Assessment of Mercury Contamination in Perch Species in the Southern Caspian Sea

Mercury is a heavy metal that has caused concern regarding the health of fish and of those who consume them. In this research, the concentrations of mercury in the muscle tissues of zander and European perch from Anzali were measured using a graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometer (GFAAS). The average concentrations of mercury in the muscle of the zander and European perch were 244 and 105 µg/kg dry weight, respectively. A nonsignificant positive correlation between morphological parameters and mercury values was observed for both species (P > 0.05). The concentrations of mercury accumulated in the two fish species were lower than the values recorded in most similar studies, and were below the permissible limit provided by the National Iranian Standards Organization, FAO, WHO, US EPA, EC, and US FDA. In addition, the HQ value was less than one. Therefore, in general, this research indicates that exposure to mercury does not threaten the health of these species and their consumers.