Mercury content of some marine fish from the southern Caribbean Sea

The mercury concentration in muscle and liver of 63 specimens, comprising 17 species of edible fish from coastal waters of the Caribbean Sea near Cumaná, was determined by cold vapour atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The Hg content of edible muscle tissue, expressed on a fresh weight basis, varied from 0.048 microgram g-1 in lisa (Mugil curema) to 0.190 microgram g-1 in tajali (Trichiurus lepturus), with an average value of 0.096 +/- 0.042 microgram g-1. The corresponding values for liver varied from 0.135 microgram g-1 in lebranche (Mugil brasiliensis) to 0.361 micrograms g-1 in tajali (Trichiurus lepturus), with an average value of 0.269 +/- 0.059 microgram g-1. Of the 17 species analysed, seven had a mercury concentration greater than 0.10 microgram g-1 and the remainder contained less than 0.08 microgram g-1 in edible muscle tissue.