussed.

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Department of Marine Science, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand

Received 25 October 1976