Interpretation of mercury content in national samples of sailfish (Istiophorus platypterus) and marlin (Makaira spp . Or Tetrapturus spp.) from international toxicological parameters

Total mercury results in eleven samples of sail fish and eleven samples of marlin from national market places (where they are called with those names), from a study by the Costarican Fishing Federation, are presented. Sail fish samples vary between 0,85 and 1,30 mg of mercury/kg of fish, with an ave...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Carlos E. Callega, Enrique Ramírez
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Universidad Nacional, Costa Rica 2014-06-01
Series:Ciencias Ambientales
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.revistas.una.ac.cr/index.php/ambientales/article/view/7225/7431
_version_ 1828526188707971072
author Carlos E. Callega
Enrique Ramírez
author_facet Carlos E. Callega
Enrique Ramírez
author_sort Carlos E. Callega
collection DOAJ
description Total mercury results in eleven samples of sail fish and eleven samples of marlin from national market places (where they are called with those names), from a study by the Costarican Fishing Federation, are presented. Sail fish samples vary between 0,85 and 1,30 mg of mercury/kg of fish, with an average of (1,07±0,17) mg of mercury/kg of fish, and marlin samples varied between 0,41 and 1,18 mg of mercury/kg of fish with an average of (0,83±0,27) mg of mercury/kg of fish. Both cases showed mercury concentrations close to the maximum recommended value of the World Health Organization (WHO) of 1 mg of mercury/kg of fish for predatory species. At least 64% of the samples were equal to or above the toxicological threshold of WHO, defined as the provisional tolerable weekly intake, PTWI, calculated for portion sizes between 100 g and 150 g. Results show the presence of mercury in these samples, and are used to interpret mercury content compared to WHO values and propose recommendations for Costa Rica. These results are consistent with mercury accumulation in the ocean and in predatory fish observed worldwide, documented with a large number of references.
first_indexed 2024-12-11T21:19:00Z
format Article
id doaj.art-57af97ce73b14290b554a4c0d6dc5242
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1409-2158
2215-3896
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-11T21:19:00Z
publishDate 2014-06-01
publisher Universidad Nacional, Costa Rica
record_format Article
series Ciencias Ambientales
spelling doaj.art-57af97ce73b14290b554a4c0d6dc52422022-12-22T00:50:30ZengUniversidad Nacional, Costa RicaCiencias Ambientales1409-21582215-38962014-06-014714459http://dx.doi.org/10.15359/rca.47-1.4Interpretation of mercury content in national samples of sailfish (Istiophorus platypterus) and marlin (Makaira spp . Or Tetrapturus spp.) from international toxicological parametersCarlos E. Callega0Enrique Ramírez1Environmental chemist and environmental management, Costa RicaBiologist and executive director of the Costa Rican Federation of Fishing, Costa RicaTotal mercury results in eleven samples of sail fish and eleven samples of marlin from national market places (where they are called with those names), from a study by the Costarican Fishing Federation, are presented. Sail fish samples vary between 0,85 and 1,30 mg of mercury/kg of fish, with an average of (1,07±0,17) mg of mercury/kg of fish, and marlin samples varied between 0,41 and 1,18 mg of mercury/kg of fish with an average of (0,83±0,27) mg of mercury/kg of fish. Both cases showed mercury concentrations close to the maximum recommended value of the World Health Organization (WHO) of 1 mg of mercury/kg of fish for predatory species. At least 64% of the samples were equal to or above the toxicological threshold of WHO, defined as the provisional tolerable weekly intake, PTWI, calculated for portion sizes between 100 g and 150 g. Results show the presence of mercury in these samples, and are used to interpret mercury content compared to WHO values and propose recommendations for Costa Rica. These results are consistent with mercury accumulation in the ocean and in predatory fish observed worldwide, documented with a large number of references.http://www.revistas.una.ac.cr/index.php/ambientales/article/view/7225/7431Sail fishMarlinMercuryMethylmercuryBioaccumulationBiomagnification
spellingShingle Carlos E. Callega
Enrique Ramírez
Interpretation of mercury content in national samples of sailfish (Istiophorus platypterus) and marlin (Makaira spp . Or Tetrapturus spp.) from international toxicological parameters
Ciencias Ambientales
Sail fish
Marlin
Mercury
Methylmercury
Bioaccumulation
Biomagnification
title Interpretation of mercury content in national samples of sailfish (Istiophorus platypterus) and marlin (Makaira spp . Or Tetrapturus spp.) from international toxicological parameters
title_full Interpretation of mercury content in national samples of sailfish (Istiophorus platypterus) and marlin (Makaira spp . Or Tetrapturus spp.) from international toxicological parameters
title_fullStr Interpretation of mercury content in national samples of sailfish (Istiophorus platypterus) and marlin (Makaira spp . Or Tetrapturus spp.) from international toxicological parameters
title_full_unstemmed Interpretation of mercury content in national samples of sailfish (Istiophorus platypterus) and marlin (Makaira spp . Or Tetrapturus spp.) from international toxicological parameters
title_short Interpretation of mercury content in national samples of sailfish (Istiophorus platypterus) and marlin (Makaira spp . Or Tetrapturus spp.) from international toxicological parameters
title_sort interpretation of mercury content in national samples of sailfish istiophorus platypterus and marlin makaira spp or tetrapturus spp from international toxicological parameters
topic Sail fish
Marlin
Mercury
Methylmercury
Bioaccumulation
Biomagnification
url http://www.revistas.una.ac.cr/index.php/ambientales/article/view/7225/7431
work_keys_str_mv AT carlosecallega interpretationofmercurycontentinnationalsamplesofsailfishistiophorusplatypterusandmarlinmakairaspportetrapturussppfrominternationaltoxicologicalparameters
AT enriqueramirez interpretationofmercurycontentinnationalsamplesofsailfishistiophorusplatypterusandmarlinmakairaspportetrapturussppfrominternationaltoxicologicalparameters