Trends in the mercury concentration in largemouth bass, carp, and drum from Kentucky and Pickwick reservoirs, 1970-1979
Evaluation of the TVA and State of Tennessee data showed a positive relationship between fish age (length) and its mercury content for largemouth bass. An analysis of the mercury data in three-year-old largemouth bass, along with the time-concentration plots for all three species, and the tables showing the percentages of samples exceeding the 1.0 ..mu..g/g FDA guideline, indicated that: The average mercury content in fish downstream from the chlor-alkali plant discharge increased from 1970 to a maximum in 1972 and 1973. The mean mercury concentrations in largemouth bass, carp, and drum from Pickwick and Kentucky Reservoirs have been steadily decreasing since 1973 with concentrations in three-year-old largemouth bass decreasing at an average rate of approximately 0.06 ..mu..g/g per year. The percentage of fish collected with mercury concentrations exceeding 1.0 ..mu..g/g has decreased steadily since 1973 to less than 2 percent in 1978, and in 1979 no fish sampled contained mercury concentrations exceeding the FDA guideline of 1.0 ..mu..g/g. (PSB)
- Research Organization:
- Tennessee Valley Authority, Chattanooga (USA). Office of Natural Resources
- OSTI ID:
- 6271312
- Report Number(s):
- TVA/ONR/WR-83/4; ON: DE83902044
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Technical report series: North Alabama water quality assessment: Volume 7, Contaminants in biota
Mercury contamination in Poplar Creek and the Clinch River. Environmental Sciences Division Publication No. 2286
Related Subjects
FISHES
METABOLISM
MERCURY
BIOLOGICAL ACCUMULATION
TENNESSEE
WATER QUALITY
CONTAMINATION
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FOOD CHAINS
KENTUCKY
PUBLIC HEALTH
TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
DATA
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
FEDERAL REGION IV
INFORMATION
METALS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NORTH AMERICA
NUMERICAL DATA
US ORGANIZATIONS
USA
VERTEBRATES
560305* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology- Vertebrates- (-1987)