The occurrence of mercury in amphibia

Studies have been made of the distribution of mercury and its occurrence as methylmercury in the organs of amphibia collected from different sites mainly in Slovenia, Yugoslavia, including the area around the mercury mine at Idrija. Liver accumulates the highest amounts of mercury, up to 2 ppm in apparent background areas, with values up to 0.5 ppm in muscle, where virtually all mercury is present in the methyl form. Results are reported for some other trace elements in liver. Amphibia may provide useful monitors of the occurrence and spread of mercury contamination.